This study examines the success of a public-private partnership (PPP) model aimed at improving physiotherapy service delivery in rural Australia, where longstanding service gaps exist.
A rural health organization partnered with a private physiotherapy business to provide services to hospital inpatients, aged care residents, and outpatients in four regional towns, using treatment rooms provided by the health organization.
We used qualitative methods, involving interviews with managers and clinicians from both the public health organization and the private physiotherapy business. Ten participants were interviewed, and the data were analyzed using framework analysis and program logic.
Two main themes and three subthemes emerged. All participants considered the model successful, with key indicators of success being improved access to local services and stakeholder satisfaction. Three critical mechanisms for successful implementation were identified:
- Provision of resources – including workforce and other necessary resources.
- Stakeholder engagement – involving motivated and consistent stakeholders.
- Streamlined processes – covering contract details, referral schedules, administrative processes, and communication management.
The study concludes that PPPs can effectively address physiotherapy service gaps in rural areas by improving access to services. The success of such models depends on the perspectives of different stakeholders and relies on the effective implementation of the identified mechanisms.
Reference: Farquhar E, Moran A, Schmidt D. Rural and Remote health 20: 5668.