Overview

Since 2003, agencies in Melbourne’s western and northern regions have been implementing e-referral using the online service directory and secure referral system, Connectingcare.

A recent survey, representing more than 500 users, identified an overwhelmingly positive response to the usefulness of both the Connectingcare service directory and the e-referral service, with more than 350 services in Melbourne’s northwest able to receive secure referrals. The survey also highlighted agencies’ eagerness for new services to register with and use the Connectingcare directory and e-referral system.

HealthWest was a member of the E-Referral Project Control Group, working with Brimbank Melton Primary Care Partnership (PCP), Hume Moreland PCP, Moonee Valley Melbourne PCP and WestBay Alliance members, to support health and community organisations to increase their capacity to manage health information electronically.  The E-Referral Project finished in June 2010.

Objectives and Activities

• Support agencies to manage the organisational change required for implementing e-referral.
• Increase coordination and awareness of new Information Communication Technology (ICT) initiatives.
• Train health and community agency staff to take up e-referral.
• Improve the levels of e-referral exchange between agencies.
• Improve the interface between ICT systems to e-referral systems.

Reports

Electronic Referral in North West Melbourne

This HealthWest information sheet provides a snapshot of e-referral use since 2003 and the Connectingcare system.

Overview

This program, completed in 2006, represents the development of a systems approach to improving the care of people with type 2 diabetes and is a model for targeting those at risk of hospitalisation.

The WestBay Alliance and Western HARP Consortium developed a model of diabetes management that effectively identifies and targets people at urgent and high risk of hospital presentation. This model defines the standards for good diabetes care as well as the systems required to achieve that care in routine practice. This systems approach is a whole-of-region response to the significant number of people with type 2 diabetes at risk of hospital presentation in Melbourne’s western region.

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Overview

The WestBay Alliance Integrated Disease Management Project was one of four pilot studies funded by the Victorian Department of Human Services to enhance efforts to reduce the burden of disease and to test new and developmental approaches to the care of people who have, or are at risk of, chronic illness. Funded through the Primary Care Partnership Reform, the four pilot studies aimed to build on and complement the work of primary care partnerships in the areas of integrated services planning, partnership and service coordination.

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Overview

The Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Service Coordination project seeks to strengthen service connectedness and coordination for marginalized pregnant women in Melbourne’s west, with a focus on improving the capacity of the broader service system to better respond the needs of this population group.

HealthWest was allocated funds for the service coordination project to support the newly established Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Program which is funded for the communities of Brimbank, Wyndham and Melton.

The Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies program provides support, education and service linkages to women who are pregnant and face barriers to accessing antenatal care services, or require additional support for a range of reasons. These may include socio-economic status, culturally and linguistically diverse background, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, age or geographical isolation from available services. Many of these women will have complex health, welfare and social needs.

Coordinating services for pregnant young women

Objectives and Activities

• Identify and support the development of key stakeholder groups, including convening or providing support to established steering committees.
• Implement service coordination principles to support referral between Community Health Services and other services involved in the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies project.
• Provide education and training to new partners on the use of the Victorian Service Coordination manual and associated tools, in particular supporting Maternity Units and Maternal and Child Health Nurses to use these tools.
• Support the establishment of effective referral pathways, which may include e-referral systems. In particular, referral pathways implemented by Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies partnering agencies will have clear roles and responsibilities.
• Support the development of a coordinated approach to health promotion interventions for pregnant, marginalised women, including the coordination and dissemination of information about health promotion activities that target the needs of these women.

Outcomes

Service Access Roadmap for "At Risk" Pregnant Women

One of the project recommendations was the development of a quick reference guide to assist with finding the most appropriate service to respond to the needs of marginalised pregnant women.  The Service Access Roadmap for "At Risk" Pregnant Women: Brimbank, Wyndham and Melton is designed to be a navigation tool for service providers to direct "at risk" pregnant women to the right service at the right time. The resource is currently in draft form and is being pilot testing. The Roadmap will be finalised in late 2010 for dissemination with key stakeholders. Any comments, additions or corrections are welcome. Please contact Jenny Reimers, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you would like to provide feedback.

DRAFT Resource - Service Access Roadmap - July 2010

Reports

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Service Coordination Forum Report

HealthWest hosted the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Service Coordination Forum on 20 May 2010. The discussions are outlined in this report.