he Department of Medicine and Geriatrics at United Christian Hospital (UCH), under the leadership of its Consultant, Dr Ho Yiu-wing, initiated the Service Load Integrated Management (SLIM) Programme Team in 2006. SLIM was formed in response to the need to mobilise medical beds for satisfying the growing demand for the Hospital's obstetric beds. This has been achieved by radically revamping the Hospital's ambulatory services in order to avoid unnecessary in-patient treatment.

Working together with UCH's Administrative Department, the Team has consolidated its palliative and rehabilitative services into one integrated ward, thereby making way for the creation of two new Ambulatory Centres: Renal Ambulatory Care Centre and United Ambulatory Care Centre. These provide one-stop ambulatory services, and they have significantly reduced the demand for in-patient beds.

SLIM is helping to nurture a culture of timely management and supportive infrastructure for early follow-ups, so as to ensure that patients are discharged safely and speedily. It collaborates with the Accident & Emergency Department (AED) in arranging direct subspecialty admissions and early discharge programmes. Its other initiatives include Out-patient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy and post-discharge support, the Integrated Discharge Support Programme and EXPRESS (EXpedited Discharge Programme for Respiratory IllnESS).

As a result of the Team's efforts, their average length of stay has decreased by a remarkable 18%. Meanwhile, the number of UCH's in-patient bed days occupied over a period of two to three years has been reduced by 11.6%, despite a 12.7% increase in AED admissions during the same period.

One of the Hospital's UACC patients commented that she greatly prefers it to being an in-patient, because the Centre's serene and soothing environment makes her feel less like a patient. Dr Chu Chung-ming, the Chief of Service in the Department of Medicine and Geriatrics and a key participant in the Programme, added that the support the SLIM Programme has received from patients and the significant improvements it has made to the UCH's service standards prove its great value.