Hotel health service helping patients leave hospital

South Australia’s inaugural out-of-hospital health service at a city hotel has helped dozens of patients leave hospital since its launch earlier this year, while freeing up beds for others.

Eighty hospital patients who no longer required acute care have used the Transition Care Service at the Pullman Adelaide since it opened just over two months ago, with 55 patients discharged.

It comes amid a stark new record of the number of aged care patients stuck in metro hospitals ready for discharge but awaiting a Federal aged care placement.

Last month, the number of elderly patients stuck in hospital rose to 280. Currently, there are 263 elderly patients stuck, more than double the number a year ago.

The Transition Care Service is a joint collaboration between SA Health, Amplar Health Home Hospital, and the Pullman Adelaide and provides a base for patients who no longer require hospital care to transition to a more appropriate service.

Patients are selected based on their clinical needs, and are monitored by highly trained nurses providing appropriate patient care before transitioning home or to an appropriate long-term facility such as an aged care home.

One patient spent more than 200 days in hospital while waiting for an appropriate facility before being transferred to the Transition Care Service.

Health Minister Chris Picton helped open a roundtable with the Australian Medical Association to discuss further strategies to enhance the health system, including reducing reliance on hospital care and better managing patients in the community.

One outcome of the roundtable today is that the Malinauskas Labor Government, through the Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health, will start a pilot program to allow GPs and aged care facilities to access real-time updates on their patients.

The program allows for faster medication reconciliation, fewer transfers back to hospital, and supports aged care teams who spend time seeking hospital paperwork for their residents.

This real-time patient information and hospital interactions increases workforce capacity in GP clinics and enhances patient management within general practice to reduce avoidable re-hospitalisations.

Ambulance ramping improved last month to 3,700 hours, a 10.5 per cent decrease compared to 4,134 hours in March and down 33 per cent from July last year.

Full ramping data – including a hospital-by-hospital breakdown – can be found here.

Quotes

Attributable to Chris Picton

In just the first 10 weeks, we’ve seen how successful a service like this one can be in shifting patients out of hospital who no longer need to be there. It’s better for the patient and the health system.

Eighty patients have used this service in just over two months. That’s 80 hospital beds in metropolitan Adelaide freed up for patients who needed hospital-level care.

We’ve seen a record 280 older South Australians who are medically ready to leave hospital but are stuck there because they’re waiting for a Federal aged care bed. That’s the equivalent of more than the entire Modbury Hospital taken out of the system.

Doctors have clearly told us how important improving communication between hospitals and GPs is, including at today’s AMA roundtable. That’s why we will be piloting a new program to improve patient data and information sharing between our hospitals, GPs, and aged-care facilities.

Attributable to Amplar Health Home Hospital CEO, Sarah McRae

We’re very pleased with the early success of the Transition Care Service, which has already supported dozens of patients successfully transition out of hospital.

This service not only helps ease pressure on South Australian hospitals but also provides a more appropriate and comfortable environment for patients to continue their recovery once they no longer require acute care. It’s an innovative model that exemplifies the health transition – how health services are evolving to better meet patient needs – delivering the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we’re excited to continue delivering high-quality care through this progressive and patient-focused approach.