Putting palliative patients first a winning model

Tuesday 17 March 2020

Putting palliative patients first a winning model
A model of palliative care that has improved patient choice in end of life care and place of death has been
recognised in the Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA) Awards for Excellence.

The Sydney Adventist Hospital, San Community Palliative Care Service (the service) has won the Clinical
Excellence – quality of care and patient outcomes category of the national awards.

Developed to complement existing inpatient palliative care, the service provides access to specialist
services that can deal with complex care in a community setting. It is available to adult palliative care
patients living within 10-15 km of the hospital.

APHA CEO Michael Roff said the awards were an opportunity to showcase the great work private hospitals
do in meeting the needs of their communities.

"This is a wonderful example of a private hospital seeking feedback from patients about their wishes at end
of life and implementing a program that has seen almost all of those patients in the 2018-2019 period die in
their preferred place.

"We know Australians want to die at home – according to a 2017 Productivity Commission report – 70
percent of us would prefer to die at home, while only around 10 percent of patients do so. This program is
also an example of private hospitals providing specialist care outside the hospitals walls, something they
would do more of if it was properly funded through private health insurance.

"This model is only able to be delivered through philanthropy," he said.

The service has implemented a number of strategies to improve patient outcomes when it comes to end of
life wishes. One example is the introduction of 'Patient Medical Alert Cards' notifying emergency
department staff the patient is known to the palliative care service.

With this information, ED staff can access resuscitation and advance care directives, helping to prevent
unwanted and futile investigations and procedures. Facility fees for re-entry to the hospital are waived for
these patients.

There has been a significant improvement in patients' end of life wishes being met. Research on the model
shows patients were much more likely to die at home, there were fewer hospital admissions overall, with
significant cost savings demonstrated.

Award judges were very impressed with the program and results, one suggesting 'this initiative could
become a national demonstration site'.

APHA Awards for Excellence judging panel:
Tony Lawson, Chair, Consumer Health Forum
Adjunct Professor Debora Picone AO, CEO, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
Michael Roff, CEO, Australian Private Hospitals Association

-ENDSLevel 3 /11 National Circ, Barton ACT 2600. PO Box 4502, Kingston ACT 2604. [T] 02 6273 9000 [F] 02 6273 7000
[E] [W] www.apha.org.au [FB] ValuingPrivateHospitals [Twitter] @priv8hospitals
ABN 82 008 623 809

Media contact APHA: Frith Rayner, Director Communications and Marketing, 0413 971 999
Media contact Sydney Adventist Hospital: Leisa O'Connor, Corporate Communications Manager, 0410 541 728
The Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA) is the peak industry body representing the private hospital and day surgery
sector. The private hospital sector treats 4.5 million patients a year, including treatment of a third of chemotherapy, 60 percent of all
surgery, 74 percent of all elective musculoskeletal surgery and 80 percent of rehabilitation.

Level 3 /11 National Circ, Barton ACT 2600. PO Box 4502, Kingston ACT 2604. [T] 02 6273 9000 [F] 02 6273 7000
[E] [W] www.apha.org.au [FB] ValuingPrivateHospitals [Twitter] @priv8hospitals
ABN 82 008 623 809

Next Media Centre:
17/3/2020 Bundaberg private hospital wins prestigious award

Previous Media Centre:
17/3/2020 Partnering with patients a winning model for Bethesda Health Care