Lachlan Health Service was this week recognised for its commitment to improving patient care in NSW.
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Their project “Care to Come Home” (CaTCH) is a new Model of Care being introduced at Forbes and Parkes Hospitals, which aims to improve the patient experience for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) patients and their families, and reduce avoidable admissions.
Lachlan Health Service Manager Liz Mitchell said CaTCH provides a choice of care at home or at a daily clinic for COPD patients instead of being admitted to hospital.
“This will provide quality care with less disruption for a smoother patient journey,” she said.
The pilot project will start in Parkes this month, with a future extension of the service to be implemented in Forbes by September 2015.
“Our current redevelopment of both facilities provides us with a great opportunity to co-locate acute, community and allied health services in Forbes and Parkes, which will contribute to a more integrated approach to patient care,” Ms Mitchell said.
“More integrated and community based care is the direction our Health District is heading and we are very proud to be a part of this with CaTCH”.
Lachlan’s Deborah Hunter and Kathryn Gleeson, who worked extremely hard on the CaTCH project, were two of the 19 graduates of the Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) Centre for Healthcare Redesign Diploma Program who were awarded a diploma of project management at a ceremony celebrating their graduation in Sydney’s CBD.
ACI Chief Executive Dr Nigel Lyons said that the nine projects across seven local health districts and specialty health networks were examples of how the NSW health system is investing in healthcare staff to lead innovation across the system.
“Today healthcare staff have been recognised for the skills, confidence and capability they have developed to benefit patients in their local hospitals and communities,” Dr Lyons said.
“As a system, we are continually looking at innovative ways to improve patient care.
“Redesign graduates are critical to the ongoing transformation of healthcare delivery in NSW and should be commended for their passion and commitment to improving care in their local communities.”
The ACI Centre for Healthcare Redesign Diploma Program is a 20 week course which provides the latest knowledge and training in project management, clinical redesign and change management to build the capability of healthcare staff in NSW.
The program supports local healthcare staff to identify, design and deliver better ways to care for patients and carers.
Networking, shared learning and working collaboratively with patients and clinicians to improve healthcare are a strong focus of the course.
During the program, healthcare staff are supported with comprehensive training, workplace mentoring by local healthcare redesign managers, and sponsorship from a local senior executive.
To date, the program has seen more than 300 improvement leaders developed across a range of NSW metropolitan, rural and statewide health services.