Hub helping patients get faster access to endoscopies

The endoscopy rapid access hub (RAH) was launched by Werribee Mercy Hospital (WMH) in collaboration with the RMH, Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), and Western Health last March. Peter MacCallum also joined in November 2023. 

Through this collaboration, these health services can fast-track waiting lists by offering patients the opportunity to get their procedure done sooner at a partnering hospital, enabling patients to be seen earlier and freeing up theatre space. 

The West Metro Health Service HSP brings together some of Victoria’s premier health services and organisations to collaborate on health systems reform. The RMH is the lead agency for the West Metro HSP. 

For RMH patient Natalie Wilson, the endoscopy RAH turned a potential two-month wait to less than a week. 

Natalie was just one of the 1790 patients from across the West Metro HSP  who was able to fast-track their procedures last year  and to cut waiting time through the endoscopy RAH. 

Natalie said the fast turnaround on her colonoscopy procedure brought peace of mind. “It was a no-brainer to go somewhere else and have it done sooner. I’ve had 10 colonoscopies so I knew what to expect but I spoke with my specialist and nurses at both the RMH and Werribee Mercy and they explained what the process would be. It all went really smoothly.” 

Natalie said the ability to have the procedure done faster meant she could get her results sooner and meant less disruption. “I would recommend it because the treatment is the same, but it removes the stress of waiting. It’s also nice knowing the doctors travel as well,” she said.  

“If the option is there to go to a different hospital again, I would 100% put my hand up for it again. Being on a waiting list is not fun, so knowing there is the option to fast track makes it so much better, and I’m happy because it means I can get to the next step of my treatment sooner than I would be able to otherwise.” 

Clinical, operational, legal and finance teams across the West Metro HSP collaborated to establish the clinical models of care, systems, and processes needed to deliver this service safely and effectively for patients like Natalie. 

The endoscopy RAH has also freed up capacity at Werribee Mercy Hospital, enabling surgeons from the RCH to deliver additional day-surgery urology procedures closer to home for children living in the Wyndham area.