Annual Report 2008-09 - Austin Health

Tower opened in 2005. ED staff continued
to refine their processes for ensuring
rapid treatment of non-admitted patients
or improved access to care for patients
requiring admission to the hospital.
To reduce unnecessary ED presentations
for residents of residential care facilities,
an outreach program was introduced
following last year’s successful trial.
ED doctors accompany a Hospital in
The Home (HITH) nurse to attend,
assess and treat the patient at their
care facility, avoiding the need to
transfer to hospital. If required, patients
are sent to ED for acute assessment
or admitted to hospital. The program
reviewed 25-30 patients each month
and received positive feedback from
general practitioners, facility staff,
residents and families.
The ‘fast track’ X-ray service, a joint
initiative between ED, Radiology and
Ambulance Victoria, was introduced
to enable timely processing of nursinghome
patients requiring non-urgent
X-rays. The new process reduced the
need for more than one ambulance, as
the patient arrived and was transferred
home in the same ambulance.
This eliminated waiting for a return
ambulance, allowing the patient to
return home quickly and avoiding
unnecessary waiting in ED.
To easily access the expertise of the
state-wide Victorian Toxicology Service,
the Victorian Poisons Information
Centre (VPIC) relocated from the
Royal Children’s Hospital to the ED. In
collaboration with ED, Pharmacy and
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics,
the VPIC is able to provide information
to callers about the effects of poisons
and where required offer advice about
management.
Flu-Related Presentations
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Hand Hygiene Australia director,
Prof Lindsay Grayson, oversaw the
implementation of a world-first national
hand hygiene program across Australian
hospitals. The program aims to halve the
rate of antibiotic-resistant ‘superbug’
patient infections.
Following the May outbreak of the H1N1
strain of the influenza virus, or swine flu,
the Infectious Diseases Department took
a leading role in advising hospital and
government on the treatment and testing
of patients. At the peak of community
concern, an additional 90 patients
presented to ED daily. To cope with this
demand, a temporary flu clinic was
established at the Banyule Community
Health Centre, in a joint initiative
between Banyule Community Health
and Austin Health. Banyule Community
Health provided the staff to run the clinic
while the Department provided advice
about patient management protocols.
This clinic enabled Austin Health to divert
concerned people with mild flu-like
symptoms from the ED.
Pictured left: “The bullring” at
The Surgery Centre links four theatres,
two endoscopy suites, a recovery unit
and 12-bed short-stay ward.
Austin Health : 2008-09 ANNUAL REPORT
17