Hybrid mental health care model linked to lower readmissions

Deakin Private Hospital has reported a significant drop in mental health readmissions, using a model of care that combines shorter inpatient stays with telehealth, home-based clinical support and intensive community follow-up.

The Canberra facility recorded a 12-month readmission rate of 22 per cent, compared with a national rate of more than 45 per cent of psychiatric patients readmitted within 12 months, according to Medibank data.

More than 1,300 patients have been treated through the program, which integrates inpatient care, day programs, virtual consultations and in-home support to provide continuity of care after discharge.

Practicing psychiatrist and Medibank Chief Medical Officer Andrew Wilson said the results highlight a critical shift in mental health care delivery. “This is exactly the direction mental health care needs to take in Australia. Shorter hospital stays combined with comprehensive, ongoing support in the home environment leads to better outcomes for patients,” Dr Wilson said.

“Recovery doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in real life—at home, with family, with friends, and within the community. This model recognises that and wraps care around the patient in a way we haven’t seen at scale before. We are seeing patients not only stabilise more effectively but maintain their progress because they are supported where they actually live their lives.”

Dr Wilson said the model reflects a broader transformation underway across the health system.

“This is part of a much-needed transition in healthcare, moving away from episodic, hospital-centric treatment toward continuous, patient-centred care,” he said.

“For many patients, especially those with trauma-related conditions, being treated at home with the right clinical and practical supports leads to better engagement, better recovery, and ultimately a better quality of life.”

The mental health model is being replicated nationally, with similar approaches implemented at iMH’s other hospitals, Nundah Private Hospital in Brisbane and Hirondelle Private Hospital in Sydney.