Minister opens community health hub

The innovative community health hub model introduced by TLC Healthcare is Australia’s first fully integrated medical service with residential aged care at its core.

According to chief executive officer of TLC Healthcare, Mr Lou Pascuzzi, this model offers many advantages for TLC’s patients, residents and the wider community.

“The central component of TLC’s strategy is providing primary care at community health hubs integrated into our residential aged care homes.

Under the present system general practitioners and other health service providers are becoming less able to visit aged care homes. They feel Medicare benefits do not compensate for travel and time away from their practices, making residential aged care visits untenable.

As a result of this many aged care residents are not receiving adequate medical supervision.

“The TLC model provides the timely availability of professional clinical care to our valued residents when they need it, rather than when a GP is able to visit, as well as minimizing the use of locums,” Mr Pascuzzi says.

“Integration of healthcare services is the way of the future for aged care and the Australian healthcare system in general, with relative clinical and commercial benefits on multiple levels.”

TLC has opened community health hubs at their residential aged care homes in Noble Park, Donvale, Belmont in Geelong and Frankston North and will open another at Altona North next month.

The Minister was impressed with the model that TLC is introducing across its network of homes.

“As a resident your primary care needs are just as important as your residential aged care needs. For TLC to have that ethos at the centre of what you do, works so well for your community, and of course it provides jobs in this area.

“Not only is this a great place to be as a resident, it is also a great place to work. It demonstrated what we want to see in healthcare, which is everything in one place, as much as possible, and what we believe in which is consumer choice.”