Acute medicine

Acute medicine encompasses the care of patients admitted to Victoria’s public hospitals as inpatients with an acute medical condition. Acute medical inpatients may be admitted under general medical units or specialist medical units (such as cardiology, oncology, respiratory or aged care).

The care needs of acute medical inpatients vary widely, with some patients requiring comprehensive care planning for chronic and complex conditions.

Managing acute medical inpatients services

The goal of acute medical inpatient care is for all patients to receive the best care, delivered to the highest standards in the most effective, efficient and personalised way. This requires consideration of each step of the patient journey, including interfaces with the pre-hospital setting, the emergency department and sub-acute care.

Patient management resources

The Supporting the medical inpatient journey guide outlines ways that Victorian health services can improve their emergency medical inpatient services. Clinical staff and managers can use this guide for self-assessment of service delivery. Organisation leaders can use it to review their services and plan improvements.

The Role of Medical Assessment and Planning Units (MAPU) in Victorian health services identifies the characteristics of effective medical assessment and planning units.

Presentations from the patient treatment coordinator initiative forum (2013) feature:

Care coordination in the Emergency Department, Maroondah Hospital

pdf 1.15 MB

Improvements in patient treatment coordination, Northern Health

pdf 123.81 KB

Innovations in sub-acute and non-acute assessment and pathways, Western Health

pdf 583.28 KB

Using risk prediction in planning discharge, Ballarat Health Services

pdf 437.85 KB

Women's breast care nurse coordinator role, Royal Women's Hospital

pdf 187.01 KB