New service for elderly helps alleviate hospital pressure while streamlining care for patients

A new healthcare service in Brisbane North will help alleviate hospital pressure while supporting the elderly with more streamlined care.

Community and Oral Health Nursing Director Maria Podger said the Brighton Geriatric Evaluation and Management (GEM) Service has been introduced as part of a broader strategy to ease hospital demand and better support patients.

“With increased hospital pressures, community-based (sub-acute) services are perfectly positioned to support older hospital patients in their recovery,” she said.

“The Brighton GEM Service aims to help older patients discharge safely from hospital and gives them the extra support and time to transition back into the community.

“The service is focused on restoring patients’ physical and cognitive function which has become impaired due to complex medical conditions or chronic disease.”

The service offers a 15-bed inpatient unit located on the Brighton Health Campus; a stand-alone, sub-acute facility within the Metro North Health Service.

Senior Medical Officer Dr June Chia said patients entering the service would receive ongoing multi-disciplinary inpatient assessment and intervention to improve function and independence.

“The aim is that they can return to their home environments with the assistance of community-based services,” she said.

“Metro North Health hospital patients are admitted to the Brighton GEM service when they need further geriatric assessment and management and/or rehabilitation.

“Patients who come from hospital have access to a range of services including cognitive, restorative and functional assessments, rehabilitation and dementia management.”

The new GEM team is made up of specialist medical staff, nursing and allied health professionals who work alongside an extended team of support service staff.

The GEM service joins additional existing community healthcare services being delivered across Metro North Health which aid in a faster transition of hospital patients back into the community, home or onto residential aged care.