12. Co-designing Telehealth in Remote Communities on the Tiwi Islands

Primary care is the foundation of any health system but it faces massive challenges globally, especially in geographically isolated communities. One solution is telehealth or virtual care, a natural fit for remote areas. Bridging geographic distances makes it easier to connect with clinicians and reduce travel time and costs. Tim Shaw shares how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders on Australia’s remote Tiwi Islands bridged this gap using technology and co-designed care with clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to help their community access comprehensive and coordinated primary care.References:Aubrey-Basler K, Bursey K, Pike A, et al. Interventions to improve primary healthcare in rural settings: A scoping review. PLoS One. 2024;19(7):e0305516.Fraze TK, Lewis VA, Wood A, Newton H, Colla CH. Configuration and Delivery of Primary Care in Rural and Urban Settings. J Gen Intern Med. 2022;37(12):3045-3053.Gizaw Z, Astale T, Kassie GM. What improves access to primary healthcare services in rural communities? A systematic review. BMC Prim Care. 2022;23(1):313.McCullough K, Whitehead L, Bayes S, Williams A, Cope V. The delivery of Primary Health Care in remote communities: A Grounded Theory study of the perspective of nurses. Int J Nurs Stud. 2020;102:103474.