❓ An inquiry regarding the operational costs, patient demographics, transport options, and potential expansion of pulmonary rehabilitation services at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Joondalup Health Campus, with a focus on accessibility for patients in northern suburbs.
AnsweredQoN 2948Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital’s Group Pulmonary Rehabilitation Exercise Class and ask: (a) what is the annual operating costs of the class; (b) how many patients attended this class in the last financial year; (c) what is the approximate cost per patient in running this class; (d) how many patients attending this class in the last financial year live in the Joondalup Health Campus catchment area; (e) how many patients currently attending the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) ‘Easy Breathers Program,’ Hospital based pulmonary rehabilitation classes reside in the Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) catchment area; (f) what is the northern limit of SCGH volunteer transport service eg. the geographical boundary, or northernmost suburb that the SCGH volunteer transport service covers; (g) would you consider Patient Assisted Travel Scheme applications for travel from patients attending this class who do not have private transport, fall outside the volunteer transport service area, and who have to travel in well excess of an hour on public transport to attend this class; (h) are there any future plans to provide a hospital based group pulmonary rehabilitation class at JHC, as opposed to just one-one one classes, if so, what is the timeframe for their introduction to JHC, and if not, why not; and (i) I note that the northernmost community based class, once participants are fit enough to no longer require hospital based classes is in Heathridge, given the rapid population growth in recent years in the Yanchep area, are there any plans to consider providing a Community Based Class at Yanchep (or within close proximity to Yanchep)?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 October 2014
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
27 days
(a) The "Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital's Group Pulmonary Rehabilitation Exercise Class" as mentioned above forms part of the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) tertiary hospital-based pulmonary rehabilitation service. The service comprises:
· Assessment/screening to determine suitability to participate in hospital or community-based pulmonary rehabilitation program.
· Specialist pulmonary rehabilitation for complex or rare lung conditions.
· Pulmonary rehabilitation programs (group sessions) for suitable patients in the SCGH catchment area and those requiring a hospital based program. The Phase 2 pulmonary rehabilitation program offered comprises two assessments and 16 group sessions per patient for patients in the SCGH catchment area and those requiring a hospital based program. The Phase 3 pulmonary rehabilitation program (once weekly ongoing group session) is provided to patients not suitable to attend community based Phase 3 classes.
The service does not break down costs specific to the 'class' component.
The main operating costs for the whole service (not just the classes) are:
Phase 2 hospital based program (includes delivery of the classes, triaging of referrals and teaching and training at the hospital): 0.9FTE physiotherapist ($95,976).
Phase 3 community-based pulmonary rehabilitation - class delivery: 0.4 FTE physiotherapist ($38,176).
There are some indirect costs associated such as clerical support and utility costs, as per above.
(b) 71 (50 patients Phase 2 program, 21 patients Phase 3 program).
(c) See comment about costings at (a). As of October 2014, the estimated average cost per patient is $586.
(d) 33
(e) Five as at 30 September 2014.
(f) Wanneroo.
(g) The Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) provides a subsidy towards the cost of travel and accommodation for eligible permanent country residents, including residents in the Peel region and their approved escorts, who are required to travel more than 100 kilometres to access the nearest eligible medical specialist. The SCGH Group Pulmonary Rehabilitation Exercise Class does not fall within the eligibility criteria for PATS.
(h) There are no such future plans due to insufficient demand at this time.
(i) WA Health-funded Community Physiotherapy Services (CPS) provides community based pulmonary rehabilitation groups across the metropolitan area for clients referred from public hospitals. Group locations are determined by referral demand and availability of appropriate venues. Currently, the northernmost group located in Heathridge covers a catchment from Hepburn Avenue north to Two Rocks; referral demand does not warrant an alternative location at this time.
· Assessment/screening to determine suitability to participate in hospital or community-based pulmonary rehabilitation program.
· Specialist pulmonary rehabilitation for complex or rare lung conditions.
· Pulmonary rehabilitation programs (group sessions) for suitable patients in the SCGH catchment area and those requiring a hospital based program. The Phase 2 pulmonary rehabilitation program offered comprises two assessments and 16 group sessions per patient for patients in the SCGH catchment area and those requiring a hospital based program. The Phase 3 pulmonary rehabilitation program (once weekly ongoing group session) is provided to patients not suitable to attend community based Phase 3 classes.
The service does not break down costs specific to the 'class' component.
The main operating costs for the whole service (not just the classes) are:
Phase 2 hospital based program (includes delivery of the classes, triaging of referrals and teaching and training at the hospital): 0.9FTE physiotherapist ($95,976).
Phase 3 community-based pulmonary rehabilitation - class delivery: 0.4 FTE physiotherapist ($38,176).
There are some indirect costs associated such as clerical support and utility costs, as per above.
(b) 71 (50 patients Phase 2 program, 21 patients Phase 3 program).
(c) See comment about costings at (a). As of October 2014, the estimated average cost per patient is $586.
(d) 33
(e) Five as at 30 September 2014.
(f) Wanneroo.
(g) The Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) provides a subsidy towards the cost of travel and accommodation for eligible permanent country residents, including residents in the Peel region and their approved escorts, who are required to travel more than 100 kilometres to access the nearest eligible medical specialist. The SCGH Group Pulmonary Rehabilitation Exercise Class does not fall within the eligibility criteria for PATS.
(h) There are no such future plans due to insufficient demand at this time.
(i) WA Health-funded Community Physiotherapy Services (CPS) provides community based pulmonary rehabilitation groups across the metropolitan area for clients referred from public hospitals. Group locations are determined by referral demand and availability of appropriate venues. Currently, the northernmost group located in Heathridge covers a catchment from Hepburn Avenue north to Two Rocks; referral demand does not warrant an alternative location at this time.
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