medication reconciliation for a patient admitted for surgery

 NHS have produced a film which goes through the process of medication reconciliation for a patient admitted for surgery. The film goes for approximately eight minutes and can be accessed at:
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PayAndContracts/CommunityPharmacyContract/Pages/Medicines-Reconciliation.aspx

Auckland end-of-life treatment and planning Workshops

 The Auckland District Health Board is holding a series of workshops in February, March and April to assist with the development of resources for end-of-life treatment and planning. The workshops are open to the public as well as health care organisations. The first workshop will be on February 14^th and those wanting to attend need to register by February 13^th. Further details on all four workshops can be found at:
http://conversationsthatcount1.eventbrite.co.nz/

The 7th International Conference on RRS & MET

The 7th international conference on Rapid Response systems and Medical Emergence Teams will be held in Sydney from the 7th to 9th of May and will be auspiced by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health care. The conference will explore issues associated with recognising clinical deterioration, escalating care, clinical communication, responding to clinical deterioration, organisational systems and implementation of recognition and response system. There will also be opportunities to explore these issues in specialist areas such as paediatrics, and mental health.
For more information please go to :www.rapidresponsesystems.org

Phase 2 Pilot of a Draft NIMC

Expression of interest to participate in the phase 2 pilot of a draft National Impatient Medication Chart ( NIMC) with preprinted VTE prophylaxis section are invited by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.
The close for EOI submission is February 29th , 2012. Further Information can be found at:
http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/internet/safety/publishing.nsf/Content/NIMC_006_NationalAudit

Patient Safety Culture Survey in U.S

The agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has published a comparative data base repor on results from the Patient Safety Culture Surveys conducted throughout the United States. This Report has been developed every year since 2007 and in that time the number of hospitals participating has risen from 382 to 1,128.
The Survey itself measures twelve areas of patient saftey  culture ranging from management support for patient safety to feedback and communication about error. This report can be viewed at :
http://www.ahrq.gov.qual.hospsurvey12/hosp12summ.htm

The IHPA has released a draft Pricing Framework

The Independent Hospital Authority (IHPA) has released a draft Pricing Framework as part of the National Health Reform Agreement in Australia. The IHPA is responsible for ensuring there is a consistent national approach to activity based funding of public hospitals. This agreement can be found on http://www.ihpa.gov.au/internet/ihpa/publishing.nsf and public comments regarding the draft framework are invited until Tuesday 21st February, 2012.

A reminder to all those in WA with an interest in Quality

The WA chapter is having a relaunch on February 16th 2012 at 3pm at the Hollywood Hospital. The event is free for existing members and only $10 for non-members.

Come along and enjoy a Myer Briggs Education Session, drinks and nibbles and an opportunity to network. There is a competition to win a free year's membership to AAQHC. See the WA Regional Networks page to register.

MJA Article on Medicare

Tony Webber provides an interesting perspective on the Medicare system .........
In the latest Medical Journal of Australia, Tony Webber ( former Director of Professional Services Review), whose role was to protect the integrity of the Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in Australia, provides an interesting perspective on the Medicare system and where it needs to improve. The article can be viewed at :

Quality Symposium in New Zealand

RNZCGP is holding a Quality Symposium on February 10th............
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners ( RNZCGP is holding a Quality Symposium on February 10th and 11th in Wellington. The deadline for registration has been extended to February 1st 2012. Further details can be found on the RNZCGP website- www.rnzcgp.org.nz

WA Four Hour Rule Program Progress and Issue Review.

Western Australia has released a report on the progress of its Four Hour Rule Program, which forms part of the national health reform agreement and is modelled on the NHS model. The report found that although none of the health care workers consulted in the development of the report wanted to revert back to the process in place prior to the program, there are areas that require further work.
Recommendations from the report include re-branding the program, re-engaging with clinicians so that the burden of implementing the reforms does not continue to be borne by only a few, re-aligning workforce investment with consideration given to the increase inpatient admissions, continue to address and improve patient safety and develop an IT program to improve patient information sharing.
The full report can be accessed at:
http://www.health.wa.gov.au/publications/documents/FourHourRule_Review_Stokes.pdf

Sponsorship Opportunities - New Zealand Health Quality and Safety Commission

http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/internet/safety/publishing.nsf/Content/national-residential-medication-chart-RACF-staff-survey

Health research in the United Kingdom

The Yorkshire Quality and Safety Research Group is a multidisciplinary group that undertakes health research in the United Kingdom. Their main areas of research are:

• eHealth
• Patient involvement in improving safety
• Organisational, team and individual learning and change for patient safety

• The development of an interactive tool to enhance staffs' situaltional awareness in four high risk situations
• The development of a patient measure of organisational safety
• The development of a patient led Safety Incident Reporting Tool
• Research into the use of a shared electronic health record for medication reconciliation

On the Radar January Issue 68

On the Radar is a summary of some of the recent publications in the areas of safety and quality in health care.
Click here

The Health Quality & Safety Commission NZ

Following consultation with stakeholders, the Health Quality & Safety Commission NZ will be releasing it's Reportable Events Policy at the end of January. The aim is to provide guidance for local policies and is for use across public, private and disability service providers.  A link to the policy, when it is available, will be provided by AAQHC.

NSQHC National Standards Fact Sheets

The National Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care have released Fact Sheets regarding the new National Standards. There are 11 Fact Sheets available on the website. One for each standard and one which provides an overview. Click here.


 

Analysis of 16 online public reporting websites

State Media Releases

We are pleased to announce the launch of the AAQHC Facebook page

Facebook is a social networking website that allows people to stay in touch, join networks and connect with organisations online.

Click here for instructions on how to get started? 

All AAQHC status updates will then appear in your news feeds, and your Facebook profile page will also indicate that you like the AAQHC page.

You can now post a relevant status update in the area saying 'What's on your mind?' You can also post pictures, website links and videos by clicking on the icons underneath.

If you enjoy one of the posts you can click the 'like' icon underneath. This will show up in your own profile and other people will see that you liked that post in their news feeds. You can also add a comment to your friend's post and the same thing applies.

You can also chat to people whom you may not know personally but are fellow members of the group.

Medications at Transitions and Clinical Handoffs (MATCH) Toolkit

Talking Quality

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in the US has an interesting site on ‘Talking Quality’. Have a look at the podcasts on reporting quality to the community and the use of social media – www.talkingquality.ahrq.gov

 

Improvement Foundation

The Improvement Foundation (IF) is pleased to annouce a new Collaborative Wave focused on improving chronic disease care and self-management using technology. The eCollaborative Wave will focus on engaging people in using a new technology to innovate approaches to chronic disease care management.

For further information, please click here

Australian Healthcare Week

• Health facilities design and development
• Connecting healthcare
• Future of surgery
• Diagnostic imaging
• Retrofitting healthcare facilities

National Medication Management Plan

guides designed to assist health services with surveillance activities

The ACSQHC have developed implementation guides for the surveillance of Staphyloccus aureus, Clostridium difficile and Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections. These guides are designed to assist health services with surveillance activities and standardise the tools used for surveillance in line with the national definitions.

All three implementation guides are available at the following link:

 

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/safety/publishing.nsf/Content/PriorityProgram-03

 

This site also has a number of other useful tools and links to other related documents and websites, including the Australian Guidelines, the Antimicrobial Stewardship publication and a short vieo developed by the Victorian Infection Control Professionals Association (VICPA), which would be a useful resource for Infection Control Professionals in their education ‘tool kit’.

The ACSQHC have released a Consultation Paper

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care have released a Consultation Paper regarding the draft Australian Safety and Quality Goals for Health Care (the Goals). There are three goals:
1. Safety of Care - with initial priorities being medication safety and healthcare association infection
2. Appropriateness of Care - with initial priorities being type 2 diabetes and acute coronary syndrome or stroke
3. Partnering with Patients and Consumers.
These goals have been developed to link with the National Health Reforms and their purpose is to provide a basis for a co-ordinated national approach.
Written submissions will be accepted until February 10th, 2012 and the Consultation Paper provides a number of questions that may be responded to as part of the submission. For further information and a copy of the Consultation Paper, Click here

New National Standards Forum

AAQHC is inviting members to post to the ON-LINE FORUM in relation to the new National Standards, especially any members that have been part of the pilot program to assess against the standards. How did you find the process? What were the standards and items that posed the most issues?