Our recent STAR Award winner for Excellent Experiences to Kate Sullivan, Grade 2 Social Worker at Casey Hospital.
The Excellent Experiences award is for an individual, group or team who have made a positive impact to the experience of our people, patients or consumers.
Kate was nominated by the Occupational Therapy department for her wonderful contribution to the Allied Health and Patient Flow program. Kate went above and beyond by being a key coordinator for a rehabilitation patient that originally required 24-hour care. Using her advocacy, organisational and leadership skills, Kate helped the team achieve an excellent outcome for the patient and her family.
In this case, the patient that Kate cared for had significant neurological injury with substantial physical, cognitive, communication and behavioural challenges. Her family wished for her to return overseas, where they lived. They felt this was in her best interest as they had been limited in their ability to support and visit her due to their distance.
Working with the team, Kate developed and actioned a rehabilitation plan for the patient with careful thought and consideration. Beyond that, Kate facilitated and drove forward an incredible plan that crossed international borders: To have the patient transferred from Monash Health to an overseas hospital via a private chartered flight with nurse escort and family.
This involved investigating available health services overseas, facilitating numerous written referrals, handovers and online Teams discussions to have the patient accepted by another hospital. Additionally, she conducted extensive research into an appropriate flight service and aided in funding proposals to ensure the plan could be financially supported and enacted.
As a result, the patient was successfully discharged to a hospital closer to her family after 455 days under the care of Monash Health.
As the key co-ordinator of the plan that enabled the patient to return to her family, Kate’s efforts are being recognised with the award of Excellent Experiences.
Congratulations to Kate for winning this STAR Award!
Approved by Michael Holman, Acting Executive Director, People and Culture