Enhancing the Discharge Experience – Improving Patient and Hospital Outcomes Through the Establishment of an Allied Health Complex Discharge Team
Sara Connell1, Emma Tan1, Amanda Kevans1 1Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Abstract
Background:
The effects of psychosocial complexity, changing functional performance, increasing support needs and reduced health literacy, are all factors which are well recognised as contributing to extended length of stay and frequent readmissions in an acute hospital context. Hence identifying patients with complex discharge needs at an earlier stage and providing targeted interventions through a dedicated team may improve outcomes for both patients and hospital capacity.
Method:
The Royal North Shore Hospital Complex Discharge Team (CDT) provides early identification, assessment and relevant interventions for undifferentiated complex, chronic and non-critical inpatients. The CDT consists of 1.5 full-time equivalents of both social workers and occupational therapists. The CDT provides consultation or direct care for patients with complex needs, working collaboratively with ward clinicians, patients and family/carers to reduce delays to discharge, allowing ward clinicians to maintain high quality services for other patients.
Results and Discussion:
The CDT Model of Care was formalised in early 2023 with preliminary outcomes proving positive. Early results show that the establishment of this team has resulted in faster and more robust discharge of some patients with complex discharge needs via early identification, the execution of patient-centered interventions and innovative discharge planning. The CDT has also increased awareness of the role of Allied Health in clinical areas where Allied Health has historically had less visibility. Collection of additional outcome measures and evaluation data such as patient and clinician surveys, patient stories, length of stay and readmission data is ongoing.
Biography
Sara Connell and Emma Tan are clinicians on the Complex Discharge Team at Royal North Shore Hospital. Sara is a Social Worker with extensive experience in acute care and has a particular interest in improving the patient journey for people with complex discharge needs. Emma is an Occupational Therapist who has worked across community, acute care, rehabilitation and emergency response contexts with a specialisation in Spinal Cord Injury.