Authors (including presenting author) :
Wong ELY (1), Lau MC (2), Tam ZPY (1), Cheung AWL (1), Wu CM (3), Wong R (4), Ma HM (5), Fong F (3)(6), Tam V (7), Chim CK (8), Yip BHK (1), Chan STK (3), Chiu M (7), Lee KY (6)
Affiliation :
(1) Centre for Health Systems and Policy Research, The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
(2) Shatin Hospital
(3) Health Resource Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital
(4) Yale Global Health Leadership Institute, Yale University
(5) Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital
(6) Health Resource Centre, North District Hospital
(7) Medical Social Work Department, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital
(8) Department of Community Outreach Service Team, Prince of Wales Hospital
Introduction :
The expanding number of people worldwide suffering from chronic conditions and ageing population exacerbates demand on healthcare system. Continuity of care has been shown to be associated with reducing hospital readmission for discharged older adults. To support ageing in place, empowering lay-persons as health ambassadors in the provision of community health care service could be a strategy to improve discharged older adults’ health in the community, so as to lighten the demand for inpatient service.
Objectives :
The study aimed to establish structured health ambassador training programme prior to volunteer-based home care in the community. The objectives included: (1) To develop tailor-made training materials for training programme; (2) To equip health ambassadors with the knowledge and skills necessary for the integrated community health care service; (3) To assess the implementation process of the training programme by understanding the health ambassadors’ experience and satisfaction level.
Methodology :
In collaboration with the Health Resource Centres and Community Outreach Services Team of three public hospitals in New Territories East Cluster, 8 rounds of half-day interactive educational workshops were conducted in 2018 and 2019. A pre and post-evaluation was applied, a set of self-administered questionnaires was used to assess competence (knowledge, attitude and confidence) of volunteers in provision of home care service before and after training. Quantitative and open-end qualitative feedback surveys were also conducted to measure their experience and satisfaction level upon completion of the home visit programme.
Result & Outcome :
A tailor-made training booklet and assessment toolkit for volunteer-based home were developed and provided to health ambassadors with training and supervision, prior to the home visit program to discharged older adults with chronic conditions. A total of 317 volunteers were trained in 8 rounds of training, 261 of them (82.3%) eventually provided home care services and 56 (17.7%) declined due to availability. The trained ambassadors demonstrated home visit competence [pre-test: 7.64 (SD=0.82) vs. post-test 7.68 (SD=0.78)] after training (p< 0.05). Majority of them (≥90%) responded positively that they achieved learning objectives and 93% expressed “satisfied/ very satisfied of the training workshop. Upon completion of the home visit programme, 94% of them agreed that their confidence and capability in future community service were boosted. A model of volunteer-led home visit training programme was established. The development and outcomes added evidence to the body of knowledge to prove the feasibility of health ambassadors to extend the capacity of continuity of care for discharged older adults in community setting.
