An emergency department tackles bed management and home-based care

Ipswich Hospital Emergency Department played a vital role in the Post Acute Treatment in the Home Program (PATH) of West Moreton District Health Service. PATH used two strategies to reduce the district reliance on acute hospital beds: a short-stay unit for rapid assessment, treatment and early discharge of patients with simple conditions; and a hospital-in-the-home program utilising community health services to treat acute conditions. The program enhanced existing services to create a new treatment stream for acute patients and to promote a cultural shift from fragmented care to district responsibility for total episode of patient care.