Professor John Humphreys
Monash University, VIC
Evaluation of Rural Health Service 2008
John Humphreys is Professor of Rural Health Research in the School of Rural Health at Monash University, Bendigo. Professor Humphreys is well known for his academic expertise and research on health service provision in rural and remote areas of Australia, rural workforce recruitment and retention, rural health policy and the evaluation of rural health programs.
He has undertaken extensive fieldwork on rural health issues throughout rural and remote regions of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and has published widely in books and journals. In addition to his academic career, Prof Humphreys has worked in both the Victorian and the Commonwealth Departments of Health. He has taken a lead role in developing National Rural Health Policies and is currently a member of several Advisory Committees for the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.
SUMMARY OF PROJECT:
A new model for rural health service delivery?
Many small isolated rural communities throughout Australia are experiencing demographic ageing, an increasing burden of chronic disease and de-population, resulting in traditional models of health service delivery being no longer sustainable. The Elmore Primary Health Service was set up after the region lost its local hospital and medical practice. Prof John Humphreys from Monash University has been awarded an Australian Rotary Health grant to evaluate the service. This will facilitate improvements but may also influence policy to enable the development of new primary health services in other small rural and remote communities.