title: A multi-organisation aged care emergency service for acute care management of older residents in aged care facilities.
abstract: This case study describes a multi-organisation aged care emergency (ACE) service. The service was designed to enable point-of-care assessment and management for older people in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). Design of the ACE service involved consultation and engagement of multiple key stakeholders. The ACE service was implemented in a large geographical region of a single Medicare Local (ML) in New South Wales, Australia. The service was developed over several phases. A case control pilot evaluation of one emergency department (ED) and four RACFs revealed a 16% reduction in presentations to the ED as well as reductions in admission to the hospital following ED presentation. Following initial pilot work, the ACE service transitioned across another five EDs and 85 RACFs in the local health district. The service has now been implemented in a further 10 sites (six metropolitan and four rural EDs) across New South Wales. Ongoing evaluation of the implementation continues to show positive outcomes. The ACE service offers a model shown to reduce ED presentations and admissions from RACFs, and provide quality care with a focus on the needs of the older person.
authors.affiliation: The University of New England, Abbot Road, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.affiliation: The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dilworth
authors.affiliation: John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Health, Locked Bag 1, HRMC NSW 2310, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hullick
authors.affiliation: John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Health, Locked Bag 1, HRMC NSW 2310, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hewitt
authors.affiliation: Hunter Medicare Local, Newcastle, NSW 2300, Australia. Email.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Higgins
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009517:New South Wales; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010865:Pilot Projects; D036301:Qualitative Research