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BackgroundMany COVID-19 patients are discharged home from hospital with instructions to self-isolate. This reduces the burden on potentially overwhelmed hospitals. The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) Home Monitoring Programme (HMP) is a model of care for COVID-19 patients which chiefly tracks pulse oximetry and body temperature readings.ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the HMP from a patient perspective.Design, settings and participantsOf 46 COVID-19 patients who used the HMP through RMH during April to August 2020, 16 were invited to participate in this qualitative evaluation study; all accepted, including 6 healthcare workers. Attempts were made to recruit a gender-balanced sample across a range of COVID-19 severities and comorbidities. Participants completed a brief semistructured phone interview discussing their experience of using the HMP.Outcome measures and analysisA thematic analysis of interview data was conducted. Feasibility was defined as the HMP’s reported ease of use. Acceptability was considered holistically by reviewing themes in the interview data.ResultsThe HMP allowed clinical deterioration to be recognised as it occurred enabling prompt intervention. All participants reported a positive opinion of the HMP, stating it was highly acceptable and easy to use. Almost all participants said they found using it reassuring. Patients frequently mentioned the importance of the monitoring clinicians as an information conduit. The most suggested improvement was to monitor a broader set of symptoms.ConclusionsThe HMP is highly feasible and acceptable to patients. This model of care could potentially be implemented on a mass-scale to reduce the burden of COVID-19 on hospitals. A key benefit of the HMP is the ability to reassure patients they will receive suitable intervention should they deteriorate while isolating outside of hospital settings.

The majority of first-aid presentations during the M2006 were of low acuity and treatment resulted in return of patrons to the event, with only a small number requiring ambulance transport to hospital.

AbstractIntroductionRecreational use of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is increasingly common at mass-gathering dance events in Australia. Overdose often occurs in clusters, and places a significant burden on the surrounding health care infrastructure.ObjectiveTo describe the clinical presentation, required interventions and disposition of patrons with GHB intoxication at dance events, when managed by dedicated medical assistance teams.MethodsRetrospective analysis of all patrons attending St. John Ambulance medical assistance teams at dance events in the state of Victoria (Australia), from January 2010 through May 2011.Main outcome measuresClinical presentation, medical interventions and discharge destination.ResultsSixty-one patients with GHB intoxication attended medical teams during the study period. The median age was 22 years, and 64% were male. Altered conscious state was present in 89% of attendances, and a GCS <9 in 44%. Hypotension, bradycardia and hypothermia were commonly encountered. Endotracheal intubation was required in three percent of patrons. Median length of stay onsite was 90 minutes. Ambulance transport to hospital was avoided in 65% of presentations.ConclusionsThe deployment of medical teams at dance events and music festivals successfully managed the majority of GHB intoxications onsite and avoided acute care ambulance transfer and emergency department attendance.DutchMJ,AustinKB.Hospital in the field: prehospital management of GHB intoxication by medical assistance teams.Prehosp Disaster Med.2012;27(4):1-5.