Co-creating an Indigenous-led virtual health services model for Indigenous Australians living with chronic disease

Objective: To describe the co-design process and understand consumer perspectives of a virtual health services (VHS) model of primary healthcare delivery, for Indigenous Australians with chronic disease and living in regional, rural, and remote Queensland.

Design: Using decolonising methodologies, the study used an Indigenous consensus method to undertake the co-design process and generate findings. For analysis, a qualitative interpretive-description framework was applied. Thematic analysis generated themes, describing consumer perspectives of virtual healthcare models.

Setting: The Goondir Health Services (Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation) operating clinics in rural and remote Queensland.

Participants: Fourteen Indigenous VHS consumers who resided in Modified Monash Model 3-7 communities across Queensland, met the eligibility criteria and provided informed consent.

Results: Two themes emerged: (1) personalised approaches to autonomous care using digital technologies, with two sub-themes of the benefits and challenges of technology, and the integration of culturally inclusive healthcare elements; (2) person-centred, culturally appropriate healthcare elements within a VHS model, with three sub-themes on the vital role of health coaches, the importance of community connections, and enabling holistic personalised healthcare access.

Conclusion: This study provides important consumer perspectives on the potential of VHS models of health care to empower Indigenous healthcare service consumers. VHS holds promise on multiple fronts: improved access, timeliness, continuity of care, and culturally sensitive health care, enabling improved self-management of chronic conditions, and provide crucial support from local Indigenous healthcare providers within the community. Future research on the sustainability and impact of personalised, consumer-centric digital health services in Indigenous populations is essential.