Mrs Kate Moore1, Mrs Jane Murtagh, Mrs Roanna O'Hara
1Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Wagga Wagga, Australia, 2Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Albury, Australia, 3Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Wagga Wagga, Australia
Biography:
Kate is the NDIS and Disability Coordinator and Occupational Therapy Advisor for Murrumbidgee Local Health District, a large rural LHD in the South of NSW. Kate’s interest areas are improving the outcomes and experience of those with a disability within our health services, to ensure equitable and high quality care no matter the location. She is also passionate about the unique role of Occupational Therapists within her footprint and supporting them to overcome unique challenges within a rural workforce.
Abstract:
Wagga Wagga Base Hospital (WWBH) was one of three NSW hospitals selected to participate in the NDIA Towards Exemplar Hospital Discharge Project. WWBH is the largest hospital within Murrumbidgee Local Health District, with the LHD having 31 Hospital Facilities (2 Base Hospitals, 29 District Hospitals)
The project aimed to co-design a best practice approach to NDIS participants’ hospital discharge with public hospitals in all States and Territories. As part of the Towards Exemplar Hospital Discharge Project, WWBH and the NDIA collaborated to improve how NDIS participants are supported throughout their hospital journey to prevent unnecessary delays in discharge.
This presentation will outline the exemplar project, its findings and the successes and challenges of NDIS and facilitation of hospital discharges within the district.
Initial outcomes of the project were:
– Increased clinician knowledge of NDIS Hospital Discharge Pathway processes
– NDIS Hospital Discharge resources are available to clinicians on intranet page
– Reduction in length of stay for NDIS participants
– Reduction in discharge delays for NDIS participants
– Earlier notification of NDIS Coordinator of patients requiring NDIS Hospital Discharge Pathway
– Reduced delay in notifying NDIA of NDIS participants
– Reduction in submission time between access request and hospital discharge assessment.
From the pilot study, expansion of the project has been conducted at a local level, focusing on sharing information to clinicians. Ongoing challenges include moving to smaller facilities with less allied health and experience with NDIS, as well as significant workforce shortages within the NDIS space in rural areas.