POAC Acute Care Services
Primary Options for Acute Care (POAC) supports healthcare professionals by enabling timely access to investigations, treatment, or care for patients who can be safely managed in the community. The primary programme goal is to reduce hospital referrals and presentations by managing a range of acute and planned presentations in community healthcare settings.
Through its care coordination service, POAC connects clinicians with existing community-based infrastructure and resources — helping to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions or reduce the length of stay for patients who do require hospital care.
The primary aim of POAC
Core commitments related to acute care in the community.
Support primary care providers to manage patients safely in the community, within the boundaries of available funding.
Strengthen the interface between primary and secondary care to improve continuity and coordination.
Develop and implement innovative care pathways that help reduce acute hospital demand.
Connect with other community services to support a cohesive, patient-centred approach.
Reduce hospital bed days by enabling earlier discharge where clinically appropriate.
Promote an integrated model of care that enhances the patient experience and ensures timely, accessible healthcare.
Build capacity and capability within primary care to safely deliver acute care in the community, in line with funding parameters.
Claiming and governance
The reference documents referrers use most often when working with POAC.