Priority Care Centres
In partnership with SA Health & general practices, Adelaide PHN has supported the establishment of four Priority Care Centres (PCCs) across metropolitan Adelaide. These centres are part of a pilot program providing community-based health care and treatment for eligible patients who would otherwise be seeking a service from an Emergency Department (ED). PCCs are GP-led with additional support from hospital staff specially trained in acute assessment & care. PCCs are located in suburbs where data indicated higher rates of lower acuity presentations to ED.
Referral Information
Referral to any of the four Priority Care Centres (PCCs) - Marion, Elizabeth , Para Hills West and Hindmarsh - is detailed on SA Health's website at sahealth.sa.gov.au/prioritycarecentres.
In summary:
- When a patient arrives at a public hospital ED or if they call an ambulance for transport, SA Health clinical staff will assess their condition. If their condition is assessed as appropriate and eligible for care by a PCC, the patient will be offered the opportunity to visit their local PCC or they can wait to be seen at the ED.
- General practitioners can also refer to a PCC, if the patient is eligible and the centre has capacity - the referral pathway for GPs document details the process to be followed to assist GPs to refer patients to the PCCs. An information sheet for patients referred by a GP to the PCCs is available here as well as a GP information sheet regarding the PCCs.
Patients referred to a PCC will not incur any additional costs provided they have their Medicare card on hand.
More Information
https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/prioritycarecentres
SA Health's Wellbeing SA Department
Health.PriorityCareCentres@sa.gov.au