Territory hospitals are leading the nation in introducing innovative systems to share good practice and improve patient safety.
Clinical staff from Katherine, Gove, and Alice Springs Hospitals recently attended Canberra-based training sessions to learn about the new early warning systems.
"This training helps our clinical staff manage human factors and places an emphasis on good systems and process design, and the implementation of standard communication practices. The result is improved patient care," said Doug Gilchrist, General Manager & Director of Nursing at Gove Regional Hospital.
"Patient safety is not a process, it is a philosophy by which an organisation makes patient care safer.
"Safety can be influenced by the improved teamwork of our clinical staff, how they interact and communicate with each other, and how they interact with equipment. Staff trained in these new systems are always alert for potential risks, rather than just mitigating risks identified through previous events."
The Modified Early Warning System, for example, deals with the early recognition and management of a deteriorating patient with the aid of colour-coded observation charts, which allow medical staff to score patient observations. A high score triggers an escalation policy that ensures the patient has a prompt review by medical officers.
The new systems integrate risk identification and assessment; reporting and analysis of incidents; and the capacity to learn from and follow-up on incidents and implement solutions to minimise recurrence.
"The staff who attended these courses are part of a 'train the trainer' program and will pass their skills along to others in their area and help us to foster a work culture in which risk management is an integral part of everything we do," added Mr Gilchrist.
Royal Darwin Hospital will introduce the Modified Early Warning System in February 2010 and Tennant Creek Hospital will introduce it later in the year.
Release date: 7 December 2009
