26 practices are participating in the ‘Winter Strategy’, and have enrolled over 700 patients patients at high risk of poor health and hospitalisation. These patients are on their practices ‘winter watch list’ and will receive additional care from their General Practice to support improved self-management. In addition, continuity of care is supported via provision of admission and discharge notifications to General Practice if a patient on their ‘winter watch list’ goes to hospital.
The past month has been a busy time for practices as they identify, enrol and provide additional care for their winter watch list patients. Practices have tailored participation in the Winter Strategy to suit their needs, with some practices taking a boutique approach and enrolling less than 10 patients and other practices providing additional care for up to 60 patients. The benefits of this work is already being seen with patients reporting a greater sense of confidence in managing their own care.
Regardless of if your practice is participating in the Winter Strategy, or you are a Local Health District Clinician, you can take advantage of great patient self-management tools and resources, such as ‘Sick Day Action Plans’, by visiting ncphn.org.au/winter-2017