New “Rapid Alert Tool” Aims to Reduce Needless Emergency Room Visits for Long-Term Care Residents
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A new initiative spearheaded by Fraser Health is poised to considerably reduce stressful and possibly harmful emergency department visits for residents of long-term care facilities. The program focuses on empowering nurses with a proactive tool to identify and manage health concerns on-site,avoiding unnecessary hospital transfers.
A visit to an emergency department is often a disorienting experience,especially for elderly individuals in long-term care. According to a fraser Health representative, a significant number of these residents are admitted for health issues that could be effectively addressed within their care home. “Some long-term care residents are sent to Emergency for health concerns that can be safely managed on-site,” the representative stated. “These unnecessary transfers are stressful for residents and families, can result in medical complications and increase pressure on already stretched emergency departments.”
Proactive Identification of Deteriorating Conditions
To address this challenge, a team led by Mohinder Mann, RN, and the integrated Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Quality and Research Initiatives Team is developing a complete, step-by-step guide – dubbed the Quick Alert Tool – designed to identify early warning signs of deterioration in residents.
The tool was developed with direct input from long-term care nurses, ensuring its practicality and relevance.It will focus on recognizing subtle changes such as fatigue, fluctuations in vital signs, and emerging symptoms of heart and lung disease or infection.
The Quick Alert Tool isn’t intended to replace a nurse’s professional judgment, but rather to enhance it. It will prompt staff to systematically investigate, carefully monitor, and effectively communicate with other healthcare providers using standardized summaries and established protocols. Crucially, the initiative includes robust training, mentorship, and ongoing support to ensure seamless integration into daily workflows.
“This isn’t about replacing clinical judgement,” explained mann. “It’s about supporting nurses to act confidently and avoid unnecessary trauma for residents in cases where their conditions can best be managed on site, rather than in a hospital.”
Regional Rollout and Funding
The guide will initially be implemented in two long-term care homes, with ambitious plans for regional expansion. The project is made possible through generous funding from the fraser Valley Health Care Foundation and Michael Health Research BC.
The team anticipates that the Quick Alert Tool will lead to several key improvements, including:
- Earlier interventions for residents
- Enhanced resident comfort and overall outcomes
- A measurable reduction in avoidable Emergency Department transfers
“Our goal is that it will lead to earlier interventions, improved resident comfort and outcomes and a reduction in avoidable Emergency Department transfers,” Mann said.
Why was this tool developed? The quick alert Tool was developed to address the issue of unnecessary emergency department (ED) visits by long-term care residents. Fraser Health recognized that many residents were being admitted to EDs for conditions that could be effectively managed within their care homes, causing stress and potential harm to the residents and straining hospital resources.
Who is involved? The initiative is led by Mohinder mann, RN, and the Integrated Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Quality and Research Initiatives team at Fraser Health. Crucially, long-term care nurses provided direct input into the tool’s progress. Funding is provided by the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation and Michael Health Research BC.
What is the Quick Alert Tool? The Quick Alert Tool is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide designed to help nurses proactively identify early warning signs of deterioration in long-term care residents. It focuses on recognizing subtle changes in fatigue
