Southern NSW Local Health District clinicians identified the need to improve discharge planning and processes for improved patient care and to reduce unplanned readmission.
A local working group of acute and community clinicians concluded that the key to reducing unplanned readmissions lay in gaining a greater grasp of the patient’s issues and concerns. Their initial improvement initiatives had focussed on the clinician’s perspective. These initiatives did not impact on nor provide insight on how to improve patient outcomes.
The Translational Research Grant will resource the collection of information from patients who have experienced unplanned readmission within 28 days. The patient experiences will inform a quality improvement project to develop and implement an evidence-based model of patient centred discharge care. The new process will be monitored and evaluated.
Collaborators: South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network, Agency for Clinical Innovation