• Login
• Admin

Foo, Meng Mui (2006) Re-Engineering The Care of Older People in North Singapore. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] (Unpublished)

PDF - Repository staff only - Requires a PDF viewer such as GSview, Xpdf or Adobe Acrobat Reader Download (150kB)

Abstract

Abstract

Re-engineering the Care of Older People in North Singapore

Singapore���¢��������s population is aging at an alarming rate. By 2030, 25% of its 4 million population will be over the age of 65. This increase in the elderly population will place an increasing pressure on an already overstretched healthcare system. Many developed countries have also experienced this universal problem of how to provide the appropriate care for their elderly population. Various measures, both at a local and national level have been tried and tested with varying degrees of success in these countries. In Singapore, there is a shortage of trained personnel with the right skills to provide the necessary care to frail elderly persons. The delivery of care is poorly coordinated and fragmented. This places increase pressures on acute hospital beds and the emergency services. However, many of the needs of frail elderly persons can better met by tailoring the right care at the right time and at the place for them. Aim: The aim of this dissertation is to explore new ways of delivering a high quality, seamless, patient-centred health service to the elderly population in Singapore. Method: Working through a Whole System Approach with the Department of Geriatric Medicine at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, the Ang Mo Kio Community Hospital, the Community Rehabilitation and nursing service, social service and primary care, we developed a model of Intermediate Care called the Rapid Response Integrated Care Service (RRICS). This service has as its key components elements for a rapid assessment of the elderly person���¢��������s needs by joint medical, social, nursing and rehabilitation personnel in a single assessment process. The right package of care is then delivered with regular monitoring and reassessment as the patient���¢��������s condition changes. RRICS aim to prevent inappropriate hospital admissions and facilitates early hospital discharge of elderly patient by maximising rehabilitation to help them return to their previous level of independence. Results: A saving of 13,512 bed days or an equivalent of $4,864,077 was achieved in a year. 83.2% of patients were rehabilitated to their full potential. An audit of the service after its introduction revealed a high level of patients and users satisfaction. Conclusion: We showed that in our context, the RRICS model is a cost-effective, high quality, seamless and coordinated system of healthcare delivery that is able to meet the complex healthcare needs the elderly population. We hope that similar groups in other parts of Singapore will adopt this model for the elderly persons in their catchment area

Item Type:	Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Depositing User:	EP, Services
Date Deposited:	15 Nov 2006
Last Modified:	27 Jan 2018 12:42
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/20181

Actions (Archive Staff Only)

Edit View