Allied healthcare is largely underestimated in Australia. Some literature highlights that the likelihood of referral to allied health practitioners is low for some conditions, putting a spotlight on the role of allied health practitioners in hospital discharge planning. For those that do not qualify for further government funded pathways (ie subacute or community rehabilitation) or those patients in the private hospital sector, discharge is a pivotal moment in the patient journey as poor planning can contribute to dissatisfaction and hospital readmission.
Role of Allied Health in Discharge Education
It is estimated that gaps in discharge planning is experienced by 41% of Australians in the acute hospital setting, with high rates of readmission for some conditions. It is well documented that allied health plays a critical role in prevention, early-intervention and management of chronic conditions, yet with poor awareness of allied health professionals mean that many do not realise the impact of the input of these professions in their health journey. Although allied health pathways can be self-referred in the community, evidence highlights that this avenue is most likely to be utilised by only those that are health literate. Yet 60% of Australians have low health literacy.
Barriers to Discharge Education
Current practice is for allied health professionals to search for multiple options through Google and pass this on the the patient for discharge if they do not qualify for ongoing government funding streams. However, allied health practitioners in the hospital setting experience high workloads impacting time and prioritisation of tasks. These factors can be a barrier in the communication of the continuation of care pathways in the community, which can contribute to the widening health divide. So, what can we do about this?
The Use of Digital Health Platforms
There are digital health platforms that patients can be directed to, however most do not have the exclusive focus of allied health. Allied AU is a new, Australian-first platform that exclusively connects people to vetted allied health practitioners from different businesses at no extra cost. Their mission is to improve accessibility to allied healthcare for Australians. On the platform, a care-seeker can choose between in-clinic, mobile or telehealth services. Then, they can search their area with filters down to the language the practitioner speaks, see individual practitioner profiles with real-time availability, book in and pay (with in-built government funding schemes).
An Invaluable Tool
It can be an invaluable tool for time-poor professionals working in the public setting to deliver high standards of care for their patients at discharge. This platform was created by allied health practitioners that worked in the public sector to help improve the health system and alleviate bed pressures in the longer-term. Be a part of this journey to help us make this system better because we don't know about you, but our patient loads are certainly not improving. Let's make a difference to our health system!