Projects

Partnering Caregivers to Improve Patient Care

Project Categories

Care Continuum

Care Process & Redesign

Workforce Transformation

Platform

National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals

Cluster

Agency for Integrated Care - Intermediate and Long Term Care

31 December 2024

Encourage at least 20% of admissions with registered caregivers in rehabilitation wards, enable early Caregiver Training. The initiative successfully improved patient care and caregiver involvement.

Year Submitted: 2024
Published Date: 31 December 2024

Tags: Care Continuum, Care Process ＆ Redesign, Workforce Transformation, Rehabilitative Care, Value Based Care, Length Of Stay, Informal Workforce Transformation, Caregiver

About this Content

Aims

Encourage at least 20% of admissions with registered caregivers in rehabilitation wards, enable early Caregiver Training (CGT), and reduce the Average Length of Stay (ALOS) to below 28 days.

Background

SACH embarked on a Design Thinking project in 2022 to improve care models for patients and caregivers. The initiative aimed to address the need for caregivers to be actively involved in inpatient care.

Methods

Extended visiting hours, structured caregiver involvement, and early CGT implementation. Used a transdisciplinary approach for training.

Results

27% of rehabilitation patients had a registered caregiver, allowing earlier CGT. ALOS reduced to 22 days for patients with caregivers versus 29 days for those without. Fall incidents between 8 AM - 8 PM reduced by 20%.

Conclusion

The initiative successfully improved patient care and caregiver involvement. Future plans include scaling up caregiver engagement strategies.

Lessons Learnt

Early CGT enhances patient outcomes and shortens hospital stays. Engaging caregivers improves satisfaction and care transitions.

Keywords

Dementia, Palliative Care, Community Health, Caregivers, Early Caregiver Training

Innovators' Details

Healthcare Cluster(s)	Agency for Integrated Care - Intermediate and Long Term Care
Organization(s) Involved	St. Andrew Community Hospital
Platform(s)	National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals
Healthcare Professional Group(s)	Allied Health, Ancillary Care
Applicable Specialty or Discipline	Rehabilitation Therapy
Project Lead(s)	Feng Yan
Project Member(s)	Galvin Tan Chua Boon Hui (Joyce) Khuzaimah Binte Zainal Jean Mok Jaime Yeo Lie Hui Ying Eric Wie Law Yen Hoon Alison Sim

Connect with this contributor!

Eric Wie - eric_wie@sach.org.sg

Project Attachment

156_St_Andrew_NHIP_2024_Partnering_Caregivers_to_Improve_Patient_Care.pdf