Health Navigator success continues
Health Navigator continues to be a successful integrated and coordinated primary health service for regional communities, according to a recent evaluation report on the service.
Since the launch of Health Navigator in October 2013, the program’s popularity has continued to grow and expand in reach, with more than 600 clients experiencing chronic conditions referred to the service.
The number of clients coming into contact with Health Navigator each month has increased steadily since the commencement of the program, from just 20 active clients in November 2013 to over 100 in April 2016.
Silver Chain Lead Chronic Disease Coordinator, Jaclyn Geraghty, said the steady increase in the number of people accessing the service demonstrates the capacity of Health Navigator to meet the needs of the community.
“The report shows Health Navigator has consistently demonstrated reduced admissions and readmissions to hospitals and Emergency Departments, significantly improving access to services for clients when they need them,” Jaclyn explained.
“Our Health Navigator Coordinators connect with clients virtually and once they understand the client’s needs they link them with service providers locally or virtually who can assist.
“Over 90 per cent of clients surveyed in April 2015 found Health Navigator was helpful in teaching them to stay as healthy as possible.”
For many clients living with chronic health conditions, leaving the house can sometimes be a challenge. In recognition of this, in-home videoconferencing is now available to those clients who have internet access and wish to use this medium. In-home videoconferencing enables this at-risk group to access health care support they may otherwise miss out on.
Health Navigator works to identify not only how individuals manage their own health, but to identify other factors which may be impacting their health and wellbeing, and then work in partnership with individuals and other service providers to address these factors.
For more information about Health Navigator, please visit our website or call our Contact Centre on (08) 9242 0242 (or 1300 650 803 for country callers).
