The team behind PA Hospital’s Post Operative Discharge Support Service (PODSS) are celebrating their first service milestone after completing 1,000 patient encounters on 18 February.
The milestone comes just eight short months after the service launched at the General Surgery and Orthopaedics departments in June 2024.
Introduced as part of a statewide rollout, PODSS provides eligible patients a direct line of support with a Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) up to 30 days post-surgery, streamlining access to timely advice and support from the medical treating team.
In just a few months, the service has successfully eased pressure on the busy Emergency Department (ED) by reducing re-presentation rates, while achieving a reported improvement in consumer experience.
Outgoing PODSS General Surgery Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) Michelle Melgar launched the service with Orthopaedics CNC Jessie Smiles, and says the positive impact PODSS has had on both patients and the health system cannot be overstated.
“Jessie and I made a great team, and I am so proud that we reached all our KPIs, reduced the ED re-presentation rates, and received consistently great feedback. PODSS is something that I am very proud of creating and establishing in the Gen Surg area and especially working in synergy with community services to provide exceptional patient care,” she said.
Today, PODSS is led by Samara Glass (Gen Surg) and Jessie Smiles (Orthopaedics), who says the milestone strongly reflects the positive impact of the service after just a few months.
“Being involved in the implementation of a service that provides advice, support, and reassurance to often very worried or vulnerable patients after they discharge from hospital has been very rewarding,” said Jessie.
“PODSS has been successful in providing surgical patients with alternative access to specialised care and overall improving the patient experience. It has been a fantastic collaborative effort and we are very grateful to everyone involved.”
Incoming Gen Surg CNC Samara has hit the ground running since joining PODSS in January and looks forward to supporting the growth of the service as it approaches its first birthday.
“I’m excited to join such a dedicated team that emphasises patient-centred care, while alleviating the strain on our emergency department. Collaborating with Jessie and Michelle has been a rewarding experience, and I’m eager to see our service expand, offering enhanced support and clear pathways for our post-operative discharged patients,” she said.
The feedback from patients who’ve benefitted from accessing PODSS reflects the spirit of dedication and care provided by the team.
One patient said, “The nurse was great, listened to what I was saying and explained things in a way I understood and even sent me pictures of the product she recommended. Thank you!”
Another patient echoed the sentiment, stating “The nurse was extremely helpful, providing assistance where my local GP was not available. I am extremely grateful to her first her assistance.”