Falls in older people and childhood egg allergies are the focus of two new projects set to improve patient care in South Australia.
Thanks to funding from The Hospital Research Foundation Group and the Allied and Scientific Health Office (ASHO), the projects will trial new models of care that better utilise allied health professionals to improve patient outcomes.
The Hospital Research Foundation Group CEO, Professor Paul Flynn, said the funding would help bring the projects from concept to reality.
“These projects align with our commitment to supporting practical, innovative solutions that improve health system efficiency, help patients access the right care sooner and, where possible, keep people out of hospital,” Prof Flynn said.
Chief Allied & Scientific Health Officer, Dr Ingrid Lensink, agreed: “The grants will support translation of research into contemporary models of care, to improve access for consumers and provide better healthcare for our community”.
The two projects include:
Optimising emergency responses to falls
The first project, led by physiotherapist Jessica Anef from the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, aims to improve how emergency callouts for falls are managed.
The initiative will see an allied health professional – such as a physiotherapist or occupational therapist – attend emergency callouts alongside paramedics.
By working together to assess both the individual and their home environment, the team can provide immediate care, identify potential risks, implement falls prevention strategies and potentially avoid unnecessary trips to hospital.
Reducing waiting lists for children with egg allergies
The second project, led by senior clinical dietitian Gemma Zanardo from the Women’s and Children’s Health Network, aims to reduce long wait times for children with mild egg allergies.
Currently, families can wait more than a year to see a specialist.
This project will trial a new model of care for children aged six months to six years, where nurses can assess referrals and dietitians can lead treatment for low-risk cases.
This approach aims to safely support children to reintroduce egg into their diets sooner, reducing the need to wait for a specialist appointment while maintaining high standards of care.
