Implementing At Home Subacute: Bed Substitution and Early Supported Discharge in the home based subacute setting
Ester Roberts1, Sharon Allsop 1, Catherine Swaney 1 1Peninsula Health, Frankston , Victoria , Australia
Abstract
Introduction: With increasing demand on inpatient hospital care nationwide, health services across Australia are exploring ways to provide care outside of the traditional hospital setting. At Home Subacute (AHS) is a combined bed substitution and early supported discharge service, providing multidisciplinary subacute care to patients in their home environment.
This model of care differs from other bed substitution services by combining inpatient and community ambulatory funded care within the same service. This creates opportunity for the type and amount of care to be tailored to most appropriately meet patients’ needs, whilst providing continuity of care and opportunity for a longer period of transitional support on discharge from hospital.
Method: Using the Knowledge to Action implementation framework, the At Home Service model of care was implemented at Peninsula Health in early 2022.
Results/Discussion: This presentation will outline the model of care, the theory-informed implementation process, and preliminary service outcomes for both the inpatient-funded bed substitution and, ambulatory-funded early supported discharge streams of care. Data from a 12-month reporting period (July 2022 – June 2023) will be presented and include: number of separations, average length of stay, number of patients stepped between funding models, and, hospital readmission rates.
Conclusion: With many health service organisations exploring new ways of providing care, this presentation will provide insights into the successful implementation of a home-based subacute model of care; bridging traditional funding boundaries, providing supported transition out of the inpatient hospital setting and ensuring stronger continuity of care for patients.
Biography
Ester Roberts is the Allied Health Lead for At Home Subacute at Peninsula Health. Over the past 2 years, she has implemented the new At Home Subacute service, which is a combined inpatient and community ambulatory funded service, providing subacute care to patients in their own homes.