Medical yarn ups, or Shared Medical Appointments, are showing promise in a Northern Territory PHN funded pilot program.
The Shared Medical Appointments (SMA) service model is based on group medical consultation that encourages a two-way exchange of knowledge and community input into how the group sessions are delivered. The model is being applied to health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
NT PHN Health Strategy and Planning Manager Leva Azadi says that at its core, the program aims to support self-determination and build trust between health professionals and communities.
“Pilot sites that have engaged with the community more deeply prior to delivering the model have found better success overall. Building relationships through listening, sharing ideas, and responding in a culturally safe and responsive way is foundational to the approach,” Leva says.
The model includes engagement with the community before it is even established in a location.
So far, the service model is receiving positive feedback from those involved, being piloted in other regions and states across Australia and has been nominated as a finalist in the Lifestyle Medicine Awards 2024.
The pilot is a collaboration between NT PHN, the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) and the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.
