Background & Aims: Poorly modified chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease, represents 80% of the life expectancy gap and is exacerbated by miscommunication, in turn due to language operating in different ways for different people and within different world views. One proposed solution is to support patients with trained Aboriginal Narrative therapists (ANT) through associative interpretation e.g., equating the life journey to four quarters of football. We aim to engage an ANT in routine patient care to facilitate bi-directional learning between patients and medical staff and in turn, improve each’s understanding and satisfaction.
Method: A prospective cluster-randomisation trial at Alice Springs Hospital (ASH), Northern Territory, Australia is planned. Four inpatient medical teams will be randomised to having an ANT join their team or not in a 1:3 ratio. The ANT will make the treatment team multi-disciplinary and provide associative interpretation of medical plans for patients, align patient and medical-team goals and upskill medical staff. They will achieve this by developing a suite of bi- directional communication tools. Primary outcome is rate of take-own-leave during the study period. Secondary outcomes will include Patient Satisfaction, Medical Officer Satisfaction, 30 day re-admission rate and 12-month mortality.
Future Directions: This will act as a ‘proof-of-concept’ for ANTs and support the expansion of the Aboriginal work force at ASH, improving patient understanding and navigation through the hospital. Future focuses of the ASH Aboriginal liaison unit include ANT impact upon Outpatient Department (OPD) follow-up, Aboriginal Liaison Officer (ALO)/ Aboriginal Health Practitioner (AHP) involvement in triage and discharge planning and effect upon patient satisfaction by having ALOs physically located at the hospital entrance.