Boards On Board
| Project Name |
• Boards on Board
Institute of Health Care Improvement Initiative |
| Project Aims |
• To set Quality and Safety as the organization’s top improvement activity
• Dedicate Board of Director meeting time for discussion of Quality Improvement Activities
• Set organizational goals for reducing harm to patients as a result of medical errors, falls, and
ulcer occurrence
• Provide Board of Directors with opportunities to engage patients, families and front line staff.
|
| Time Frame |
2009 – Ongoing (Continued from 2007) |
Project Description
As hospitals seek to drive rapid quality improvement, the Board of Directors has an opportunity and a significant responsibility to make quality of care the organization’s top priority.
2007 - 2009 Performance Period Summary
This Performance Improvement activity began in 2007. Initial implementation has involved bi monthly quality presentation and discussion with the Board Executive Committee. This coming year implementation advances with a monthly presentation and discussion with the full hospital Board of Directors.
Interventions
• The Board of Directors will spend at least 25% of their meeting time on quality and safety issues.
• Board Members will have a conversation with at least one patient (or family member of a patient) who sustained
serious harm at their institution within the last year.
Evaluation Metrics
• Meeting Minutes
• Active engagement of Board members in Quality Improvement Activities
• Patient Satisfaction
Next Steps
Continue activities to support complete integration of Boards on Board AIMS into our hospital culture.
Improving Perinatal Care
| Project Name |
ChildBirth Center Security |
| Project Aims |
To assure:
• Protect patient and staff safety
• Prevent infant abduction
• Assure accurate infant identification |
| Time Frame |
2009 - Ongoing |
Project Description
As health care providers, our number one goal is to assure our patients the safest and highest quality health care. Infant abduction and mix up continues to be of high national concern and priority for prevention. This project is designed to raise the level of security to prevent occurrence.
Interventions
• Implementation of electronic visual and limited entry system.
• Continuous electronic video monitoring of main exit.
• All exits equipped with audio alarms and delayed release system.
• Infant identification banding prior to infant leaving delivery room.
• Infant umbilical cord blood stored in laboratory for 10 days.
• Matching mother/infant identifiers confirmed at each transfer of infant to mother.
• Child Birth Center Staff members readily identified by special badge identifier.
• Code Pink Policy- Infant abduction response plan.
• Staffing levels monitored to meet safety standards and requirements for provision of patient care hours.
• Hospital wide staff education towards preventing infant abduction.
• Patient education regarding Child Birth Center security and infant abduction and mix up prevention strategies.
Evaluation Metrics
Measurement Strategies include:
• Volume and nature of security events occurring in the Child Birth Center.
Next Steps
Provide public education regarding risk of patient abduction, mix up, Child Birth Center security upgrades and encourage public support, participation and cooperation in preventing infant abduction and mix up.
Patient Centered Care
| Project Name |
• Patient Identification |
| Project Aims |
To assure:
• Accurate Patient Identification
|
| Time Frame |
2009 – Ongoing |
Project Description
As health care providers, our number one goal is to assure our patients the safest and highest quality health care. In our Patient Centered Care environment, our patients are the most important members of our health care team. Assuring their safety and quality care is everyone’s responsibility. Accurate patient identification is the first step in assuring a safe hospital stay.
Interventions
• The Board of Directors will spend at least 25% of their meeting time on quality and safety issues.
• Board Members will have a conversation with at least one patient (or family member of a patient) who sustained
serious harm at their institution within the last year.
Evaluation Metrics
Measurement Strategies include:
• Medication and delivered with accurate patient identification occurring.
Next Steps
To provide public education highlighting the importance of their participation in making accurate patient identification a priority to assure a safe patient care environment.
Contact Information:
Bob DeMarco, RN, MA, Chief of Quality and Systems Improvement
Springfield Hospital, 25 Ridgewood Road, Springfield, Vermont, 05156
Telephone: 802-885-7565; e-mail: bdemarco@springfieldhospital.org