SWAN Hill District Health has its finger on the pulse when it comes to finding unique ways to improve health access.
SHDH was announced winner in the partnership in healthcare category for I-HEART – a virtual regional heart failure service in partnership with Austin Health – at Tuesday night’s Victorian Public Healthcare Awards.
The aim of this partnership is to improve access to specialist heart failure services and facilitate care closer to home.
The partnership co-developed several clinical decision tools to support patients during their hospitalisation, and a virtual clinic after discharge for follow up with heart failure specialists.
SHDH executive director of medical services Associate Professor Rex Prabhu said the project had been running for two years.
“We collaborated with Austin Health’s cardiology department, as well as Deakin University, to look at translating the new heart failure guidelines into practice in regional and rural areas,” Prof Prabhu said.
“We know from our data, patients with heart failure and newly diagnosed heart failure tend to relapse back into hospitals because of their lack of knowledge of the medications and lack of knowledge of the disease.
“Every time they are hospitalised, it increases their risk of death over time – not immediately – because the heart gets decompensated and that complication is better avoided.
“So the outcome of the program was to give these patients up to six months of tailored support to first make sure they they were well cognisant of their disease, understood how to manage their disease with medications and went to seek help, monitor their fluid intake, monitor their weight, their drugs and give them the wrap-around support of specialist care.”
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the awards shine a spotlight on the dedicated nurses, midwives, doctors, allied health workers, volunteers and organisations who change and save Victorian lives every day.
“Victoria has one of the most talented and dedicated health workforces anywhere in the world, and this year’s nominees and award winners are just a sample of the outstanding care being delivered across the state.”
