Miss Christine Parker¹

¹Crgh

Abstract:
Hyacinth Cottage-Transitioning rural and remote patients to return home

Concord Burns Unit is one of three campuses that together form the NSW Statewide Burns Injury Service. As a statewide service, many patients are transferred from primary health services outside regular referral boundaries, and admissions from rural and remote areas often have a delayed discharge due to specialist multidisciplinary team access issues within their local area.

Concord Burns Unit catchment area includes the Far West, Murrumbidgee, Southern NSW and Western NSW Local Health Districts. Approximately 30% of our total admissions are classed as inner regional, outer regional and remote. In 2014 Hyacinth Cottage, located within the facility grounds, was identified as a discharge destination for suitable patients and their carers, allowing for outpatient management, education and transition to home. This three bedroom house was then renovated and modified, furnished and fitted to allow a rural or remote patient and family/carer short term accommodation for a maximum of one month. In November 2016 the first patient and his family utilised the cottage. Four patients and families have since taken advantage of this service. The benefit of Hyacinth Cottage will be evaluated using three Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s )-90% or greater overall patient satisfaction with the accommodation, a 15% decrease in acute burn patient Length Of Stay for patients from regional, rural and remote areas and less than 10% of all patients discharged to the cottage require readmission as a result of early discharge.

Biography:
Chris Parker is the Nursing Unit Manager of the Burns Unit at Concord Hospital. She has been in this role for over 13 years and worked within the specialty of burns for over 26 years.