The Multidisciplinary Avoidance and Post-acute Services (MAPS) program will enable the community program within the Hospital and Health Services in South East Queensland to provide a rapid clinical response to clients in their homes using a multidisciplinary nursing and allied health model of care.
The MAPS program provides clinical healthcare services, including personal care, to support clients to remain safely in their own home for up to two weeks, assisting their recovery while longer-term support services are arranged, if required.
To promote hospital avoidance, General Practitioners and the Queensland Ambulance Service can refer directly to MAPS. Emergency Departments and inpatient units can also refer clients for community follow-up after a hospital presentation or admission. The MAPS program ensures a timely response is provided, with a clinician conducting a home visit within 24hours of the referral, seven days a week.
Evidence shows that the risk of a person re-presenting to hospital can be reduced by providing rapid, time-limited, multidisciplinary clinical care in their home. The MAPS program will provide a beneficial, alternate pathway for clients and care providers for some short-term clinical support to sustain people in their own home rather than their being admitted to an acute facility.
