Ipswich Hospital’s innovative patient flow improvement programs are on show for a state, national and global audience.
Teams from the hospital’s Acute Medicine and Continuum Care (AMCC) department will highlight their achievements at the annual Clinical Excellence Queensland Showcase, which runs from 14-15 May.
The showcase focuses on clinical improvements and spotlights innovative models and projects from across the state.
This year, our Acute Medicine and Continuum Care department will showcase an innovative model of care for patients with chronic conditions.
AMCC Director Brent Simkus said the department included the Medical Assessment and Planning Unit and Rapid Access Clinic.
“These services offer innovative alternatives to traditional models to provide streamlined, patient-centred care,” Dr Simkus said.
“Through early assessment and intervention, the department aims to reduce emergency presentations and hospital admissions.”
“Across all its services, the Acute Medicine and Continuum Care department is committed to delivering the right care, in the right setting, at the right time for each patient,” Dr Simkus said.
Since its launch in mid-September 2022, the medical unit has admitted more than 5000 patients. This accounts for a third of all medical patients admitted to Ipswich Hospital.
“As the service has matured, 10% of patients are now admitted to the unit via the clinc, rather than ED. One of our key goals is to increase the number of patients admitted through our Rapid Access Clinic,” Dr Simkus said.
The unit achieved a 624% improvement in Emergency Length of Stay (ELOS) within 4 hours for medically admitted patients, along with a 42% reduction in time to ward compared to General Medicine, far exceeding the initial targets of 20%.
From November 2022 to December 2023, Rapid Access Clinic staff attended to more than 2500 patients, saving an estimated 3483 hours in the ED.
“The Acute Medicine and Continuum Care department at Ipswich Hospital is dedicated to providing connected, equitable, sustainable and integrated health care to the West Moreton community. We have a strong focus on partnering with our local general practitioners to provide collaborative care in our patient’s time of need,” Dr Simkus said.
“The showcase is an opportunity for us to highlight the great work being done at Ipswich Hospital to provide the right care at the right time and in the right location.”