Table 4 Postulated variables of influence, and associated effects
Service | Service Definition | Access | Effect | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Target Service | The target service of the study | Access to target service (e.g., specialist outpatient) Positive / Negative | The effect access to the target service, had on that target service use Positive / Negative | “It is likely the long travel distance for rural communities [negative access] limited utilization of the [target]outpatient service” [negative effect] |
Complementary Service | Ancillary services that are considered to affect the demand of the target service (e.g., primary care offsetting hospitalisations) | Access to complementary services (e.g., primary care) Positive / Negative | The effect access to complementary services had on target service use (e.g., hospitalisations) Positive / Negative | “Reduced access to primary care [complementary] in rural areas [negative access] may be driving increased hospitalisations [positive effect]” (hospitalisations being the target service) |