Wellsouth Initiative Reduces Patient Travel to Hospital

WELLSOUTH INITIATIVE REDUCES PATIENT TRAVEL TO HOSPITAL

An initiative by WellSouth has saved almost 50 southern district residents trips to hospital by providing intravenous Cellulitis drugs at their local medical centres.

Since the initiative started at the beginning of July, 46 people had been saved from having to travel to hospital for treatment.

Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the skin, which usually affects a limb but can occur anywhere on the body. Symptoms are usually localised to the affected area but patients can become unwell with fevers, chills and shakes. Severe and untreated cellulitis may lead to septicaemia, the more serious soft tissue infection of necrotising fasciitis or endocarditis a heart valve infection. Traditionally the antibiotics necessary to fight the infection are delivered intravenously in hospital.

WellSouth Nurse Director Wendy Findlay said the initiative was made possible via collaboration between WellSouth and the Southern District Health Board as part of Alliance South.

She said WellSouth trained over 70 Practice Nurses from a number of medical centres throughout the district in administering the necessary course of IV drugs.

“This is a great step forward for patients because they have to receive three courses of intravenous drugs over three days”, she said.

“It’s much easier for people to attend their local medical centre rather than have to arrange transport to the closest hospital. In the case of patients from Te Anau that is more than 240 kilometres away.”

The Cellulitis initiative was made possible with seed funding from WellSouth, the Primary Health Organisation for Otago and Southland.

ENDS

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