The Department for Health and Wellbeing has announced the My Home Hospital program has expanded its service.
The program will now treat patients for a wider range of health conditions and deliver care to those living outside the Adelaide metropolitan area.
Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Stephen Wade said residents within the Gawler Health Service catchment area, including Mallala, Two Wells and Freeling, were now able to receive hospital care in the comfort of their own home.
Mr Wade said My Home Hospital was provided by Wellbeing SA, delivered by a joint venture between Calvary and Medibank, and the service expansion involved the recruitment and training of additional clinical staff.
“Since commencing in January, the My Home Hospital service has treated more than 580 patients ranging from 17 to 100 years old, diverting those people away from our metropolitan hospitals, while still providing the hospital-level care they need,” Mr Wade said.
He said 20 per cent of My Home Hospital patients had been from residential aged care facilities, with the most common conditions receiving treatment being cellulitis, kidney and urinary tract infections and pneumonia.
The Minister said that under the expansion, the service would provide at-home health care for people requiring specific post-operative care, as well as those with pulmonary embolism, chronic heart failure and infections requiring intravenous antibiotics, such as mastitis.
Acting Chief Executive of Wellbeing SA, Jeanette Walters said there were plans to further expand into Mount Barker and the Southern Fleurieu following the service rollout in Gawler.
Ms Walters said patients could be referred to the service by their GP, medical specialist, nurse practitioner, paramedic, emergency department or hospital.
Further information on the My Home Hospital service can be accessed at this PS News link.
