Hospital partnership easing back pain
One in six Australians have back problems , with 750 people per 100,000 hospitalised .
The Back Assessment Clinic ( BAC ) has been running in partnership with the Royal Melbourne Hospital ( RMH ) since 2016 . As a tertiary partner the RMH clinic offers local care in the community and helps to reduce the burden on the hospital system .
The BAC is held weekly with a consultant rheumatologist , a registrar , and advanced practice physiotherapists who provide timely assessment and collaborative management for people with back pain .
This year we continued to support the accessible clinic for our community , and offered a referral pathway into Merri Health services to holistically aid client health and wellbeing .
What did we achieve ? 700 + clients attended in 2023 , up from 600 in 2022
BAC extended to 2025 ; capacity to support 2 extra clinic spaces confirmed August 2023 to meet increased demand , demonstrating the community benefits from our close partnership with a key tertiary hospital
multiple client referrals made from BAC to Merri Health services and other local services
Where can we improve ?
creating more pathways will support clients referred from BAC to Merri Health via My Aged Care ( MAC ) for older clients in a timelier manner
using RMH hardware at Merri sites proved challenging at times , but working in partnership with RMH IT has supported this and reduced consumer impacts
What ’ s next ?
measuring outcomes and impact on BAC clients who are referred on to our services
“ It ’ s a great clinic and so easy to access rather than travelling into the city which is hard with my condition .”
– BAC client
“ What a well-run clinic with a fast turnaround from referral to appointment – I thought I was going to have to wait years !”
– BAC client
48 Health