Ramsay Australia will pilot a new short stay model of care, giving doctors a greater say in how their patients receive care.
The ‘Short Stay Arthroplasty Pilot’, which has been adapted for Australia, aims to give patients and doctors the support and confidence needed to recover at home after a total knee or hip arthroplasty.
Eligible patients receive education, home based support and enrolment in a clinical pathway designed specifically for home based recovery within 23-47 hours of surgery.
Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at St George Private Hospital, Dr Samuel MacDessi said the pilot was being established to ensure it was a safe and efficient option for surgeons to use for their patients in the future.
“There is now evidence that overnight stay is at least as safe as a prolonged stay in hospital for appropriately selected patients and this pilot will provide surgeons with another option for managing their patients in the comfort of their own home,” Dr MacDessi said.
“We will only be doing this for patients who are suitable – they will need to reach all their discharge milestone and have someone at home who can help. The ability to access a Ramsay program offering in-home nursing and physiotherapy for rehabilitation will minimise the length of stay for patients who really want to be at home.”
Dr MacDessi said day surgery was becoming a standard of care for arthroplasty and more patients wanted to access this alternative option for their post-operative care.
“There are some patients who want a prolonged stay in hospital but more and more, people are wanting to recover and rehabilitate at home. This pilot gives them access to nursing and physiotherapy services at home that are equal to what they would receive in the hospital environment,” he said.
The Short Stay Arthroplasty Pilot was designed with contribution from Ramsay’s global teams and input from orthopaedic surgeons, arthroplasty nurses and allied health. The model of care has been designed with the needs of patients and their safety as a key priority.
Elements of success were identified, including patient selection, anaesthesia and pain management, patient education and preparation for surgery, standardisation of perioperative processes, and staff education and acceptance of the model.
Ramsay Australia’s extensive hospital and community-based workforce and expertise provide the company with the ability to deliver this short stay model of care throughout Australia.
The Short Stay Arthroplasty Pilot Project will be overseen by the Orthopaedic Advisory Panel and the National Clinical Governance Unit. A National Working Group – consisting of orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthetists, nursing, and physiotherapy representatives who are experienced in the development and implementation of enhanced recovery programs has been assembled to provide input into the development of the model of care and to be involved in the pilot phase of this initiative.
