Software helps reduce ALC stays in hospitals

ST. JOHN’S, NL – In hospitals across Newfoundland & Labrador, patients are getting home without delay, and clinicians are getting time back to focus on care, thanks to DischargeHUB, a local innovation.

Across Canada, hospitals face the persistent challenge of ALC (Alternate Level of Care): patients who no longer require acute hospital care but remain admitted because necessary services, equipment, community-based supports, or paperwork are not yet in place. In Newfoundland and Labrador, Health Accord NL estimates that 22% of all acute care beds in the province fall into this category.

DischargeHUB tackles this bottleneck head-on by centralizing and digitizing the non-medical steps associated with discharge – such as home oxygen coordination, arranging support and equipment delivery, confirming fire inspections, and connecting with families. The result: patients get home sooner, safely and without delay, hospitals free up capacity, and staff can focus on their clinical responsibilities.

The solution, which was piloted by Seafair Capital with NL Health Services (NLHS) and validated through a CAN Health Network project, is now scaling across the province. The results are clearly showcasing ALC avoidances, a reduction in average Patient Length of Stay (LOS) by 2.5 days, and an average clinical time savings of 5 hours for each patient – time they can now use for direct care.

“Every bed-day returned means faster access for someone who needs acute care, while giving clinicians back valuable time,” said Ayon Shahed, president of branch innovations and VP with Seafair. “Through NL Health Services and CAN Health validation, we’ve seen hundreds of bed-days and clinical hours returned already. And this is just the beginning of what’s possible as we scale locally and set our sights across Canada.”

Currently, DischargeHUB handles an average of 60 discharges per month – a number projected to increase as additional sites and teams come online to the service. At just the 60 discharges per month, the impact is staggering, resulting in:

• An additional 1800 bed-days made available to the health system each year, and
• Freeing up 3600 hours of clinical capacity each year combined across social work, nursing and allied health professionals.

DischargeHUB combines innovative technology-driven flows with traditional phone-based engagements – ensuring success across a wide range of ecosystems. The solution is tech-agnostic, able to be configured with flexibility and work seamlessly with boutique software, large health information systems and custom interfaces.

Behind every data point is a person. Patients who are supported by DischargeHUB not only get home sooner, but they also benefit from a 48-hour, post-discharge follow-up call to ensure equipment and services are in place, helping to avoid rehospitalization and reduce stress on families.

“No patient wants to stay in hospital longer than necessary,” said Sheena Fiander (pictured), director of operations of DischargeHUB. “While hospitals play a vital role in recovery, prolonged stays can unintentionally increase the risk of hospital-acquired infections, reduce mobility, and separate patients from their families and support systems. At DischargeHUB, we work to reduce unnecessary hospital days. Our team ensures patients return home safely, with the right supports in place and someone checking in soon after. It’s about dignity, peace of mind, and smoother transitions for families. We’re proud that this innovation was built right here in Newfoundland and Labrador.”

Looking ahead
DischargeHUB’s expansion follows on the heels of a successful CAN Health project and is a milestone for Newfoundland & Labrador’s health innovation ecosystem. It demonstrates how local ideas, validated through collaboration, can become powerful solutions to wicked problems that have relevance, impact and market potential at a national scale, helping patients and healthcare providers while creating new economic opportunities.

DischargeHUB also continues to innovate on a broader set of care coordination flows – seeking to bring value and expediency across the care continuum.

About DischargeHUB
DischargeHUB is a professional managed service and technology solution. Our team optimizes patient transitions from hospital to home, leveraging automations and software that focus on making the most of existing infrastructure and vendor partners to improve patient flow, reduce length of stay and relieve clinical capacity. For more information, visit dischargehub.ca.