October 2002

$86 million to reduce pressure on hospitals

The Government has unveiled $86 million of hospital initiatives to meet increased demand, help reduce the pressure on hospital emergency departments and treat more patients.

The Health Minister, John Thwaites, said the additional funding was part of the Government’s four-year, $464 million Hospital Demand Management Strategy.

‘The new initiatives include Medihotels for patients who need tests or day medical procedures but don’t require admission to hospital, expanded rehabilitation in the home and short-stay units to fast-track patient treatment.

‘The latest quarterly Hospital Services Report shows there has been an eight per cent increase in the number of emergency patients admitted to our 13 major public hospitals over the same quarter last year.

‘This funding will enable hospitals to respond to this record high demand by looking at creative ways of opening up more beds, providing alternative models of care and preventing unnecessary hospital admissions.’

Mr Thwaites launched details of the latest round of funding for hospitals at the Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, which has received $5.5 million for new initiatives including a new Medihotel.

‘The new Medihotel will provide short stay accommodation for patients who require overnight accommodation between tests and or day medical procedures but don't need admission to hospital.

‘It will feature 16 beds, a waiting room, a mixture of single rooms with shared facilities and some rooms with en-suites, a nurses’ office and a lounge area with tea room.’

Mr Thwaites said the Government was providing funding for a range of initiatives aimed at preventing the need for people—especially older Victorians and those with chronic illnesses—to end up in hospital emergency departments.

He released details of strategies for the Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Bayside Health, Eastern Health, Melbourne Health, Northern Health, Peninsula Health, Southern Health and St Vincents.

Some of the key initiatives include:

• Medihotels at the Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre and St Vincent’s Hospital to provide overnight accommodation for patients needing tests or day medical procedures;

• A new 10-bed Emergency Medical Unit at Northern Hospital for patients needing assessment and referral to alternative care;

• Doubling the size of the EMU at Frankston Hospital from eight to 16 beds;

• Expand Rehabilitation in the Home services to enable patients who are recovering from illness to receive treatment at home;

• Expand the Ambulatory Care Unit at the Alfred Hospital to enable more patients to be treated;

• Expand the number of interim care beds at Eastern (20), Northern (five), Southern (six) and Peninsula Health Services (20) to provide care for patients waiting for a nursing home bed.

‘Other strategies include new models of care in emergency departments such as doctors and nurses working together to fast-track assessment and treatment when patients first come into emergency departments.

‘Most hospitals have also received a funding boost for programs that assist people with a range of conditions such as diabetes, asthma and respiratory diseases to better manage their illness in the community.

‘These programs ensure chronically ill patients receive treatment when they need it rather than have their health deteriorate to the point where they require emergency admission to a hospital.’