Burns allied health outpatient service expansion
Liz Capell1, 1Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Abstract
Growth in the state-wide Victorian Adult Burns Service (VABS), in particular the outpatient service, required increased allied health resources to ensure adequate and timely treatment is provided to patients following a burn injury. This would facilitate early and safe discharge home and allow for improved bed flow.
In May 2022, a business case was submitted to Alfred Health for an additional 3.28EFT for allied health in the burn’s unit. The process of developing the business case involved benchmarking against another burns service, including comparing allied health EFT, episodes of care, inpatient length of stay (LOS) and frequency of outpatient clinics. The complexity of patients admitted to the burn’s unit was compared using Diagnosis-related groups. With the increase in burns admissions to VABS over the last few years, allied health inpatient and outpatient occasions of service for each discipline was reviewed.
The successful business case allowed the commencement of nutrition and social work service provision for burns outpatients and increased EFT for other allied health disciplines. The addition of allied health resources will be utilised to commence a 5 day a week burns and scar management clinic.
The presentation will outline the process of completing the successful burns business case, outcomes and learnings from expanding the allied health burns outpatient model of care.
To evaluate the expansion of the outpatient service, there will be a review of service data, including inpatient LOS, referrals to specific disciplines, outpatient waitlists and secondary surgical procedure requirements. Patient and staff satisfaction will also be reviewed.
Biography
Liz Capell is the Burns Allied health team leader (Physiotherapist) at the Alfred hospital in Melbourne. She has completed her Graduate Diploma in Burns and Trauma Rehabilitation at Notre Dame University. She’s currently completing her Masters of Philosophy (Research) at Monash University in the field of burns.