Work is underway at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) to ensure compliance with the Excellent Care for All Act, 2010 or ECFAA, as it is commonly called. This legislation received Royal Assent on June 8, 2010, and the sections relating to hospital quality committees came into effect on January 1, 2011. This legislation places more emphasis on transparency and accountability of hospital boards, staff, physicians and volunteers for quality, safety and the overall patient experience.
There are eight components to comply with ECFAA, and one is the development of a public document called the Patient Declaration of Values. The purpose of the declaration of values is to make sure the care we provide is what our patients expect. These values will help us strengthen our focus in the delivery of high quality patient and family centred care.
Our CKHA Patient and Family Centred Care Steering Committee has produced a proposed declaration of values and wants to hear from you. Patients, families, staff, volunteers and members of the community are invited to provide feedback by viewing the main CKHA web page at: http://www.ckha.on.ca and clicking on the buttoncalled “Patient Values – Inviting your Input”and then following the links to read the draft values and complete a short survey. Providing feedback will ensure that we are on the right track with promoting a positive patient experience at CKHA.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
MORE OB: Keeping Patient Safety a Priority
The Women & Children’s Health Program has just celebrated the completion of their fourth year of the MOREOB program. MOREOB – an acronym for Managing Obstetrical Risks Efficiently – isa patient safety and a professional development program that is inclusive of all members of the Alliance’s interdisciplinary obstetrical team; that is, obstetricians, delivering family physicians, midwives and nursing. Through this program, team members have shared access to current obstetrical knowledge and have an expectation to put this new knowledge into practice in the form of skills drills. These skills drills are an important part of the MOREOB program, as rehearsing for emergencies promotes inter-professional collaborative teamwork and communication practices that help the team to respond to true emergencies in an automatic, well co-ordinated fashion. Practicing skills and emergency situations promotes a sense of confidence with care practices, encourages evaluation of the teamwork process and helps to maintain a sense of vigilance to anticipate and mitigate potential safety risks.
The Women & Children’s Health Program continues to demonstrate its commitment to patient safety, professional development and quality patient care as this team enters into its 5th year of the MOREOB program. The goal: to create an environment where on-going education and rehearsal of skills is the expectation of all team members. Communication and teamwork is an efficient and automatic process and where team members and patients work together to create a culture where safety for all is the priority.
The Women & Children’s Health Program continues to demonstrate its commitment to patient safety, professional development and quality patient care as this team enters into its 5th year of the MOREOB program. The goal: to create an environment where on-going education and rehearsal of skills is the expectation of all team members. Communication and teamwork is an efficient and automatic process and where team members and patients work together to create a culture where safety for all is the priority.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Compassionate Caregiver Award – Media Release
The Compassionate Caregiver Award was established as a way to honour caregivers who display extraordinary compassion in caring for patients and families at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance. It is presented to an individual or team at CKHA who exemplifies the values of compassion and care in their work. The award originated in 2008, in response to a donor’s experience at CKHA.
The recipient of the 4th annual Compassionate Caregiver Award will be a staff member, volunteer or a group of individualsand will be selected based on the following three criteria; Respect, Patient and Family Centred Care, and Advancing Compassionate, Quality Care.
New this year, nomination stories for the Compassionate Caregiver Award of Distinction will be accepted through a link on the CKHA Internet website, www.ckha.on.ca Paper copies of the nomination form will also be made available on all of the hospital care units, as well as by contacting Erika Walker at (519)352-6400 ext. 5352.
Submissions for this award will be open from March 1 to April 15, 2011. The Selection Committee will consist of all members of the Professional Practice Team along with a Patient and Family Advisor.
During a special ceremony during Nursing Week (the week of May 9, 2011), the award recipient will be announced and presented with a $1,000 educational bursary. The recipient’s name will also be added to the Royal Copenhagen figurine “Nurse with Wounded Soldier” displayed at CKHA.
Each year, the process of choosing a person or team becomes more and more difficult as CKHA is full of caring people, providing high quality compassionate care. Congratulations to all CKHA staff who have given their hearts to the patients and families they serve.
The recipient of the 4th annual Compassionate Caregiver Award will be a staff member, volunteer or a group of individualsand will be selected based on the following three criteria; Respect, Patient and Family Centred Care, and Advancing Compassionate, Quality Care.
New this year, nomination stories for the Compassionate Caregiver Award of Distinction will be accepted through a link on the CKHA Internet website, www.ckha.on.ca Paper copies of the nomination form will also be made available on all of the hospital care units, as well as by contacting Erika Walker at (519)352-6400 ext. 5352.
Submissions for this award will be open from March 1 to April 15, 2011. The Selection Committee will consist of all members of the Professional Practice Team along with a Patient and Family Advisor.
During a special ceremony during Nursing Week (the week of May 9, 2011), the award recipient will be announced and presented with a $1,000 educational bursary. The recipient’s name will also be added to the Royal Copenhagen figurine “Nurse with Wounded Soldier” displayed at CKHA.
Each year, the process of choosing a person or team becomes more and more difficult as CKHA is full of caring people, providing high quality compassionate care. Congratulations to all CKHA staff who have given their hearts to the patients and families they serve.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance’s Commitment to Wait Time Initiatives
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) is dedicated to providing patients the best possible care in the right place, at the right time by the right people.
As part of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) Wait Time Strategy, and its priority action to reduce wait times and improve access to care,CKHA participated in the Ministry-funded project known as the Process Improvement Program (PIP). This pilot project, initiated in September 2010, has resulted in fasterEmergency Department (ED) assessment time,which reduced wait times and improved efficiency of safe, quality care.
The goal of the project wasto improve access to care by reducing the amount of time waiting in the ED. Reducingthe time people spend waiting in ED is a complex issue that cannot be solved by focusing on the hospital ED alone. The success of this project required support and commitment from the entire CKHA organization. The core project team included members from the ED and medicine units, support services, physicians, and a Ministry-appointed lead.
This project focused on creating a new model of care for patients who present to the ED with less serious health problems. An area called Pod 5 is where these patients are seen, treated and referred or discharged by one physician or Nurse Practitioner. Patients who are more serious or require in depth treatment are directed to the main ED area for care. Patients with less serious health problems benefit from timelier access to care, and patient surveys show improved patient satisfaction.
A team of ED Registered Practical Nurses (RPN’s) supports the physician/NP partnership.Participating in this pilot project funded by the Ministry, engaging employees, and support from all levels within the organization demonstrates CKHA’s ongoing commitment to providing the best possible patient carein the right place, at the right time by the right people
As part of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) Wait Time Strategy, and its priority action to reduce wait times and improve access to care,CKHA participated in the Ministry-funded project known as the Process Improvement Program (PIP). This pilot project, initiated in September 2010, has resulted in fasterEmergency Department (ED) assessment time,which reduced wait times and improved efficiency of safe, quality care.
The goal of the project wasto improve access to care by reducing the amount of time waiting in the ED. Reducingthe time people spend waiting in ED is a complex issue that cannot be solved by focusing on the hospital ED alone. The success of this project required support and commitment from the entire CKHA organization. The core project team included members from the ED and medicine units, support services, physicians, and a Ministry-appointed lead.
This project focused on creating a new model of care for patients who present to the ED with less serious health problems. An area called Pod 5 is where these patients are seen, treated and referred or discharged by one physician or Nurse Practitioner. Patients who are more serious or require in depth treatment are directed to the main ED area for care. Patients with less serious health problems benefit from timelier access to care, and patient surveys show improved patient satisfaction.
A team of ED Registered Practical Nurses (RPN’s) supports the physician/NP partnership.Participating in this pilot project funded by the Ministry, engaging employees, and support from all levels within the organization demonstrates CKHA’s ongoing commitment to providing the best possible patient carein the right place, at the right time by the right people
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is a Provincial District Stroke Centre
Did you know that Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) is a Provincial District Stroke Centre?Through our Chatham site, you can access best practice stroke care without having to leave the community. People who have or will suffer a stroke are able to receive specialized care beginning with the Emergency Department visit, through their stay in our Integrated Stroke Unit and Rehabilitation Units. Once ready to leave the hospital, there is support for stroke survivors and their families in our community. CKHA also offers aSecondary Stroke Prevention Clinic to assist patients who have identified risk factors in an effort to prevent a stroke.
It is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of a stroke because a stroke can, and often does, result in permanent physical problems. Recognizing the symptoms of stroke early can improve long-term survival and decrease the amount of potential disability.
Warning signs of stroke include:
- sudden loss of strength, or sudden numbness in your face , arm or leg:
- trouble talking;
- sudden blurry vision;
- sudden, severe unusual headache;
- sudden loss of balance or dizziness.
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should immediately call 911 and come to the hospital. Physicians and nurses with special training in caring for patients with stroke will assess and determine the best treatment options.
Stroke is a medical emergency and we all need to be aware take action as necessary.
If you have any questions, please contact Laurie Zimmer, Co-odinator of the Chatham-Kent District Stroke Centre at 519-352-6401, ext. 6900, or at lzimmer@ckha.on.ca.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Senior Friendly Care
It is well documented that baby boomers (those born between 1946-1966) are starting to transition into the seniors age group and it is expected the numbers of seniors (those over 65 years of age) will increase by 18% in the next 5 years. Chatham-Kent Health Alliance has recently completed a self assessment process to look at how we deliver “Senior Friendly Care” as part of a province wide initiative.
As part of the self assessment process we looked at how we provide care to seniors using as a framework organizational supports; processes of care; emotional and behavioral environment; ethics in clinical care and researchas related to the senior’s experience; and the physical environment. As part of the assessment we have been asked to plan for changes within CKHA to improve the care of seniors with the priority to returning seniors to their own homes as often as possible. We are daily faced with increasing numbers of patients who are seniors with very unique care needs. Through the evaluation process we learned we are doing lots of work to support seniors but we also have lots of opportunities to work with our community to make our senior care even better.This is a big job but one we are very excited to undertake.It’s just one more way CKHA is working to provide high quality and safe care to all members of the Chatham-Kent community.
As part of the self assessment process we looked at how we provide care to seniors using as a framework organizational supports; processes of care; emotional and behavioral environment; ethics in clinical care and researchas related to the senior’s experience; and the physical environment. As part of the assessment we have been asked to plan for changes within CKHA to improve the care of seniors with the priority to returning seniors to their own homes as often as possible. We are daily faced with increasing numbers of patients who are seniors with very unique care needs. Through the evaluation process we learned we are doing lots of work to support seniors but we also have lots of opportunities to work with our community to make our senior care even better.This is a big job but one we are very excited to undertake.It’s just one more way CKHA is working to provide high quality and safe care to all members of the Chatham-Kent community.
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