Poster Session HRT11420 Innovation Awards November 2014 Melbourne When You Don t Know Where To Turn... Presenter: Claire Crocker, Director Delegates: Cathie Agg, Manager Patient Advocate Institute Anna Lucantoni, Advocate www.patientadvocate.com.au
Key Problem: Risks to patient safety, and patient/family disempowerment Aim Of Innovation: To enable patients and families to work more constructively with health providers achieve safer, more targeted and more efficient health outcomes What We Did: Created an independent fee-for-service entity that utilises tailored advocacy on behalf of the patient and/or family to achieve a specific and pre-determined health outcome. Also created a Training Institute for people wishing to learn about private patient advocacy. Key Outcomes: In general, clients experience better health outcomes, there is reduced risk of complaints against providers and health services have been more targeted to meet the individual needs of the patient to minimise readmission or related outcomes.
KEY PROBLEM: An observation that patients and families can experience a high degree of disempowerment within their health journey that can result in harm (including physical harm) occurring; An observation that patients can consent to treatment without fully understanding their options or providing genuine consent; An observation that the pressures of the health system, including difficulties in achieving the necessary level of collaboration and communication between providers, can result in the needs of the individual being compromised; and An observation that, having regard to Australia s demographic and economic patterns, that these challenges are likely to heighten in the foreseeable future.
AIM OF THE INNOVATION : To create a mechanism to enable patients and families to work more constructively with health providers achieve better, more targeted and more efficient health outcomes. To ensure that patients have the ability to provide genuine and informed consent to medical treatment. To encourage the efficient use of the health dollar by meeting the needs of the patient to reduce or prevent the need for further ongoing health services.
BASELINE DATA: We do not have baseline data. Patient Advocate Pty Ltd was established in 2011 and has been growing slowly without external advertising for clients. In response to media interest in 2012, in April 2013 the Patient Advocate Institute was established and since then four Training Courses in Patient Advocacy have been held.
KEY CHANGES IMPLEMENTED: Creation of Patient Advocate Pty Ltd to provide advocacy to patients and families in order to assist them to achieve a specific, and pre-determined, health outcome. Patients and families can contact Patient Advocate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We work with clients to identify their needs and health priorities, and to determine whether or not we can assist them. The majority of our advocacy work is currently provided remotely i.e. by phone/email with the relevant health provider/s, however some cases require in-person advocacy including mediation work. As a result of the Training Courses, we are now able to expand to offer patient advocacy services to clients in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland.
OUTCOMES SO FAR: We have achieved tangible and intangible outcomes for our clients: Tangible outcomes include: - Clients being diverted from one health pathway to another that better meets their needs; - Client s receiving urgent health care which was previously not being provided; - Successful medication of issues within and between health providers; - Arranging collaboration between health providers, including between hospitals; - Clients being admitted, discharged or transferred to another provider; - Clients being able to access a specific health provider; - Client s being supported to obtain a second opinion. Intangible outcomes include: - Clients feeling that they are providing genuine and informed consent to medical treatment; - Client feeling heard or understood by their health provider, which can result in greater trust; - Clients being encouraged to express and resolve concerns without the need for a complaint process; - Clients being more confident in expressing their future health needs and wishes.
CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: 1800 055 115 Websites: www.patientadvocate.com.au Contacts: Claire Crocker, Director Cathie Agg, Manager Patient Advocate Institute