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Temporary relocation guide

Processes and help with costs

Summary of steps

Step 1: Referral

  • In order to attend a clinic review by a PAH hepatologist, regional patients need to travel and sometimes stay near the hospital. The PAH prefers that a support person be with them. Often the patient cannot drive at that stage, or is having difficulties with mobility, fatigue, itch or memory. These are symptoms of liver deterioration. At this stage of the process, PTSS might need to help with arrangement and subsidy of transport to the PAH and overnight accommodation of the patient support person.
  • Overnight accommodation is generally needed if the patient’s home region is more than several hours away.

Step 2: Assessment

  • Most patients undergo their full assessment as an outpatient. They need to attend the hospital over several days. Patients from regional areas often choose to stay nearby. The patients are given a list of appointments, tests and treatments they need to get done. Some of these tests happen at their regional hospitals either before or after they are in Brisbane, but a number of the booked appointments can only be done at the PAH in Brisbane.
  • If a patient is transferred for the assessment as an inpatient from a regional hospital to the PAH or is admitted to the hospital from an outpatient clinic or the Emergency Department, this suggests the patient is sicker or has particular treatment needs.
  • As psychosocial and emotional support is important for the successful long-term outcome of the treatment process, the family and patient’s support system are assessed during the early stage. It is therefore essential that at least 1 family member accompany the patient during this stage. Patients might not be at their best, hence having family support is vital to the patient. It is important for the family to spend time with their loved one, given that long term outcome is often uncertain. Families and friends report they find it useful to take part with the assessment activities, so they know what is happening, and can obtain the information they need to support the patient.
  • At this stage, patients are invited to complete the Social Work Intake Assessment Questionnaire.
  • Unless they have family or friends in Brisbane to stay with, patients usually stay in nearby commercial accommodation whilst their assessments and tests are conducted. Patients and their carers choose where they wish to stay.

Step 3: Case presentation

  • After the tests and procedures are finished, the patient returns to their home, unless they need ongoing care in Brisbane or need to be immediately or urgently listed for a transplant.
  • If the results from the assessment show that the patient meets criteria for presentation to the Queensland Liver Transplant Assessment Committee, then a decision is made by the specialist as to how soon this presentation needs to be. The patient’s case might be presented for consideration at the next Assessment Meeting. Or the presentation might be delayed due to the patient’s stable or improved medical condition, or if waiting on further test results. The medical staff and liver transplant coordinators keep the patients well informed.

Step 4: Treatment pathways

  • If a patient from a long distant region is accepted onto the waiting list, several things can happen:
    1. The patient is told they are being listed soon and need to remain in Brisbane until the time of their transplant and for up to 3 months afterwards. Details are provided to the patient to help them plan.
      or
    2. The patient is told they will be listed for transplant, but that they can return home for a short while to organise things before booking long term temporary accommodation back in Brisbane.
  • If the patient is not accepted for the transplant waiting list, they could be referred back to their regional hospital or referring doctor for ongoing management, or they might be transferred to one of the other outpatient clinics at the PAH for medical management. The doctor will discuss the best options with each patient.
  • If the patient is delayed or if the decision is postponed, the patient would either return home or remain in Brisbane until further investigations are done.

Travel assistance schemes

In this guide:

  1. Key points
  2. Referral for liver transplantation
  3. Processes and help with costs
  4. Step 1: Referral
  5. Step 2: Assessment
  6. Step 3: Case presentation
  7. Step 4: Treatment pathways
  8. Relocation and financial assistance
  9. Brisbane accommodation information
  10. Staying in Brisbane after discharge to home region
  11. Long term care
  12. Waiting times
  13. Impact of relocation on patients and families

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Last updated:
25 November 2022
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