ER Navigator Program
Connecting Patients to the Care They Need
Many patients in our Emergency Rooms (ERs) aren’t sick enough to be admitted as inpatients but aren’t well enough to go home without additional care. That’s why we’re piloting a new resource, the ER Navigator program at Mount Carmel West, to help potential observation patients get the care they need in the most appropriate setting.
ER Navigator
An ER Navigator will be in the ER to support and guide observation patients to the most appropriate level of care. When a patient is identified as a potential observation patient, there will be a coordinated approach among the ER Navigator, ER physician and case manager to partner with the patient and his or her family to create a personalized care plan.
Home Response
A patient can receive care in the comfort of home when appropriate. Home Response is a team of RNs and other care providers that can be quickly dispatched to a patient’s home to both triage and provide high-quality, convenient care.
Home Response Care Intervention Examples:
- Triage
- Wound care
- Breathing treatments
- IV fluids
- Falls injury assessment
Expanded Sub-Acute Care Unit
A patient who may not need to be admitted into the hospital, but has complex care needs, can be directly admitted into a sub-acute care unit at one of our selected Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). We’ve partnered with physicians (SNFists) who will provide an expanded level of care to these patients. This team of SNFists will closely collaborate with the acute care team for seamless transitions of care and also will provide oversight to sub-acute care units within the selected SNFs.
How does it work? A patient example
A patient who presents in the ER with a UTI and dehydration would normally be admitted for observation because no other appropriate options exist. Now, with the new pilot program, there are other options to help patients get home sooner.
- Home Response: The patient may be sent home with antibiotics and a visit from Home Response within an hour after the patient arrives home. The patient leaves the ER with a personalized plan of care (just like being discharged from the hospital).
- Expanded Sub-Acute Care Unit: The patient may need IV fluids for a day or two, but may not be comfortable receiving this care at home. Instead, the patient can be admitted directly from the ER into one of our selected SNFs. If the patient does well after a couple of days, he or she is discharged with a follow-up call from a Care Manager and a primary care provider (PCP) appointment.
Contact | Questions
Daniel J. Wendorff, MD, President, Mount Carmel Health Partners
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (614) 546-4262