House calls for seniors program cuts ER use
ERs appear to be ‘a little less busy’ today thanks to program that began in 2016
It has been years since doctors carried their black medical bags and treated patients in their Regina homes.
Except now a team of medical professionals is making house calls to seniors at their residences — and it appears to be making a difference at Regina’s emergency departments.
Nurse practitioners and paramedics were the first health-care workers in the Seniors House Calls program when it began in April 2016.
As the program expanded, the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR) started tracking seniors’ visits to the Pasqua and General hospitals’ ERs.
The stats look promising. In September, 41 emergency rooms visits were avoided because nurse practitioners and paramedics cared for seniors in their homes.
“That fluctuates throughout the month,” said Lisa Bratkoski, the region’s manager of the Seniors House Calls program. “In June, we had 75 that month that we avoided.”
The program’s goal is to meet the urgent care needs of seniors who live in Regina and the surrounding areas who are having difficulty accessing health care in the community because of mobility or other issues.
The team also monitors patients who are discharged early from hospital to prevent re-admission, often through the ER.
“Our emergency departments appear to be a little less busy, but we haven’t been able to get enough information yet to make a direct correlation,” said Sue Pitura, director of the region’s south primary health-care network.
The work that’s being done is based on data gathered through Regina EMS and the city’s emergency departments.
Preventing unnecessary trips to the ER frees up resources for patients who truly require emergency care.
“This data has identified that many of our seniors were accessing the hospitals for non-emergent care needs simply because it was too difficult to access services anywhere else,” Bratkoski said. “We’ve used that data to really tailor our services.”
Since the program began, nurse practitioners, paramedics and pharmacists have made 3,000 house calls to seniors — 330 visits in September alone.
That number doesn’t include visits made by other members on the team.
It has grown from a small team of nurse practitioners and paramedics to a group of 33 health-care professionals that now include pharmacists, occupational therapists, a dietitian, continuing care assistants, registered nurses, social workers, a navigator and office assistant.
Pharmacists might make a house call if a senior has fallen to determine if medication might have contributed to the fall.
The program is a win for everyone, Bratkoski said.
“Who doesn’t want to stay in their home longer? Who doesn’t want to have control over their own health care and be empowered to be independent for as long as possible in the community?” she asked.
She stresses the program does not replace care for patients in emergency situations, such as heart attacks or strokes.
“If you’re not in an emergent care situation, then (the ER) is not the best place for you to be,” Bratkoski said. “We meet the client’s needs with the right person at the right place.”
A senior with a chronic lung disease who lives alone at home could be a candidate for the program.
If the condition worsens and shortness of breath prevents her from going to her family doctor, the team will assess her, treat her, develop a care plan with homecare and her family doctor and possibly connect her with new community resources, Bratkoski said.
“We work hard to collaborate with our family physicians and I think that’s one part of what makes our team so successful — we’re not here to replace family physicians,” Bratkoski said. “We’re here to enhance and support their care plan for their clients to be better managed and maintained in the community.”
The program doesn’t require a referral and the service is free. Eligibility for the program can vary from week to week, depending on the person’s condition.
Residents in the region can call 306-766-6280 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. any day of the week and be assessed for the program.
“But we emphasize this is not for emergencies,” Pitura said.
Who doesn’t want to stay in their home longer? Who doesn’t want to have control over their own health care ...?