.jpeg)
The Lighthouse Hospital Project: The story so far
The project aims to reduce inequalities in healthcare, with a focus on cardiac care and patient outcomes.
Key takeaways
- The Lighthouse Hospital Project began in 2012 and was piloted in eight hospitals, before expanding in 2017
- The Lighthouse Toolkit helps hospitals provide culturally appropriate and clinically competent care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their families during and beyond their hospital experience
- This program contributes to reducing inequalities in cardiac care and patient outcomes for their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
Key initiatives to improve heart health
Beginning in 2012, the Lighthouse Hospital Project identified a toolkit that enables hospitals to provide exemplary care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. The project aims to reduce inequalities in healthcare, with a focus on cardiac care and patient outcomes. The key initiatives included:- Expand and optimise the Aboriginal health workforce in participating hospitals
- Improve identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients
- Engage in effective partnerships with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
- Fostering of champions on clinical staff
- The commitment to delivering patient-centred care, and
- Using newer technologies to improve communication.
The Lighthouse Toolkit
The Lighthouse Toolkit was piloted with eight hospitals from 2014 to 2016. Each hospital in the program received The Lighthouse Toolkit, which included a plan, action areas and quality improvements. The toolkit outlines ways hospitals can provide culturally appropriate and clinically competent care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their families, both during and beyond their time in hospital.Expansion of the project (2017 to 2019)
In 2017, the Australian Government Department of Health provided $7.98 million to support the expansion of the project to 18 hospitals (i.e. phase three).Phase three enabled the project to reach nearly half of all cardiac admissions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples [1].
The toolkit guided hospitals to implement significant quality improvement activities. Hospitals worked to develop a culturally safe and clinically appropriate hospital experience for their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
Each hospital worked with local partner organisations, including Aboriginal Medical Services, community health service providers and the community to improve care coordination.
Testimonials from Lighthouse hospitals
"Community engagement and consultation for us to work together to ensure we make a real and permanent difference occurs when only relationships are strengthened, and our stories are written and shared. Phase 3 of the Lighthouse Project has been a strong step forward to writing new stories and making a real change to the way we design care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Work must continue to ensure that the many successful initiatives from Phase 3 are streamlined, shared and embedded into healthcare frameworks nationally to actively continue to close the health gap."CEO, regional health service
“From an executive member point of view, being part of this project gives me the opportunity to promote improvements from other hospitals across our hospital. A lot of the techniques used in the Lighthouse Project for ACS will in fact be transferable to other conditions as we go forward, So, partnering in this is a fantastic opportunity to address chronic disease issues in our Aboriginal people.”
Executive sponsor, metropolitan hospital
“It has been great to be involved. It has been really good for the organisation. It has certainly given us momentum around things that would have taken a lot longer or not happened for who knows how long. I really do think that it has made differences, tangible differences, and I do think there are things that will measurably improve.”
Project team member, metro hospital
“You know, this toolkit has the opportunity to change disease management for Aboriginal people. It just needs to be scaled up. It’s incredible, and it works.”
Project team member, regional hospital
Heart Health Check Toolkit
Heart Health Check Toolkit
Together, we can change the future of heart disease
Together, we can change the future of heart disease
Together, we can change the future of heart disease
The power of your ongoing support can help save lives and keep more families together. Help us continue to fund promising heart research projects by donating today. ...
Time to book a Heart Health Check?
Time to book a Heart Health Check?
Time to book a Heart Health Check?
If you're 45 and over, or 30 and over if you're of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, you should book your Heart Health Check today...
Health Professional Tools
Health Professional Tools
Health Professional Tools
Guidelines, publications and support for the health professional community....
Heart Week 2022
Heart Week 2022
Heart Week 2022
With one Australian having a heart attack or stroke every 4 minutes, you have the power to change this statistic. ...
Breakfast tacos
Breakfast tacos
Breakfast tacos
Driving Best Practice CVD Prevention in a Post-COVID World
Driving Best Practice CVD Prevention in a Post-COVID World
Driving Best Practice CVD Prevention in a Post-COVID World
WEBINAR | Research Alumni Series 2020
WEBINAR | Research Alumni Series 2020
WEBINAR | Research Alumni Series 2020
The Heart Foundation is delivering a research webinar series for Heart Foundation research alumni....
Diabetes and heart disease
Diabetes and heart disease
Diabetes and heart disease
Diabetes is an ongoing health condition where your body’s usual ways of controlling your blood sugar, or blood glucose levels, don’t work properly. ...
PhD Scholarship
PhD Scholarship
Scholarship support will be provided to successful applicants looking to attain a research-based postgraduate degree (Doctor of Philosophy or Master’s Degree by Research). ...
Aussie men among the world’s most obese, new data
Aussie men among the world’s most obese, new data
Aussie men among the world’s most obese, new data
Media Release - 16 November 2020...
Donate Monthly | Become a Regular Donor
Donate Monthly | Become a Regular Donor
Donate Monthly | Become a Regular Donor
Join the fight against heart disease....
Tex Mex chicken burgers
Tex Mex chicken burgers
Tex Mex chicken burgers
Leaving a gift in your Will: A lasting legacy
Leaving a gift in your Will: A lasting legacy
Leaving a gift in your Will: A lasting legacy
One of the most powerful ways to help support a future without heart disease is to include a gift to the Heart Foundation in your Will...
Being a carer for a heart attack patient
Being a carer for a heart attack patient
Being a carer for a heart attack patient
Your role as a carer for a heart attack patient is an important one – explore some useful things to know....
WEBINAR | Navigating the latest updates on CVD prevention
WEBINAR | Navigating the latest updates on CVD prevention
For professionals: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples identification training
For professionals: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples identification training
Asking the Question of Origin course helps with identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, in line with standard practice. ...
Italian recipes
Italian recipes
Italian recipes
Find heart healthy Italian recipes....
What is a heart attack?
What is a heart attack?
What is a heart attack?
The most common cause of a heart attack is coronary heart disease....
Absolute CVD risk calculator
Absolute CVD risk calculator
The Absolute CVD risk calculator estimates the likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke in the next five years....
Heart Bypass Surgery
Heart Bypass Surgery
Coronary bypass surgery is a common procedure that can dramatically improve the health of your heart. ...
Christmas recipes
Christmas recipes
Christmas recipes
Find heart healthy festive recipes. ...
Snack recipes
Snack recipes
Snack recipes
Search for healthy snack ideas...
Chicken and avocado banh mi
Chicken and avocado banh mi
Chicken and avocado banh mi
Sodium Glucose Co-transporter 2 Inhibitors as a Novel Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation
Sodium Glucose Co-transporter 2 Inhibitors as a Novel Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation
Dr Kathryn Tiver, Institution: Flinders University...
Chilli and garlic prawn spaghetti
Chilli and garlic prawn spaghetti
Chilli and garlic prawn spaghetti
Exercises to do at home
Exercises to do at home
Exercises to do at home
All you need to know about keeping active during COVID-19....
Heart Foundation recipes
Heart Foundation recipes
Heart Foundation recipes
Check out our recipe categories to find your next heart healthy meal....
Seafood recipes
Seafood recipes
Seafood recipes
Find heart healthy seafood recipes...
Targeting novel lipids in an oral based treatment for the failing heart
Targeting novel lipids in an oral based treatment for the failing heart
Dr Yow Keat Tham, Institution: Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute...