The Care Collective

The Care Collective is an initiative led by the Health Alliance to reduce demand on hospital emergency departments by coordinating care across the system for people with complex chronic health conditions.

The Care Collective was designed to support people living with complex chronic health conditions to navigate and appropriately access the healthcare system to avoid repeat presentations to emergency departments. Following a successful pilot in the Caboolture region, additional funding was secured through the Queensland Health Reform Office and the Commonwealth Primary Care Pilots Program, allowing growth of the program in Caboolture and an expansion into Redcliffe.

Evaluation of the pilot program demonstrated a 77% reduction in monthly emergency department presentation rates after referral to the program, with the return-on-investment averaging a saving of $2,474 per client per month, based on avoided ED presentations. The program is continuing to demonstrate less reliance of consumers in the program to present to ED, with the April 2024 interim evaluation showing a 63% reduction in presentation rates and a return-on-investment of 450%.

18 General Practices and 1 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Service trialling Complex Care Coordinator (CCC) positions, with existing practice nurses upskilling in the CCC role or agency nurses working in the CCC role.

Over 500 clients enrolled in the program (June 2024).

Caboolture and Redcliffe Hospital clinicians engaged, connecting with the general practices regarding mutual patients.

Increase in utilisation of existing services including Team Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Disease Team and Rapid Access to Community Care.

The Complex Care Coordinators are collecting client data to assist in developing intelligence on how care coordination roles can work in general practice.

A comprehensive evaluation of the program is underway and continues to inform the ongoing development of the program and the data collection.