THE FLOW of patients arriving via ambulance to Fraser Coast facilities has become significantly more efficient with the opening of a new Patient Access Coordination Hub (PACH) at Hervey Bay Hospital. The Miles Government’s $150,000 investment transformed the former Transit Hub into this new facility, enabling staff to better manage patient movements in and out of Hervey Bay and Maryborough Hospitals.
Utilising real-time intelligence from ambulance operations, the collaboration between Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) and Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) provides comprehensive visibility of the patient journey.
This enhanced coordination allows staff to anticipate and understand both current and potential demand impacts on EDs and other facilities, ensuring hospitals are better prepared for patient arrivals and treatment. The PACH also includes Staffing Nurse Managers who can summon additional personnel to manage staffing levels in real-time as required.
“We want people across the Fraser Coast, including Hervey Bay, to spend as little time as possible in our hospitals once they are better,” said Member for Hervey Bay Adrian Tantari.
QAS Director for the Wide Bay Region, Warren Painting, highlighted the benefits, “The PACH follows a patient’s journey from the time they call an ambulance, to their treatment at the scene, through to their admission at hospital, and on to their discharge. This coordination ensures the best possible health care experience for patients and benefits both QAS and HHS by providing visibility into community ambulance responses.”
Wide Bay HHS Executive Director, Ciaran McSherry, expressed excitement about the new model, “After seeing the improvements this new model has made in other Queensland hospitals, it is exciting to see it up and running on the Fraser Coast.
“We are committed to improving patient outcomes, ensuring patients are treated as quickly as possible according to their clinical condition, and supporting our staff through innovation to deliver high-quality patient care.
“This means we can ensure our patients receive the right treatment, at the right place, at the right time.”
“Patient flow is a whole hospital responsibility,” McSherry added.
“Our PACH provides real-time data and intelligence across many parts of our hospitals combined with ambulance demand in the community to make informed decisions and immediate actions to enhance coordination of patient flows.”
