Development and implementation of a student resourced service to provide Engagement Intervention to vulnerable patients at risk of hospital acquired complications. Furthermore, this project allows for the co-design individualised care strategies focussing on risk minimisation through Personalised Support Plans supporting staff to meet unmet needs of this population incorporating non-pharmacological approaches.
Enhancing care for vulnerable patients with complex needs
Initiative Type
Service Improvement
Status
Close
Added
Last updated
Summary
Key dates
Feb 2018
Oct 2019
Implementation sites
Robina Hospital General Medicine and Acute Care of Elderly wards
Partnerships
MEST has a strong focus on partnering with clinical care teams and health consumers. Collaboration with patients/families and carers
Aim
To empower vulnerable frail aged patients to actively engage in their health journey with the aim of preventing hospital acquired complications. This approach focuses on strong collaboration between patients, staff, family and carers to identify and respond to unmet complex care needs improving patient centred care, outcomes and efficiency.
Benefits
- The PSP is utilised as a handover tool upon discharge to support sustainable transitions and prevent readmissions to hospital.
- Staff are more confident with non-pharmacological intervention strategies as first point of call. Evidence of promoting person centred care by Mobile Engagement Support Team (MEST) modelling individualised care to meet unmet needs of patients, resulting in opportunities for point of care education.
- Lower care costs are associated with successful prevention of hospital acquired complications and a reduction of nurse special hours and occupational violence due to risk minimisation strategies.
- Improved patient functional outcomes as evidenced by MBI scores.
- Unique student placement opportunity and learning experience utilising an Occupational Therapy (OT) practice model that assists in developing a future collaborative practice ready workforce.
- Improved clinical effectiveness and patient safety due to positive patient experience as per PREM.
- Background: Literature supports that a large population of older and/or cognitively impaired patients are at risk of hospital acquired complications and deterioration in the acute hospital setting. It was identified that patients with acute delirium or other confusion were not seen by Allied Health.
Background
Development and implementation of a student resourced Occupational Therapy service to provide engagement intervention to vulnerable patients at risk of hospital acquired complications; and to co-design individualised care strategies focussing on risk minimisation through Personalised Support Plans supporting staff to meet unmet needs of this population incorporating non-pharmacological approaches.