News
HARP Coordinator appointed at EGHS
8th September, 2008
East Grampians Health Service has appointed Joey Bligh as HARP Care Coordinator to service across the Ararat Rural City municipality.
The Hospital Admission Risk Program (HARP) is targeted at better care for older people and is funded by Department of Human Services to 2010. It will assist in the reduction of avoidable admissions to hospital and presentations to Emergency Department, or reduce the length of stay in hospital for older people with chronic disease.
The program aims to assist people who are over 65 years of age and older, whose health is affected by a chronic illness or have special needs to manage their health at home and decrease their presentations to hospital.
Joey, who is a Registered Nurse Division 2 Endorsed, has for the past 17 years been with East Grampians Health Service, nursing mainly in the Inpatient Unit and is well equipped to take on the role and has a good knowledge of the local community and the needs.
The program plan will include reviewing and streamlining the referral systems and processes, so people are tapped into programs and services eg. Allied Health, Day Centre and Community Organizations, looking at the link between Emergency Department and Community Programs, providing comprehensive assessment and a client centered approach, and providing additional information for patients, carers and staff.
Importantly the program will look at increased communication and using a team approach between Departments across the Health Service, so everyone knows what programs are available and who to refer to other agencies eg: GP's, West Vic Division of General Practice, Grampians Pyrenees Primary Care Partnerships, Grampians Community Health Centre and other community services.
The Care Coordinator will be required to undertake a thorough assessment of all care needs, investigate what services have been used in the past, examine inpatient records to clarify medical history, discuss all care needed with relevant medical specialist if necessary and work with the client and/or carer and anyone else currently involved in caring for the individual eg. GP, Case Manager, Allied Health, District Nurse, to fully understand what care is required.
The role will also require the development of a care plan that clearly describes the services that are needed and explains why, how and when the client will need to use each one. Most clients will keep a ‘health diary' in order to promote self-monitoring to manage their condition.
Every HARP client will be assessed according to their ‘whole of life' needs! It is NOT just managing their symptoms in relation to their chronic disease the program aims to promote ‘self management' practices for the client to deal with their health condition.
Referrals for assistance can come direct at anytime to the HARP Coordinator from the community, through Medical, your GP or a District Nurse. For further information please contact Joey Bligh at the EGHS Community Centre, Tel: 5352 9392.
