New medical assessment unit for Cavan Hospital

Planning is underway at Cavan General Hospital to develop the new Medical Assessment Unit (MAU), the purpose of which will be to provide enhanced/appropriate access for all patients presenting with medical complaints, whether referred by their GP or those presenting via the Emergency Department (ED). It is hoped that the new MAU will be open by the end of September or early October but this is dependent on having the necessary staffing and equipment in place. The MAU project has been allocated funding under the Department of Health"s Innovation Fund for 2008. The fund, which Health Minister Mary Harney introduced as a new initiative this year, is designed to encourage different and innovative ways of delivering health services in a way that achieves improved outcomes for patients and greater efficiencies. The MAU service in Cavan will be provided in a unit in the 'Medical 3' area, which is in close proximity to both the X-ray and Emergency Departments. The proposed opening hours will be 9am to 9pm, seven days per week. The unit will be staffed by nursing, medical and support staff. Outside of these hours, patients presenting with medical complaints will be assessed as per the current protocol within the Emergency Department. Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith has welcomed progress in the provision of a Medical Assessment Unit at Cavan General Hospital. The Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD stated that he had been in constant contact for sometime with the Health Service Executive and with the Minister for Health and Children, Ms Mary Harney, in relation to the need to provide additional facilities at Cavan General Hospital. Some €2 million of the fund was allocated to the major programme of transformation of both primary and hospital services in the North Eastern region. The development of the MAU is a key milestone in the overall reconfiguration of services within the Cavan Monaghan Hospital Group. According to the HSE, the MAU in Cavan General Hospital will ultimately provide improved quality of care for patients, relieve pressure and overcrowding in the Emergency Department and reduce inappropriate admissions to in-patient beds. Medical Assessment Units (MAU) are operating successfully in other regions and there is evidence that they provide clear benefits to patients. This includes the reduction of acute admissions which will subsequently result in increased in-patient bed capacity. For example in St. Luke"s Hospital in Kilkenny, which has an MAU, at least 38% of medical attendances are discharged on the same day following diagnosis and treatment. Support facilities To support the efficient operating of the MAU in Cavan, the following support services will be developed in the 'Medical 3' area in close proximity to the new unit: Observation Ward (six bedded) for emergency patients requiring a short period of monitoring and treatment; Admission Lounge (six bedded) for those patients awaiting an in-patient bed; and Transit Lounge (already in place) will continue to provide its current level of service to expedite the assessment/admission process for patients. Other support services to the MAU will include laboratory, radiology, cardiac services and clinical nurse specialists services. Other developments Processes are also being explored to provide daily medical Out Patient Department appointments to improve access for GPs who need to refer patients for urgent medical assessment. This will also reduce the number of medical admissions by providing more timely assessment of patients.