Improvements in discharge planning and patient case management are key elements in assisting the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region meet their surgical targets.
Since July 2011 the Patient Care Co-ordinator Unit has been assisting the health region meet those targets.
Preliminary results show that the average length of stay for patients at Victoria hospital has decreased by 29 per cent since the Patient Care Co-ordinator Unit was initiated, indicating a better flow through the hospital.
Monica Harper, director of the Patient Care Co-ordinator Unit at Victoria Hospital says the unit was part of an improvement process at the hospital to improve the patient flow from admission to discharge. She said they work with the patient from the time they arrive until the day they leave.
“Historically there were two departments in the regional health facility that were primarily responsible for facilitating discharges and that was the home care assessment department and the social work department,” said Harper.
“As a result of us taking a look at our current practice in the area of discharge and looking at our desired state it was decided those two groups within the regional health facility, the home care assessment department and social work department would come together.”
Harper said historically when people came into the hospital if they were moved from one floor to another the person that led their discharge would change as well because there was different staff on each floor.
“Now with the amalgamation of those two units it was decided that if you come into the hospital and you are assigned a patient care coordinator on level four that patient care coordinator follows you throughout the hospital,” said Harper. “So it has really just become far more client centered and lots of efficiency built in because you are not handing over information or passing information from staff to staff.”
“So absolutely are estimated lengths of stay have become more efficient,” she added.
“Having an intake assessment team and patient care co-ordinators right on top of discharge at admission has increased the movement in the hospital, so that we are moving people more efficiently. But it’s not just about moving people quicker it’s about moving people safely.”
Harper said the Patient Care Co-ordinator Unit is still very new and will hit its one year mark in July.
She said sometime around then it is hoped to do an audit and obtain some more certain statistics on how the unit since it was launched has helped improve patient flow.
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