Overview
Background
Associate Professor Matthew McGrail is the Head of Regional Training Hubs research at UQ’s Rural Clinical School. Joining UQ in Nov 2017, he is based at the Rockhampton Clinical Unit, and he is chair of the research and evaluation working group of UQ’s Regional Medical Pathway as well as chair of UQ RCS’s medical graduate cohort longitudinal tracking study (UQ MediCoS).
Matthew has worked in the university sector for over 20 years, working mostly as a researcher in rural health. He was originally trained as a statistician, expanding his skills across GIS and software development, completing his PhD in 2008. He has been lead biostatistician on 3 large NHMRC-funded RCTs that are published in the world-leading general medical journal, the Lancet. Matthew’s research is mostly underpinned by the overall objective of improved access to health care for rural populations, mainly focused in the medical sector. He has a unique blend of ‘generalist’ research skills and experience across the disciplines of statistics, geography, rural health, econometrics, public health and clinical research.
Matthew has a particular interest in the ongoing concerns with medical workforce distribution, connecting that through his research and evaluation to health policies, training pathways and healthcare systems. To date he has been a chief investigator on two separate Centres of Research Excellence, one on medical workforce dynamics and the other on rural and remote primary health care access. He has also co-researched with various GP training organisations, specialty colleges, rural workforce agencies, as well as state and commonwealth health departments
Availability
- Associate Professor Matthew McGrail is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science, University of Melbourne
- Graduate Diploma in Information Technology (Software Development), Swinburne University of Technology
- Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University
Research interests
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Rural medical workforce training
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Workforce distribution
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Access to health care
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Rural health workforce policy
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Health services research
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GIS methodologies in health
Research impacts
Matthew has over 130 peer reviewed journal publications. He is globally recognised for his research of medical workforce training and distributional outcomes, which directly impacts healthcare access for rural populations. He was a lead investigator on the completed Centre of Research Excellence in Rural and Remote Primary Health Care, under which he developed improved measures of healthcare access, notably producing the national Index of Access.
He was also a chief investigator of the NHMRC-funded Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) longitudinal study of doctors (data collected 2008-18), under which he led the rural supply and distribution research theme. These data are still used as key source of national evidence of the medical workforce. In 2018, the MABEL project was awarded the Best Impact Prize from the Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand, primarily due to the body of work from the rural theme. A key outcome of MABEL was the Modified Monash Model (MMM) classification, which he co-developed with Emeritus Prof John Humphreys. From 2015, the MMM has been adopted to underpin most Commonwealth Department of Health policies in rural health.
Works
Search Professor Matthew McGrail’s works on UQ eSpace
2015
Journal Article
Cancer patient and clinician acceptability and feasibility of a supportive care screening and referral process
Ristevski, Eli, Regan, Melanie, Jones, Rebecca, Breen, Sibilah, Batson, Angela and McGrail, Matthew R. (2015). Cancer patient and clinician acceptability and feasibility of a supportive care screening and referral process. Health Expectations, 18 (3), 406-418. doi: 10.1111/hex.12045
2015
Journal Article
Accessing doctors at times of need-measuring the distance tolerance of rural residents for health-related travel
McGrail, Matthew Richard, Humphreys, John Stirling and Ward, Bernadette (2015). Accessing doctors at times of need-measuring the distance tolerance of rural residents for health-related travel. BMC Health Services Research, 15 (1) 212. doi: 10.1186/s12913-015-0880-6
2015
Journal Article
Intravascular device administration sets: replacement after standard versus prolonged use in hospitalised patients—a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (The RSVP Trial)
Rickard, Claire M., Marsh, Nicole M., Webster, Joan, Gavin, Nicole C., McGrail, Matthew R., Larsen, Emily, Corley, Amanda, Long, Debbie, Gowardman, John R., Murgo, Marghie, Fraser, John F., Chan, Raymond J., Wallis, Marianne C., Young, Jeanine, McMillan, David, Zhang, Li, Choudhury, Md Abu, Graves, Nicholas and Playford, E. Geoffrey (2015). Intravascular device administration sets: replacement after standard versus prolonged use in hospitalised patients—a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (The RSVP Trial). BMJ Open, 5 (2) e007257, e007257.1-e007257.7. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-007257
2015
Journal Article
Which dimensions of access are most important when rural residents decide to visit a general practitioner for non-emergency care?
Ward, Bernadette, Humphreys, John, McGrail, Matthew, Wakerman, John and Chisholm, Marita (2015). Which dimensions of access are most important when rural residents decide to visit a general practitioner for non-emergency care?. Australian Health Review, 39 (2), 121-126. doi: 10.1071/AH14030
2015
Conference Publication
Planning integrated outreach: Service patterns from the metropolitan and rural hubs
O’Sullivan, B., Joyce, C., McGrail, M. and Stoelwinder, J. (2015). Planning integrated outreach: Service patterns from the metropolitan and rural hubs. 13th National Rural Health Conference, Darwin, NT, Australia, 2015.
2015
Journal Article
Securing all intravenous devices effectively in hospitalised patients—the SAVE trial: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial
Rickard, Claire M., Marsh, Nicole, Webster, Joan, Playford, Geoffrey, McGrail, Matthew R., Larsen, Emily, Keogh, Samantha, McMillan, David, Whitty, Jennifer A., Choudhury, Md Abu, Dunster, Kimble R., Reynolds, Heather, Marshall, Andrea, Crilly, Julia, Young, Jeanine, Thom, Ogilvie, Gowardman, John, Corley, Amanda and Fraser, John F. (2015). Securing all intravenous devices effectively in hospitalised patients—the SAVE trial: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 5 (9) e008689, e008689 .1-e008689 .7. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008689
2015
Journal Article
Procedural skills practice and training needs of doctors, nurses, midwives and paramedics in rural Victoria
Campbell, David, Shepherd, Irwyn, McGrail, Matthew, Kassell, Lisa, Connolly, Marnie, Williams, Brett and Nestel, Debra (2015). Procedural skills practice and training needs of doctors, nurses, midwives and paramedics in rural Victoria. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 6, 183-194. doi: 10.2147/AMEP.S77779
2015
Conference Publication
Targeting outreach: The influence of Australia’s rural outreach policy?
O’Sullivan, B., Stoelwinder, J. and McGrail, M. (2015). Targeting outreach: The influence of Australia’s rural outreach policy?. 9th International Health Services and Policy Research Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 2015.
2015
Journal Article
Postinfusion phlebitis: incidence and risk factors
Webster, Joan, McGrail, Matthew, Marsh, Nicole, Wallis, Marianne C., Ray-Barruel, Gillian and Rickard, Claire M. (2015). Postinfusion phlebitis: incidence and risk factors. Nursing Research and Practice, 2015 ARTN 691934. doi: 10.1155/2015/691934
2015
Book
Development of a national Index of Access for primary health care in Australia: discussion paper
McGrail, Matthew and Humphreys, John S. (2015). Development of a national Index of Access for primary health care in Australia: discussion paper. Churchill, VIC, Australia: Monash University * School of Rural Health.
2014
Journal Article
Retaining rural doctors: doctors' preferences for rural medical workforce incentives
Li, Jinhu, Scott, Anthony, McGrail, Matthew, Humphreys, John and Witt, Julia (2014). Retaining rural doctors: doctors' preferences for rural medical workforce incentives. Social Science & Medicine, 121, 56-64. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.09.053
2014
Journal Article
Measuring spatial accessibility to primary health care services: utilising dynamic catchment sizes
McGrail, Matthew R. and Humphreys, John S (2014). Measuring spatial accessibility to primary health care services: utilising dynamic catchment sizes. Applied Geography, 54, 182-188. doi: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.08.005
2014
Journal Article
More is more in remote Central Australia: more provision of primary healthcare services is associated with more acute medical evacuations and more remote telephone consultations
Hussain, J., Robinson, A., Stebbing, M. and McGrail, M. (2014). More is more in remote Central Australia: more provision of primary healthcare services is associated with more acute medical evacuations and more remote telephone consultations. Rural and Remote Health, 14 (4) 2796.
2014
Journal Article
Rural outreach by specialist doctors in Australia: a national cross-sectional study of supply and distribution
O'Sullivan, Belinda G., Joyce, Catherine M. and McGrail, Matthew R. (2014). Rural outreach by specialist doctors in Australia: a national cross-sectional study of supply and distribution. Human Resources for Health, 12 (50) Article 50. doi: 10.1186/1478-4491-12-50
2014
Journal Article
Mobile learning in a rural medical school: feasibility and educational benefits in campus and clinical settings
Nestel, Debra, Gray, Katherine, Ng, Andre, McGrail, Matthew, Kotsanas, George and Villanueva, Elmer (2014). Mobile learning in a rural medical school: feasibility and educational benefits in campus and clinical settings. Journal of Biomedical Education, 2014, 1-8. doi: 10.1155/2014/412786
2014
Journal Article
Risk factors for peripheral intravenous catheter failure: a multivariate analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial
Wallis, Marianne C., McGrail, Matthew, Webster, Joan, Marsh, Nicole, Gowardman, John, Playford, Geoffrey and Rickard, Claire M. (2014). Risk factors for peripheral intravenous catheter failure: a multivariate analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 35 (1), 63-68. doi: 10.1086/674398
2014
Conference Publication
Australia’s global lead on national outreach policy
O’Sullivan, B., Joyce, C. and McGrail, M. (2014). Australia’s global lead on national outreach policy. The Public Health Association of Australia 43rd Annual Conference, Perth, Australia, 2014.
2014
Journal Article
Adoption, implementation and prioritization of specialist outreach policy in Australia: a national perspective
O'Sullivan, Belinda G., Joyce, Catherine M. and McGrail, Matthew R. (2014). Adoption, implementation and prioritization of specialist outreach policy in Australia: a national perspective. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 92 (7), 512-519. doi: 10.2471/BLT.13.130385
2013
Journal Article
The value of survival analyses for evidence-based rural medical workforce planning
Russell, Deborah J., Humphreys, John S., McGrail, Matthew R., Cameron, W. Ian and Williams, Peter J. (2013). The value of survival analyses for evidence-based rural medical workforce planning. Human Resources for Health, 11 (1) 65. doi: 10.1186/1478-4491-11-65
2013
Journal Article
Getting doctors into the bush: general practitioners' preferences for rural location
Scott, Anthony, Witt, Julia, Humphreys, John, Joyce, Catherine, Kalb, Guyonne, Jeon, Sung-Hee and McGrail, Matthew (2013). Getting doctors into the bush: general practitioners' preferences for rural location. Social Science and Medicine, 96, 33-44. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.07.002
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Matthew McGrail is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
The Effectiveness of the Implementation of the Vision 2030 Healthcare Strategy in Improving Health Services in Rural Saudi Arabia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bruce Chater, Dr Bushra Nasir
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Doctor Philosophy
What factors influence the use and satisfaction with hospital services of residents in Queensland's regions?
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Growing the Rural Medical Workforce Pipeline
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Di Eley
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Doctor Philosophy
Determinants of referral patterns of patients with CKD from GP practice to Specialist Nephrology clinics based on combined eGFR and albuminuria measurements and their progress over time
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Srinivas Kondalsamy Chennakesavan
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Master Philosophy
Systemic analysis of the determinants that influence the oncologist-patient relationship; exploring the interplay between organisational, cultural and personal factors. Translating key findings into training and professional development interventions with mutual focus on patient and doctor outcomes.
Associate Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
The association of major depressive disorders with chronic disease among Indigenous Australians
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Srinivas Kondalsamy Chennakesavan, Dr Bushra Nasir
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Master Philosophy
Interprofessional collaboration in Radiography: Do we need to re-invent the wheel?
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Priya Martin
Media
Enquiries
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