NCT06901167

Evaluation of a Residential In-Reach Program in Regional and Rural Australia

Evaluation of a Region-wide Residential In-Reach (RIR) Program in Regional and Rural Health Services: A Stepped-wedge Trial

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 100 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Monash University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Residential In-Reach (RIR) programs are designed to provide responsive care for residents in residential aged care homes (RACH) with the aim of avoiding unnecessary hospital transfers. The evidence for their clinical and cost-effectiveness and implementation has been established in urban settings, but there is a small amount of low-quality evidence for rural and regional settings. The Grampians Region Health Service Partnership Resi-In-Reach Redesign Committee will be implementing a new RIR program to be offered to all RACHs in the Grampians region, this project aims to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of this program, and its implementation in the rural and regional setting. A stepped-wedge trial will be conducted so that as the RIR program is gradually rolled-out across the region, outcomes can be compared in the same facilities across time and between different facilities. The primary outcome measure will be presentation to emergency departments and urgent care centres, and data will also be collected on other clinical outcomes and barriers and enablers of implementing the program. It is anticipated that there will be a reduction in hospital presentations, and a range of barriers and enablers unique to the rural and regional setting will emerge.

Conditions

• Aged
• Acute Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Residential In-Reach Program	All enrolled residential aged care homes will be able to access the residential-in-reach (RIR) program intervention. The RIR program provides a consultation service from a central hospital to an aged care facility in the Grampians region in the state of Victoria, Australia. Aged care staff will make a telehealth referral to central hub, where a nurse practitioner will triage the patient and make recommendations (for example, monitor resident condition, more examples: comprehensive assessment for unwell residents, liaison with the General Practitioners for diagnosis and treatment plan, provide education and support to staff) or further referrals (for example, refer to geriatrician or call an ambulance).

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-05-01
• Primary completion: 2026-05-31
• Completion: 2026-06-30
• First posted: 2025-03-28
• Last updated: 2025-05-30

Locations

8 sites across 1 country: Australia