The Health & Wellbeing Connection - Supporting Frequent Visitors at the Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department to Develop the Skills to Successfully Navigate Their Health Journey

Abstract

A Health and Wellbeing Connection pilot study was undertaken by Richmond Services in partnership with Pegasus Health, Partnership Health, and the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB). The purpose of the study was to offer an intervention programme that reduced the number of frequent attenders to the Emergency Department at Christchurch Hospital. The success of the programme was measured through the utilisation of the Kessler (K10) Depression and Anxiety scale, the World Health Organization Quality of Life measure (WHOQOL), and rates of attendance at the Emergency Department (ED) and general practice. By the end of the project a total of 53 participants had completed the programme. On average these participants reduced their attendance at the ED significantly whilst demonstrating no change in their attendance rates at general practice. Additionally they reported a decrease in psychological distress and an increase in their quality of life. The study presented here builds on the Health and Wellbeing Connection (HWC) by undertaking a secondary analysis of some of the quantitative data collected for the HWC pilot study. Qualitative responses gained during a follow-up survey after completion of the HWC are reviewed here and, following thematic analysis, have been used to illustrate how attendance at the HWC programme assisted participants to find other services to meet their health needs and thereby reduce inappropriate attendances at the ED. While the number of participants in this study does not allow for robust analysis of efficacy it does indicate that there is merit in continuing to develop brief intervention case management models to support behaviour change programmes in EDs.