Hillingdon Hospitals' latest podcast episode spotlights the Trust's innovative approach to admission avoidance, featuring insights from Duncan Alston, geriatrician, and Usman Ahmed, consultant in acute and general medicine.

The discussion centered on recent efforts to reduce unnecessary hospital stays by optimising outpatient and rapid access care. Duncan shared findings from a recent audit, which revealed that nearly half of admitted patients could have been managed as outpatients. This has driven a strategic shift toward providing more care outside the traditional inpatient setting.

There are three main criteria for hospital admission: physiological instability, specific treatment needs such as oxygen therapy, and significant social or mobility challenges. Patients who do not meet these criteria are now being offered safer and faster outpatient alternatives, reflecting a commitment to both patient well-being and hospital efficiency.

Usman highlighted the success of the Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) clinic, which now sees up to 70 patients daily. This service has significantly reduced pressure on the emergency department (ED), contributing to Hillingdon’s recognition as one of London’s best-performing EDs. The conversation also covered the hospital’s rollout of virtual wards, which use remote monitoring technology to track patients’ health at home across a range of specialties, including general medicine, diabetes, cardiology, respiratory, and paediatrics.

To support these initiatives, staff can now access detailed referral pathways and criteria through the Eolas app (available on the trust website in the applications page, or available to download from the app store and sign in using your NHS login), streamlining the process for admission avoidance and ensuring patients receive the most appropriate care in the right setting.

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