Mobile Assessment & Treatment Service (MATS)
Health professional information
Clinical service overview
MATS is a part of the Hospital Admission Risk Program (HARP). Our service comprises a Consultant Geriatrician, an advanced trainee in geriatric medicine, a medical registrar, senior registered nursing staff and an Aged Care Nurse Practitioner.
We accept referrals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We aim to:
- Optimise and support primary care management of older people in the community
- Minimise disruption to people's routine
- Minimise avoidable hospital presentations or admissions to hospital
- Facilitate early discharge from hospital
Services available:
- Medical management or advice of acute onset or chronic conditions, such as respiratory disease, cardiac disease or diabetes
- Medical assessment and initiation of acute treatment including IV antibiotic therapy and subcutaneous fluid replacement. Common infections treated include urinary tract infection, respiratory infection and cellulitis
- Arranging diagnostic services including pathology and radiology
- Catheter care advice, emergency changes/replacements and education for management of urinary catheters
- Mobile PEG program, including emergency replacement in the community
- Wound management
- Pain management
- Follow up information for those who have presented to the Alfred with liaison between the hospital, Aged Care Home and GP
- Assistance with development of goals in ongoing treatment plans for patients
Refer your patient
Referral to this service
Referrals from the community can be made by calling our 24-hr phone number 1800 007 656.
To ensure the appropriate clinical information is obtained, we request referrals come directly from one of the following:
- The patient’s GP
- RACH nurse
- Ambulance Victoria (AV) paramedic
- Virtual Victorian Emergency Department (VVED) clinician
We do not accept referrals sent solely via fax or email, as these channels are not monitored regularly.
1800 007 656
(03) 9076 8149