As part of a comprehensive strategic plan to address the complex care needs of our senior population, VCH Vancouver and Providence Health Care (PHC) are working in partnership to expand the ED iCARE model.

In VCH Vancouver’s community of care, we are expanding the Quick Response Team’s (QRT’s) clinical staffing and hours of operation at VGH, in addition to enhancing connections with community health teams and family physicians.

At PHC, the ED iCARE model will be initiated at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital and expand to St. Paul’s at a future date.

The ED iCARE Model

The ED iCARE model focusses on frail seniors with complex conditions that are projected for discharge from the ED.

“As VCH Vancouver staff and physicians know, ED iCARE embeds a multi-disciplinary team (QRT) into the ED to provide intensive interventions that promote self-management and maintain patients’ safety and well-being at home with the supports that they need,” says Shannon Hopkins, Director, Vancouver South and Transition Services & Program Lead for ED iCARE.

“With the appropriate community supports, home is the best place for frail, elderly patients to recover and manage chronic conditions,” says Dr. John Sloan, QRT physician at VGH. “Unnecessary admissions to hospital place these patients at risk for life-threatening infections and falls, and admission often diminishes their strength and independence.”

The expansion of the model will support even more seniors, who make up a considerable portion of the patient population at both hospitals, to transition safely back home and into the community while easing ED congestion and freeing beds for patients in need of in-hospital care

To see this process in action, watch Leo’s Story.

Why expand ED iCARE?

We’re working together to expand ED iCARE because it works. At VGH, where ED iCARE has been in place since 2014, the ED has since reduced its number of in-hospital admissions for the “over 70” patient population by an average of two patients per day, easing ED congestion and freeing much-needed hospital beds for patients who need them. Revisits to the ED after an admission have also decreased slightly and ED revisits without admission have remained unchanged, despite ever-increasing demand.

“By reducing delays, eliminating barriers and improving transitions to community care, we’re helping patients resume their lives in the comfort of familiar surroundings, while providing the kind of quality care and service we take pride in delivering,” adds Hopkins.

The expansion will also provide benefits for staff and physicians, including:

• being better informed of a patient’s discharge status and post-discharge care plan in a timely manner
• enhanced collaboration between acute and community to follow our patients’ care
• improved patient flow and standardized work
• peace of mind knowing we can honour our patients’ preferences for returning and remaining at home without compromising care

Need more information?

Should you have any questions regarding the ED iCARE expansion at VGH or Mount Saint Joseph’s, please contact Shannon Hopkins here at VCH or Margot Wilson at PHC.