Resources
FAQ: Effective use of HealthPathways
in clinical practice and GP training
WHAT IS HEALTHPATHWAYS?
HealthPathways offers clinicians locally agreed information to support clinical decision-making at the point of care. It integrates clinical guidance, service and referral options, and patient resources into a single platform tailored for specific local contexts. It is a useful resource for clinical practice and GP training, and enables reflective learning, quality improvement and audit.
HOW ARE THE PATHWAYS DEVELOPED?
Community HealthPathways is developed by GPs and primary care clinicians for general practice teams. Local GP or primary care clinical editors collaborate with specialists, subject matter experts, and health system and community stakeholders to create and regularly update pathways to ensure they are practical, reflect local reality, and are evidence-based.
Local clinical editors adapt pathways to regional contexts, aligning them with referral criteria, healthcare system processes, and regional services.
Localised pathways are updated regularly. Urgent changes are flagged with “clinical editor notes” until formal reviews are completed.
WHO FUNDS AND RUNS HEALTHPATHWAYS?
In Australia, depending on the area, HealthPathways is funded and supported by state services, the Commonwealth-funded Primary Health Networks (PHNs), or a collaboration of the two. In New Zealand, it is funded and supported by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora.
Streamliners host the platform, partnering with and bringing together HealthPathways Community members in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Canada.
Pathways can be shared across the community where appropriate, then customised for local care. Some regions also use hospital-specific pathways, Hospital HealthPathways.
WHAT TYPES OF PATHWAYS ARE THERE?
- Clinical Pathways: Assessment, management, and referral guidance for conditions. It includes both presentation-based pathways for undifferentiated conditions e.g. headaches or eye problems in children, alongside condition-based pathways e.g. diabetes.
- Request Pathways: Information for access and referral to local services.
- Resource Pages: Supplementary materials, including medication guides, infection control protocols, and health system information e.g. MBS claim.
HOW IS PATIENT INFORMATION INTEGRATED?
Patient information, such as handouts or credible website links, is embedded into pathways to enhance consultations. This is also available at the bottom of the pathways in the patient information section.
HOW CAN HEALTHPATHWAYS SUPPORT GP TRAINING?
HealthPathways provides structured guidance for consultations, refining differential diagnosis, managing rare conditions, curated resources, and insights into the local health system. It helps GPs know local, “how things are done around here” information.
Supervisors can use it for teaching and reflective learning and to identify knowledge gaps. It can support audit and quality improvement.
Information, services and resources for diverse populations, such as interpreter services and community support, enable more equitable care.
HOW CAN I PROVIDE FEEDBACK OR INFLUENCE LOCAL PATHWAYS?
Use the “Feedback” button at the bottom right of any page to report issues, suggest improvements, or engage with your local HealthPathways team, including GP colleagues.
HOW CAN SUPERVISORS EFFECTIVELY USE HEALTHPATHWAYS?
They can integrate it into teaching sessions, model its use during case discussions, and encourage registrars to access it regularly.
HOW IS IT USED IN CLINICAL EDUCATION?
HealthPathways supports learning and is embedded in GP training to prepare trainees for assessments like the Fellowship exams.
WHAT SHOULD REGISTRARS DO IF PATHWAY INFORMATION DIFFERS FROM SUPERVISOR OR OTHER GUIDANCE?
This creates a teaching opportunity to discuss new information with supervisors, evaluate its relevance, and explore its application.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR SUPERVISORS TO OBSERVE HOW REGISTRARS USE RESOURCES?
Understanding what resources registrars use, and how they are using them, ensures that registrars are relying on credible tools and using them effectively. It also allows supervisors to align teaching with those resources.
HOW DOES HEALTHPATHWAYS IMPROVE PATIENT CARE?
Patients benefit from high-quality, understandable information, evidence-based practices, and streamlined referrals.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE FINDING INFORMATION?
A search tip is to use the “Expand All” option or Ctrl+F to find terms within a pathway.
AI assisted Smart Search allows you to navigate directly to the location on the pathway that contains the information you require. This new feature is being progressively released and will be available on all HealthPathways sites by mid-2025.
DOES HEALTHPATHWAYS PROMOTE COOKIE-CUTTER MEDICINE?
No, it complements clinical judgement and supports individualised decision-making while enhancing patient care.
HOW DOES HEALTHPATHWAYS DIFFER FROM OTHER RESOURCES?
Unlike general guidelines, it is tailored to GPs, integrating evidence-based recommendations with local healthcare requirements. Unlike some resources available on the internet, there is robust clinical governance over content.
HOW DOES HEALTHPATHWAYS ADDRESS SYSTEM FRUSTRATIONS, LIKE REFERRAL REJECTIONS?
It provides transparency about what information is needed for a quality referral, increasing the chance of acceptance. It also explains the referral and access criteria within the limitations of a public health system.
HOW CAN GPS ENCOURAGE PEERS TO USE HEALTHPATHWAYS?
Sharing its benefits, demonstrating its use, and promoting frequent reference can encourage adoption.
HOW DOES HEALTHPATHWAYS FOSTER COMMUNITY AMONG GPS?
It enables knowledge sharing and collective improvement through user feedback and updates.
CAN IT TRACK CPD ACTIVITIES?
Yes, the CPD reporting feature allows you to log reflective notes on pathway usage, fostering integration of reflective learning into practice. Your personal data is confidential and not shared with anyone. This feature is being progressively released and will be available on all sites by mid-2025.
Pathways also make a useful basis for an audit of your practice and for practice improvement activities.
HOW TO GET ACCESS TO HEALTHPATHWAYS IN YOUR LOCAL AREA?
healthpathwayscommunity.org/Home/Access-to-HealthPathways
HealthPathways is free for clinicians to use.
Resources
Date reviewed: 20 December 2024