The Information Superhighway aims to:
- Reduce length of hospital admission
- Reduce re-admission rates
- Improve complex patient discharge planning
- Empower patients & their families
- Enhancing skills of district nursing staff
- Adopt the recommendations highlighted in ‘Together for Health’ 5 year vision for Wales (WAG) - that Care should move closer to home and technology to be used so more patients are treated in/close to where they live.
So how did we do it? Media resourced management were involved from the beginning of the project and they felt a 1hour slot would be sufficient time per patient to facilitate recording. Agreement obtained by the receiving Community team that they were happy to receive patient with DVD care plan. Data protection regulations were adhered to and patients consent was obtained for the recording & for DVD to be used for teaching purposes.
So what are the benefits?
- Improved formalised discharge pathway
- Improved communications between primary & secondary care teams
- Now this individualised visual care plan is accessible to all nursing team instead of 1 or 2 individuals
- Family/carers able to access DVD if any leakage overnight or out of hours
We have developed a joint HPN /stoma clinics/Gastroenterology review – which enhances continuity of care & ensures the patient only attends 1 appointment. We are developing Skype follow up clinics for patients out of area who are unable to attend hospital appointment.
And why is this important? ‘By 2016 Patients with very complex, life threatening conditions will initially be treated in very specialist acute facilities before being transferred to local settings-to continue their recovery’ Welsh Assembly Government, (2011)
For further information contact Deborah Keoghane Colorectal/Stoma CNS Cardiff and Vale UHB [email protected]