“Not been seen as an important part of the process” – Allied professional residential aged care facility imaging

Introduction: Mobile X-ray and ultrasound services are essential for delivering health care within residential aged care facilities (RACFs).1 The RACF workforce caring for older persons comprises allied health professionals, including nurses and physiotherapists. Notably, medical practitioners2 and mobile imaging service providers are external to the RACF workforce. Therefore, interprofessional collaboration and effective communication are critical for coordinating care, making decisions and addressing ethical considerations related to imaging requests, examinations and outcomes. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of allied health professionals involved in the delivery of mobile imaging services in RACFs.

Method: A qualitative narrative approach was adopted, involving a convenience sample of allied health professionals – namely nurses, physiotherapists, radiographers and sonographers (n = 24). Data were collected through individual interviews conducted either online or face-to-face, using inductive, open-ended questions and probes to elicit rich in-depth insights into mobile imaging service delivery. A hybrid systematic thematic analysis was employed to interpret and analyse the data.3

Results: Key themes emerged from the data interpretation and analyses: Assessment and monitoring prior to imaging, including the complex judgement required to escalate care; Flexible and adaptable referral pathways within structured institutional protocols; Navigating the multi-layered systemic constraints, involving the balancing of resources and safety management; and Imaging structural logistics and handover challenges.

Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of context-sensitive imaging within the ethical and relational complexities of aged care.4–6 It highlights the need for flexible and adaptive approaches to ensure accountable, justified, and socio-economic responsive imaging practices within an integrated healthcare system.