Associate Professor Kati Blattner

2026

Journal - Research Article

Blattner, K., Clay, L., George, J., Whitehead, J., & Miller, R. (2026). Establishing research priorities for rural health in Aotearoa New Zealand: A modified Delphi study. Journal of Primary Health Care. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1071/hc26032

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Blattner, K. (2026, April). Supporting the development of medical rural generalist and general practice initiatives in Pacific Island countries. Verbal presentation at the 21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference Rural WONCA Assembly, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Aotearoa, Wellington New Zealand.

Worley, P., Couper, I., & Blattner, K. (2026, April). Joining the journal community: How becoming a reviewer enriches your professional work. Workshop presentation at the 21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Aotearoa, Wellington New Zealand.

Blattner, K. (2026, April). Rural medicine: A distinct academic discipline? A NZ perspective. Verbal presentation at the 21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Aotearoa, Wellington New Zealand.

2025

Journal - Research Article

Clay, L., Stokes, T., & Blattner, K. (2025). What makes for a stable senior rural hospital medical workforce? A qualitative case study. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 33(5), e70107. doi: 10.1111/ajr.70107

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Smith, M., Blattner, K., in collaboration with Ka Ora Telecare. (2025, May). Exploring work-type preferences of RNZCGP dual fellows (General Practice and Rural Hospital Medicine) and contributing factors. Verbal presentation at the National Rural Health Conference (NRHC), Christchurch, New Zealand.

2024

Journal - Research Article

Ram, S., Carlisle, K., Larkins, S., & Blattner, K. (2024). Rural hospital contributions to community health: Community perspectives from a New Zealand rural hospital. Journal of Primary Health Care, 16(3), 278-287. doi: 10.1071/HC24058

Blattner, K., Clay, L., Keenan, R., Taafaki, J., Crengle, S., Nixon, G., Fortune, K., & Stokes, T. (2024). He Aroka Urutā: Rural health provider perspectives of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in rural Aotearoa New Zealand with a focus on Māori and Pasifika communities: A Qualitative study. Journal of Primary Health Care, 16(2), 170-179. doi: 10.1071/HC23171

Walker, S. M., Blattner, K., Nixon, G., Koroheke Rogers, M., & Kennedy, E. (2024). What does it mean to be an allied health professional working in rural Aotearoa New Zealand? A qualitative study. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 32, 53-66. doi: 10.1111/ajr.13061

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Renelle, A., Miller, R., Ram, S., Blattner, K., Crengle, S., Lawrenson, R., & Nixon, G. (2024). Exploring seasonal and geographic variation in rural hospital use and bypass behaviour. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 137(1595), (pp. 112-113). Retrieved from https://www.nzmj.org.nz/

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Blattner, K. (2024, July). He Aroka Uratā: What can we learn from factors underpinning the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme and pandemic response in different rural communities. Verbal presentation at the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) Conference for General Practice, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, New Zealand.

Boddington, E., Hall, K., & Blattner, K. (2024, April). Becoming a rural doctor: Identifying threshold concepts and exploring their impact in rural undergraduate education. Verbal presentation at the Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network National Rural Health Conference, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, New Zealand.

2023

Journal - Research Article

Whitehead, J., Atkinson, J., Davie, G., De Graaf, B., Eggleton, K., Crengle, S., Miller, R., Blattner, K., Crampton, P., & Nixon, G. (2023). Comparison of the sociodemographic composition of rural and urban Aotearoa New Zealand: Insights from applying the geographic classification for health to the 2018 census. New Zealand Population Review, 49, 27-69.

Blattner, K., Rogers-Koroheke, M., & Clay, L. (2023). Te Paatu o Te Ao Hurihuri: Pandemic-related virtual adaptation of an established marae-based workshop for rural doctors: A qualitative study. Journal of Primary Health Care, 15(4), 343-349. doi: 10.1071/HC23089

Miller, R., Rimmer, E., Blattner, K., Withington, S., Ram, S., Topping, M., … Bergin, A., … Smith, M., & Nixon, G. (2023). A retrospective observational study examining interhospital transfers from six New Zealand rural hospitals in 2019. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 31, 921-931. doi: 10.1111/ajr.13024

Blattner, K., Clay, L., Nixon, G., Richard, L., Miller, R., Crengle, S., … Stokes, T. (2023). The place of rural hospitals in New Zealand's health system: An exploratory qualitative study. Rural & Remote Health, 23(2), 7583. doi: 10.22605/rrh7583

Whitehead, J., Blattner, K., Miller, R., Crengle, S., Ram, S., Walker, X., & Nixon, G. (2023). Defining catchment boundaries and their populations for Aotearoa New Zealand's rural hospitals. Journal of Primary Health Care, 15(1), 14-23. doi: 10.1071/hc22133

2022

Journal - Research Article

Blattner, K., Clay, L., Miller, R., Nixon, G., Crengle, S., Richard, L., … Stokes, T. (2022). New Zealand's rural hospitals in 2021: Findings from an exploratory questionnaire survey. Journal of Primary Health Care, 14(3), 254-258. doi: 10.1071/HC22072

Blattner, K., Faatoese, A., Smith, M., Maoate, K., Miller, R., & Richards, R. (2022). New Zealand postgraduate medical training by distance for Pacific Island country-based general practitioners: A qualitative study. Journal of Primary Health Care, 14(1), 74-79. doi: 10.1071/HC21090

Blattner, K., Miller, R., Smith, M., & Lander, J. (2022). Doing without the residential component of a blended postgraduate rural medical programme during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand: Student perspectives. Education for Primary Care, 33(2), 77-84. doi: 10.1080/14739879.2021.2011626

Journal - Research Other

Walker, S. M., Kennedy, E., Nixon, G., & Blattner, K. (2022). The allied health workforce of rural Aotearoa New Zealand: A scoping review. Journal of Primary Health Care, 14(3), 259-267. doi: 10.1071/HC22055

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Blattner, K. (2022, July). Would New Zealand's rural hospitals please stand up: An exploratory qualitative study. Verbal presentation at the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) Conference for General Practice, Christchurch, New Zealand.

2021

Journal - Research Article

Nixon, G., Blattner, K., Withington, S., Miller, R., & Stokes, T. (2021). Exploring the response to the Covid-19 pandemic at the rural hospital-base hospital interface: Experiences of New Zealand rural hospital doctors. New Zealand Medical Journal, 134(1545), 11-21. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Beazley, C., Blattner, K., & Herd, G. (2021). Point-of-care haematology analyser quality assurance programme: A rural nursing perspective. Journal of Primary Health Care, 13(1), 84-90. doi: 10.1071/hc20080

Blattner, K., Miller, R. M., Lawrence-Lodge, R., Nixon, G., McHugh, P., & Pirini, J. (2021). New Zealand's vocational Rural Hospital Medicine Training Programme: The first ten years. New Zealand Medical Journal, 134(1529), 57-68. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Blattner, K., Fa'aotese, A., Smith, M., & Maoate, K. (2021). Tailoring New Zealand based academic support for postgraduate distance education students in the Pacific region training in general practice. In L. Gómez Chova, A. López Martínez & I. Candel Torres (Eds.), Proceedings of the 15th International Technology, Education and Development Conference (INTED). (pp. 8381-8385). Valencia, Spain: IATED Academy. doi: 10.21125/inted.2021.1705

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Smith, M., & Blattner, K. (2021, August). Doing without the in-person component of a blended postgraduate rural medical programme during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic: Rural trainee perspectives. Verbal presentation at the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) Conference for General Practice, Wellington, New Zealand.

Blattner, K., & Stokes, T. (2021, August). Exploring the response to the Covid-19 pandemic at the rural hospital-base hospital interface: Experiences of New Zealand rural hospital doctors. Verbal presentation at the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) Conference for General Practice, Wellington, New Zealand.

2020

Journal - Research Article

Blattner, K., Stokes, T., Rogers-Koroheke, M., Nixon, G., & Dovey, S. M. (2020). Good care close to home: Local health professional perspectives on how a rural hospital can contribute to the healthcare of its community. New Zealand Medical Journal, 133(1509), 39-46. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Other

Blattner, K., Lawrence-Lodge, R., Miller, R., Nixon, G., McHugh, P., & Pirini, J. (2020). New Zealand's Rural Hospital Medicine training program at 10 years: Locality and career choice of the first graduate cohort [Short report]. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 28, 623-625. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12678

2019

Journal - Research Article

Blattner, K., Stokes, T., & Nixon, G. (2019). A scope of practice that works 'out here': Exploring the effects of a changing medical regulatory environment on a rural New Zealand health service. Rural & Remote Health, 19(4), 5442. doi: 10.22605/rrh5442

Nixon, G., Blattner, K., Finnie, W., Lawrenson, R., & Kerse, N. (2019). Use of point-of-care ultrasound for the assessment of intravascular volume in five rural New Zealand hospitals. Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine, 24(4), 109-114. doi: 10.4103/CJRM.CJRM_26_18

Nixon, G., Blattner, K., Muirhead, J., Kiuru, S., & Kerse, N. (2019). Point-of-care ultrasound for FAST and AAA in rural New Zealand: Quality and impact on patient care. Rural & Remote Health, 19(3), 5027. doi: 10.22605/RRH5027

Blattner, K., Beazley, C. J., Nixon, G., Herd, G., Wigglesworth, J., & Rogers-Koroheke, M. G. (2019). The impact of the introduction of a point-of-care haematology analyser in a New Zealand rural hospital with no onsite laboratory. Rural & Remote Health, 19(2), 4934. doi: 10.22605/rrh4934

Journal - Research Other

Nixon, G., Blattner, K., Miller, R., Bolden, F., Jelley, G., & Keys, J. (2019). Few New Zealand medical students intend to work in rural areas. New Zealand Medical Journal, 132(1498), 105-106. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Blattner, K., Stokes, T., & Dovey, S. (2019). 'A scope of practice that works out here': The impact of the Rural Hospital Medicine scope at Hauora Hokianga. Proceedings of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) Annual Conference. Retrieved from http://www.generalpractice.org.nz/gp19

Awarded Masters Degree

Blattner, K. (2019). The impact of the Rural Hospital Medicine vocational scope on the Hokianga Health Service (MHealSc). University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/9067

2018

Journal - Research Article

Nixon, G., Blattner, K., Muirhead, J., & Kerse, N. (2018). Rural point-of-care ultrasound of the kidney and bladder: Quality and effect on patient management. Journal of Primary Health Care, 10(4), 324-330. doi: 10.1071/HC18034

Nixon, G., Blattner, K., Koroheke-Rogers, M., Muirhead, J., Finnie, W. L., Lawrenson, R., & Kerse, N. (2018). Point-of-care ultrasound in rural New Zealand: Safety, quality and impact on patient management. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 26(5), 342-349. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12472

Nixon, G., Blattner, K., Muirhead, J., Finnie, W., Lawrenson, R., & Kerse, N. (2018). Scope of point-of-care ultrasound practice in rural New Zealand. Journal of Primary Health Care, 10(3), 224-236. doi: 10.1071/HC18031

Journal - Research Other

Koroheke-Rogers, M., & Blattner, K. (2018). Kete pikau: A basket of knowledge: 'Guidelines from back home'. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 26(5), 350-352. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12448

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Miller, R., Twinem, G., Blattner, K., Cane, N., & Nixon, G. (2018). The qualities of a good rural hospital: A NZ 2017 perspective. Proceedings of the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network (NZRGPN) National Rural Health Conference. Retrieved from http://www.nationalruralhealthconference.org.nz/nrhc18

Blattner, K., & Stokes, T. (2018). The impact on the Hokianga Health service of the Rural Hospital Medicine vocational scope. Proceedings of the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network (NZRGPN) National Rural Health Conference. Retrieved from http://www.nationalruralhealthconference.org.nz/nrhc18

2017

Journal - Research Article

Blattner, K., Nixon, G., Gutenstein, M., & Davey, E. (2017). A targeted rural postgraduate education programme: Linking rural doctors across New Zealand and into the Pacific. Education for Primary Care, 28(6), 346-350. doi: 10.1080/14739879.2017.1319253

Blattner, K., Maoate, K., Lloyd, T., Iro, E., Davidson, S., & Jacob, M. (2017). Initial perspective of New Zealand doctors: Developing capacity and a training programme in the Cook Islands. Journal of Primary Health Care, 9(1), 16-21. doi: 10.1071/HC16025

Journal - Research Other

Nixon, G., Blattner, K., Williamson, M., McHugh, P., & Reid, J. (2017). Training generalist doctors for rural practice in New Zealand. Rural & Remote Health, 17(1), 4047. Retrieved from http://www.rrh.org.au/articles/subviewnew.asp?ArticleID=4047

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Beazley, C., Blattner, K., & Herd, G. (2017). Point-of-care testing to improve access and improve outcomes in rural and general practice. Proceedings of the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network (NZRGPN) National Rural Health Conference. Retrieved from http://www.nationalruralhealthconference.org.nz/nrhc17

Blattner, K., Wynn, N., & Pirini, J. (2017). The Cook Islands: Developing capacity and a training programme: Linking to rural remote practice in NZ and beyond. Proceedings of the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network (NZRGPN) National Rural Health Conference. Retrieved from http://www.nationalruralhealthconference.org.nz/nrhc17

2016

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Nixon, G., Blattner, K., Muirhead, J., Wynn, N., & Ormandy, J. (2016). Postgraduate rural programme: Linking rural doctors across NZ and into the Pacific. In N. Wright (Ed.), Proceedings of the Distance Education Association New Zealand (DEANZ) Conference: There and Back: Charting Flexible Pathways in Open, Mobile and Distance Education. (pp. 183-187). Retrieved from http://conference.deanz.org.nz/

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Blattner, K., & Chandler, R. (2016, July). Postgraduate rural programme: Linking rural doctors across New Zealand and the Pacific. Verbal presentation at the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) Conference for General Practice, Auckland, New Zealand.

Herd, G., Blattner, K., & Beazley, C. (2016, July). Point-of-care testing to improve access and improve outcomes in rural and general practice. Verbal presentation at the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) Conference for General Practice, Auckland, New Zealand.

2015

Journal - Research Article

Nixon, G., Samaranayaka, A., de Graaf, B., McKechnie, R., Rodwell, P., & Blattner, K. (2015). The impact of a rural scanner in overcoming urban versus rural disparities in the utilisation of computed tomography. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 23, 150-154. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12125

Journal - Research Other

Sopoaga, F., Crampton, P., Ekeroma, A., Perez, D., Maoate, K., Watson, B., Kokaua, J., & Blattner, K. (2015). The role of New Zealand health professional training institutions in capacity building in the Pacific region. New Zealand Medical Journal, 128(1420). Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

2014

Journal - Research Article

Blattner, K., Nixon, G., Horgan, C., Coutts, J., Rogers, M., Wong, B., … Wilkins, G. (2014). Evaluation of a rural primary-referred cardiac exercise tolerance test service. New Zealand Medical Journal, 127(1406). Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Nixon, G., Samaranayaka, A., de Graaf, B., McKechnie, R., Blattner, K., & Dovey, S. (2014). Geographic disparities in the utilisation of computed tomography scanning services in southern New Zealand. Health Policy, 118(2), 222-228. doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2014.05.002

2012

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Blattner, K. (2012, July). Partnership programme with Division of RHM, RCGP. Verbal presentation at the Annual Cook Islands Health Conference: Addressing the NCD Crisis in the Cook Islands, Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

2011

Journal - Research Article

Blattner, K., & Ward, C. (2011). Point of care testing in Hokianga Hospital or 'How to get a good night's sleep in a lab-free zone'. New Zealand Journal of Medical Laboratory Science, 65, 39-41.

Nixon, G., Blattner, K., Dawson, J., Dovey, S., Black, M. A., Wilkins, G., Dunn, A. C., & McLellan, A. D. (2011). Streptokinase antibodies in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome in three rural New Zealand populations. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 64, 426-429. doi: 10.1136/jcp.2010.085837

Lloyd, T., Blattner, K., & Nixon, G. (2011). Transfers from rural hospitals in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 124(1328). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/124-1328/4509/content.pdf

2010

Journal - Research Article

Blattner, K., Nixon, G., Dovey, S., Jaye, C., & Wigglesworth, J. (2010). Changes in clinical practice and patient disposition following the introduction of point-of-care testing in a rural hospital. Health Policy, 96, 7-12. doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2009.12.002

Blattner, K., Nixon, G., Jaye, C., & Dovey, S. (2010). Introducing point-of-care testing into a rural hospital setting: Thematic analysis of interviews with providers. Journal of Primary Health Care, 2(1), 54-60.

2008

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Nixon, G., & Blattner, K. (2008). Recent developments in Rural Hospital Medicine I: Rural hospital medicine special scope. New Zealand Family Physician, 35(6), 402-404.

2007

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Nixon, G., Blattner, K., & for the NZ Rural Hospital Doctors Working Party. (2007). Rural hospital medicine in New Zealand: Vocational registration and the recognition of a new scope of practice [Special article]. New Zealand Medical Journal, 120(1259). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/120-1259/2654/content.pdf