#AlliedHealthImpact
As healthcare systems face mounting pressures from increasing patient demand and complexity, the question of how we can more effectively employ our healthcare workforce is more pertinent than ever. Among the most valuable but underexploited resources in our arsenal are allied health professionals— a diverse group whose potential impact on healthcare outcomes and system efficiencies is immense, but not fully realised.
The Untapped Potential of Allied Health
Allied health professionals play a pivotal role in patient care. They provide a range of diagnostic, technical, therapeutic, and direct patient care and support services that are critical to the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
However, despite their critical contributions, the full scope of what allied health professionals can achieve is often hampered by a lack of awareness of allied health roles and capability; a perceived need for allied health to ask permission to work to full scope of practice; confusion about delegation, responsibility and accountability; misunderstanding about regulatory boundaries; inefficient systems to cascade good practice within and across services; risk aversion; and insufficient integration into interdisciplinary care teams.
Imagine a healthcare system where allied health professionals are employed to their full potential. We would see not only an enhancement in patient outcomes through more personalised and timely care but also a significant reduction in healthcare system bottlenecks (for example, see our article 10 Ways that allied health can keep people out of hospital).
Optimal utilisation of allied health could lead to a more efficient allocation of healthcare resources, alleviating undue pressures on other healthcare providers, freeing them to use their skills and expertise more effectively and efficiently. Moreover, it could improve public health through preventive care and the management of chronic conditions, contributing to the overall sustainability and resilience of health systems globally.
The Path to Full Utilisation
To unlock the full potential of allied health professionals, we must advocate for:
- Redefining Engagement: Instead of seeking permission for allied health’s involvement in healthcare, question why they are not already central to care models, acknowledging their indispensable role in delivering comprehensive healthcare.
- Empowering Practice: Expect allied health professionals to employ their complete range of skills autonomously, moving beyond the need to ask permission to perform tasks that are intrinsic to their expertise.
- Rethinking Clinical Governance: Adopt governance models that understand when practitioners operate within their scope of practice—for which they are trained and accredited—it represents not a delegation of tasks, but the execution of their qualified role, with full accountability for outcomes.
- Fostering Collaborative Care: Champion healthcare models that encourage interdisciplinary teamwork, enabling allied health professionals to fully engage in and contribute to patient care.
- Advancing Education and Training: Proactively disseminate, learn from, and refine examples where allied health’s contributions significantly enhance patient and healthcare service outcomes, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and shared knowledge.
- Question the Status Quo: Instead of accepting historic and outdated systems, power hierarchies, structures and service models, ask “how can this be done more effectively and efficiently to achieve optimal patient outcomes?”.
Join the Conversation: #AlliedHealthImpact
Transforming healthcare through effective utilization of allied health is not just possible—it’s essential for a sustainable global healthcare system. Join the discussion using the hashtag #AlliedHealthImpact to share your insights, experiences, and ideas.
Your Voice Matters
The transformation of healthcare through the effective employment of allied health professionals is not just a possibility—it’s a necessity for a sustainable global healthcare system.
I invite you to join the discussion “If allied health were used more effectively we would see….” using the hashtag #AlliedHealthImpact.
Share your insights, experiences, and ideas on how we can better employ allied health professionals to enhance healthcare outcomes, reduce system pressures, and ultimately, transform our healthcare system for the better.
Leave your comments below, or join the free The Allied Health Academy community of practice to continue this conversation with peers and colleagues from more than 15 countries.
The time for change is now. Let’s work together to make an impactful difference to our patients and communities and the future of healthcare.
