Improving the Delivery of Care after Discharge for Aboriginal Cardiac Patients: a WA Health Excellence Award Finalist
At EMHS we are committed to supporting cultural diversity, including continuing to expand our understanding and knowledge of Aboriginal culture to reduce health gaps.
Recently two EMHS projects that are committed to achieving better health outcomes for Aboriginal people were recognised as finalists in the 2019 WA Health Excellence Awards.
Read about a very special project that is delivering culturally appropriate cardiac follow-up appointments and support services to allow our rural and remote Aboriginal patients to remain closer to home and country during their healthcare journey.
The attendance rate for post discharge medical follow-up in RPH cardiology clinics was noticeably lower in Aboriginal patients (63%) compared with the general population (85.9%), increasing the risk of future cardiac events for these patients.
The RPH Aboriginal Discharge Optimisation Project team investigated further and identified several barriers affecting follow-up appointment attendance rates and consequently health outcomes. This included;
- complex travel and accommodation arrangements
- unfamiliar physical and cultural environments
- socioeconomic factors
- communication issues with handover.
More than half of the Aboriginal patients admitted to RPH Cardiology Unit live outside of the Perth Metropolitan region and more than 30% of those travel from the Kimberley region to attend a brief clinic appointment.
After review and consultation with patients and relevant staff the team introduced new discharge pathways. Patients can now attend follow-up appointments at local cardiology services that are visiting the Kimberley and Pilbara regions instead of attending the metropolitan based cardiology clinic at RPH. Further,Aboriginal Health Liaison Officers are helping to provide culturally appropriate post-discharge support.
Patients can now stay closer to home and country and improved communications processes and patient education through Aboriginal Health Liaison Officers is helping to ensure culturally appropriate service delivery is being provided in the Pilbara and Kimberley regions.