Patients have shared positive feedback about their experiences with Āhuru Mōwai, Hospital in the Home service, in the first six weeks since its launch.
The new Āhuru Mōwai HiTH service enables select patients at Gisborne Hospital to receive their treatment at home under medical supervision. This includes daily review by nurses and a virtual medical consultation.
Starting on a small scale, the service has already treated 23 patients in their own homes within the first six weeks, which evidence indicates is beneficial for their recovery.
Tori Mackle, the HiTH Tairawhiti Project Manager, highlights that during this period, the service has provided 89 bed days in the community, effectively reducing hospital stays by nearly four days, on average, for these patients.
The HiTH service has three nurses covering a 24 hour seven-day roster. A position for a Clinical Nurse Coordinator is currently being advertised.
Tori says It’s a collaborative effort, with other departments and external service providers all contributing to the overall outcomes for people being cared for in the service. From Health NZ this includes; Medicine, Pharmacy, Dietetics, Social Work and District Nursing services which have all been supporting.
“The service provides patients and whānau with a choice about how they receive their hospital care. Some people may prefer to stay in hospital. The benefits of treatment at home mean patients are recuperating in the comfort of their own bed in a quiet and relaxed environment, able to maintain their routines and independence, with less chance of an HAI (hospital acquired infections) and family are able to visit at any time,” Tori says.
Āhuru Mōwai was the name gifted to Tairāwhiti’s service. This name implies a nurturing space, with a mutual respect between parties. A space for care to be delivered and shared to optimise recovery and outcomes.
