Country PatHS

Country PatHS is a health journey coordination and outreach support service for vulnerable country WA residents and their supports travelling to the Perth metropolitan area to access specialist medical care that is not available locally.

Country PatHS provides:

• Comprehensive health journey coordination and outreach support
• Assistance with accommodation access whilst in Perth
• Connection and referral to relevant services, supports and transport
• Supported connection to country, family and community

Eligibility criteria:

To be eligible for Country PatHS, patients must meet the following criteria:

• Country WA resident who is eligible for the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) travelling to Perth to access specialist health care that is not available locally.
• Require comprehensive health journey support due to one or more of the factors below: 
  • History of challenges when travelling to the Perth metropolitan area to access specialist health care, such as lack of engagement with medical care, accommodation security or missed return travel
  • Complex psychosocial circumstances and / or mental health issues
  • Multiple co-morbidities requiring complex medical care coordination
  • From a remote community
  • Requires interpreter services and/or support with health literacy
  • First visit to a metropolitan hospital

Intake to Country PatHS will be assessed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with eligibility, broader screening/information gathering, consent and caseload demands. This program is not intended to replace current services – referrals to Country PatHS may be declined if there is an existing appropriate referral pathway to other services and/or supports.

Banner image courtesy Tourism Western Australia