Blue Mountains residents can be assured that should they experience a stroke, their recovery is in the best of hands with high quality care provided by the rehabilitation team at Blue Mountains District ANZAC Memorial Hospital.
Staff from Blue Mountains Hospital's Rehabilitation team
Stroke can leave a person with significantly impaired functional movement which greatly impacts health outcomes and quality of life, and the Blue Mountains Hospital team have been recognised for driving recovery after stroke for the benefit of their patients.
The hospital's rehabilitation team have been awarded by the Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC) for achieving excellent outcomes in stroke, in recognition of their exceptional care to help restore patients' functioning and wellbeing.
The team recorded outstanding results in data collected by AROC which compared patients' length of hospital stay and stroke rehabilitation outcomes, using a measure called Functional Independence Measure (FIM), across rehabilitation centres in Australia and New Zealand.
The results revealed that stroke patients at Blue Mountains Hospital are consistently recording improved FIMs from initial hospital admission to discharge and beyond.
Head of Rehabilitation at Blue Mountains Hospital, Dr Saba Asif says the accolades from AROC are well deserved by the whole team who have worked hard to deliver exceptional care for patients.
"We are an intensive rehabilitation unit. The team is very coordinated and we work closely together and respect each other," Dr Asif says.
"I am very proud of the whole team for this achievement. Everyone has put in a lot of work and this is well deserved recognition for the team effort."
Dr Saba Asif
Dr Asif says she is particularly proud that this is the second time the team has achieved this honour in recent years.
The Blue Mountains Hospital rehabilitation team employ a model of care that focuses on early intervention, family and carer involvement and personalised care, which Dr Asif says is contributing to the team's great work with patients.
"We know that to achieve a better prognosis, it is better for patients to come to us as soon as possible following their stroke and so we begin our work with them immediately."
"We also determine very clear, patient-focussed and achievable goals based on each individual's needs. Our weekly team meetings ensure we're collaborating effectively and that the focus remains on working towards each patient's personalised plan," says Dr Asif.
"We know that the journey for patients does not end when they leave hospital and so we begin discharge planning in anticipation of their needs after hospital very early on. This means we involve family and carers early and we work closely with them throughout the patient's rehabilitation."
Dr Asif says the recent recognition of the Blue Mountains team's work by a peak body should assure community members that their journey with the rehabilitation team will give them the best possible experience of care.
"We want our community to know that we're very patient-focussed and will work closely with you and your family to help you achieve positive outcomes, improving your functional abilities and independence following a stroke," says Dr Asif.
