ED Clinical Lead Dr Tamsin Davies with part of the ALPHA team, Occupational
Therapist Ellise Robinson, Nurse Practitioner Theresa Ngamoki and Podiatrist
Amanda Johnstone.
Better care coordination
of staff leads to shorter
stay in hospital
A project focused on having
the right health professional
see patients in a timely way
at Whakatāne Hospital is
leading to in some cases
faster treatment and a shorter
hospital stay.
Since June the ALPHA team which
includes a broad range of health
professionals such as physiotherapist,
occupational therapists, podiatrists,
pharmacist and nurse specialists has been
working closely with doctors and nurses in
the Emergency Department (ED), quickly
identifying patients whose treatment aligns
with their profession.
The team attend three whiteboard rounds
in ED a day, meeting with the ED nursing
and medical team, identifying patients
who’d benefit from their health skills.
Whakatāne Hospital ED Clinical Lead
Dr Tamsin Davies says, “They pick up
a broad range of things such as fitting
appropriate splints, reviewing medications
and coordinating care in the community for
patients with complex health needs.
“It’s a shift from the traditional way of doing
things where those patients were only seen
by those health professionals once they’d
either been admitted to a ward or from an
ED referral.
“For patients picked up by the ALPHA team
what we’re finding is that they are getting
the healthcare they need much sooner.
Particularly our older patients (75 plus),
faster treatment means a better recovery
and less time spent in hospital.”
Dr Davies says some patients are also
avoiding a hospital stay altogether by being
connected with the right health support
they need in the community.
The ALPHA team is part of a wider
programme underway at Whakatāne
Hospital this year to improve the care
treatment pathway, making better use of
hospital resources and saving our patients
time.
Service Improvement Programme Manager
Fiona Burns says, “We’re constantly
looking at ways to improve the timeliness
and quality of care provided at the
hospital, we don’t want patients waiting
unnecessarily when there’s no good
medical reason to do so.”
ALPHA project a
stand out at Allied
Health Improvement
Group Health
Roundtable
In October the ALPHA project took one
of four top innovation awards at the
Allied Health Improvement Group Health
Roundtable in Sydney.
Te Koru Rehabilitation and Inpatient team
lead, Leigh Haldane had 90 seconds to
pitch the merits of the project to delegates.
She succeeded and was selected to give a
full 15-minute presentation.
The theme of this year’s meeting was “How
to measure patient outcomes under a value
based healthcare system, delivered by
Allied Health Clinicians in hospitals?”
It’s the second year in a row BOPDHB
has been recognised for innovation by the
Allied Health Improvement Group Health
Roundtable. Last year the Tauranga
Hospital PARIS (Patients At Risk of
Increased Stay) team received an award.
“We have been monitoring progress
closely and since the programme began
approximately 7 out of 10 patients are
going home a day earlier.”
Globally research shows just a few
days in bed can reduce muscle strength
and increase the risk of complications,
particularly for our frail older patients.
Getting older patients up and moving has
been shown to reduce falls, and reduce their
length of hospital stay by up to 1.5 days.
‘EndPJParalysis’ is something the hospital
fully supports. As part of our improvement
progamme we’ve designed activity plans
for patients. Where appropriate, patients
can expect to be encouraged to get up and
get moving. “PJs say you’re unwell clothes
say you’re getting better,” says Fiona.
3