A HSE National Ambulance Service (NAS) led service called Pathfinder, designed to safely keep older people who phone 112/999 in their own home rather than taking them to a hospital emergency department, has been launched in Limerick, Tallaght and Waterford.
Pathfinder improves outcomes for older people by providing safe alternative care at home rather than in hospital and will be provided by National Ambulance Service staff working with colleagues from HSE acute hospitals.
Pathfinder has already been working as a collaborative service between NAS and Beaumont Hospital Occupational Therapy & Physiotherapy Departments for more than two years.
Robert Morton, Director of the HSE National Ambulance Service said the expansion of the NAS Pathfinder Model is part of a plan to offer different groups of patients an alternative pathway other than presenting to a busy emergency department.
“NAS is delighted to be working with University Hospital Limerick, Tallaght University Hospital and the University Hospital Waterford who have agreed to support the expansion of the Pathfinder model to other parts of the country. NAS Pathfinder is improving outcomes for older people by minimising unnecessary ED attendances and offering safe alternative care pathways for older people in their own homes rather than in hospital.”
Welcoming the introduction of the service to Limerick, Prof Colette Cowan, CEO of UL Hospitals Group said University Hospital Limerick was pleased to be able to offer this service to suitable older people in its catchment area.
“We know that the Pathfinder Model demonstrates that Pre-Hospital Services can help to safely keep older people, who have phoned 112/999, in their own home rather than transporting them to a hospital ED for assessment. Many older patients can be safely and appropriately managed in their own home rather than being transported to the ED when they dial 112/999 with low acuity complaints.”
Pathfinder received initial funding from the Sláintecare Integration Fund to test the model in 2020 and has been operational since May 2020. The three new Pathfinder teams have been funded by the HSE.
The Pathfinder ‘Rapid Response Team’ respond to 999/112 calls for older people (65 years and older) in their homes. The older person is assessed by both an Advanced Paramedic and Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist. Where safe, the team supports the older person at home rather than transporting them to emergency department, by linking with a wide range of alternative hospital and community services. Pathfinder also operates a ‘Follow-Up Team’ (Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy) which provides immediate home-based rehabilitation, equipment provision and case-management in the subsequent days following a 999/112 call.
On average two thirds of patients seen by Pathfinder following a 999 call have remained at home rather than being brought to the Emergency Department.
