Self-discharges drop by more than a third at Alice Springs Hospital

Self-discharges among Indigenous patients at Alice Springs hospital have dropped by more than a third in nine months. Find out what’s behind the change here.

Self-discharge among Indigenous patients dropped by more than a third in the nine months following the introduction of Aboriginal liaison officers at Alice Springs hospital.

The officers were introduced to the orthopaedic team at Alice Springs Hospital in February 2021.

Their roles included accompanying doctors on daily ward rounds, patient reviews, and making the hospital a culturally safe place for Indigenous patients.

Dr Morgan Berman, an orthopaedic registrar at the hospital, said prior to the introduction of liaison officers a high percentage of Indigenous patients were self-discharging before their treatment had concluded, and in some cases even before surgeries.

Dr Morgan Bermann said many Indigenous men and women were scpetical of Australia’s health care system which led to the heightened rate of self discharges.

“Risk factors for self-discharge were younger in age, pensioners or unemployed. They were more likely to be residents of Alice Springs town camps or live in communities within 51 to 100km of Alice Springs Hospital,” he said.

“Some Indigenous men and women are sceptical of Australia’s health care system.

“The Aboriginal liaison officers played a key role brokering appropriate treatment and insured significantly fewer Indigenous patients self-discharged before they had concluded treatment.”

As part of his research, which was unveiled at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress in Adelaide this week, Dr Berman analysed patients who had been admitted to the hospital in the nine months prior to the Officers introduction, and in the nine months following.

He found there had been a 37 per cent reduction in self-discharge among Indigenous patients.

“The decision to trial Aboriginal liaison officers within the orthopaedic multidisciplinary team at Alice Springs Hospital was successful in improving patient care, and Aboriginal liaison officers continue to be a part of the orthopaedic team,” he said.

“The results of our trial highlights the importance of Aboriginal Liaison Officers in hospitals servicing areas with high Indigenous populations.”