Doctorate Description: This project aims to determine the current destination hospital for paediatric patients transported by emergency ambulance in rural Victoria, and the decision-making processes employed by paramedics when arriving at their choice of hospital. The questions this project aims to answer are: • What factors influence rural paramedics’ choice of destination hospital for paediatric patients?
• What is the extent and characteristics of current hospital bypass for paediatric patients?
• What is the extent of paediatric secondary transfer in rural Victoria, and what evidence is there that hospital choice affects paediatric patient outcomes?