A collaborative helping patients leave hospital sooner with the right supports in place has earned the team behind PA Hospital's General Medicine Patient Flow Initiative (GMPFI) the 2026 Metro South Health International Nurses Day Interprofessional Team Recognition Award.
Led by Victoria Mowat, Hiroshi Mifune, Laxmi Saru, Baoln Xu, and Kathleen Mallyon, the team of Advanced Allied Health Practitioners, Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurses provides early assessment, comprehensive clinical review and coordinated discharge planning to ensure patients receive the right care at the right time.
Speaking on behalf of the team, Nurse Practitioner Victoria Mowat said the GMPFI directly supports Metro South Health's strategic priority of delivering great experiences and great outcomes for patients.
"It is a seven-day service designed to reduce inpatient length of stay and facilitate patient discharges.”
Victoria said the interdisciplinary team provides targeted services including early allied health assessment, comprehensive clinical assessments, interventions to reduce complications such as delirium, hospital-acquired infections, falls and pressure injuries, as well as discharge coordination, education and communication.
They also work closely with hospital clinicians, patients, families and community services to ensure safe and seamless transitions from hospital to home or other care settings.
“By working collaboratively, we optimise the patient journey across the care continuum,” Victoria said.
"This strengthens transitions from hospital to community, reduces fragmentation of care and ultimately enhances quality, safety and the patient experience."
Victoria said seeing the difference their work makes every day continues to inspire the team.
"Seeing a patient feeling better and facilitating their discharge with the appropriate supports is incredibly rewarding.
"We're also motivated by the impact our service has on hospital patient flow, making sure tertiary hospital beds are available for the people who need them most."
The team's approach is underpinned by Metro South Health's values of Integrity, Compassion, Respect, Accountability, Engagement and Excellence.
"These values mean ensuring patients receive the right care, by the right people, in the right setting, while also supporting efficient patient flow and a high-functioning hospital system,’ Victoria said.
She said receiving the Metro South Health Interprofessional Team Recognition Award is a testament to the power of collaboration.
"We feel very proud and valued as a team. The award reinforces the importance of interdisciplinary care in improving patient outcomes and flow. We would like to acknowledge all the staff who have contributed to the GMPFI initiative since it commenced eighteen months ago."
Congratulations Team!