Reducing pressure on acute services
Karen Logan A formal audit confirmed high rates of inappropriate discharges from acute wards, wrong catheters being used and no patient follow-up or equipment being organised.
The consequences included unnecessary admissions to A&E, extra patient days and increased patient transport costs.
The role for Map of Medicine
The underlying problem highlighted by the audit was low awareness of catheterisation policies.
Joanna Dundon & Karen Logan: Localising pathways in Gwent (5:23)
Map of Medicine provided the Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust, now part of Aneurin Bevan Health Board, with a vehicle it could use to build on its existing policy and internal pathway and develop an overarching catheterised patient management pathway, one that could be easily accessed across the whole community.
Milestones
- Recognising Map of Medicine could communicate a Catheter Care Pathway across all team members including GPs
- Using the process of localising content to break down barriers between departments and between primary and secondary care levels.
Challenges
- Getting key people together to agree on localised elements
- Raising awareness amongst healthcare community staff.
Results
Usage monitoring suggests increased awareness of the Pathway across all healthcare teams and departments. Positive indicators include:
- 100 visits to the Pathway in its first month: in its second month, it was the community’s fourth most-visited Pathway
- Strong anecdotal evidence of more patients being treated at home.
After a reasonable period there will be a full audit which is expected to demonstrate enhanced professional competence, improved communications and standards of care across settings, and fewer unnecessary referrals.