A case study to evaluate the effectiveness of an innovation to enable people with complex care needs to be discharged from hospital has been published in the Wiley ‘Health and Social Care in the Community’ journal.
The scheme, conducted in 2016, aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the ‘5Q Care Test’, a tool which enables people with complex care requirements to be discharged from hospital to an appropriate service for their care, without using the NHS England Continuing Health Care (CHC) assessment.
The 5Q Care Test was collaboratively developed with health and social care partners, care providers and CHC interest groups, including users of the services, and enables practitioners to swiftly determine patients' appropriate initial care pathway out of hospital. The case study took place in a rural district general hospital in England, where the quality outcomes and cost‐effectiveness of the CHC assessment being conducted in hospital were giving cause for concern.
With an expertise in health economics, Arden & GEM was able to conduct a full economic impact analysis, seven months after the tool was introduced. Health economics studies the functioning of healthcare systems and health-affecting behaviours with a focus on effectiveness, value and behaviour in the production and consumption of health and healthcare. The results showed significant improvement in the quality and cost‐effectiveness of the 5Q Care Test, with a reduction in the hospital length of stay, which is known to be associated with improved outcomes for patients and financial savings.
Read the full article, written by Sue Crossman, former Chief Operating Officer for West Norfolk CCG and Ana Ohde, Senior Health Economist at NHS Arden & GEM CSU here.
Find out more about the case study, or how health economics could support your locality, by emailing contact.ardengem@nhs.net.