Hip and Knee Initiative Supreme Winner at CDHB Quality Improvement and Innovation Awards

A project streamlining the patient journey through Canterbury’s health services for hip and knee surgery was the Supreme Winner at today’s Canterbury District Health Board Quality Improvement and Innovation Awards.

A total of 19 projects were entered in the sixth annual awards, which are administered by the Canterbury DHB Quality and Patient Safety Council. Winners of the Awards were announced at a special event held at the Canterbury Horticultural Centre today (11 November). Along with the supreme award, winners from three award categories – community based services, hospital and specialist service and systems improvement - and three highly commended awards – were announced at the ceremony.

In 2004/5, a number of catalysts provided the impetus to redesign the elective orthopaedic patient journey at Canterbury DHB. A new elective orthopaedic facility was due to be commissioned in 2007 requiring a review of patient flow.  This was to inform the design of the facility, show efficiency and provide a patient centric service. Central Government funding was also increased so that more hip and knee replacements could be provided.  New ways of working were also required to cope with continuing to deliver services that were traditionally undertaken by Junior Doctors, who are in short supply nationally.

Through the introduction of a new single referral gateway, equity of access to the service has been ensured whilst the conversion rate from surgeon assessment to surgery has increased from 54% to 90%.  Using a new physiotherapy led assessment tool at the gateway has also enabled patients to be objectively prioritised on their need for and ability to benefit from surgery.

A peri-operative nursing service is evolving with multi skilled nurses providing a familiar face and continuity of care for patients during their journey. Trained nurses now screen and triage patients before they are placed onto the treatment list and promised surgery.  They also co-ordinate other interventions with practice nurses and GPs for patients who are not fit or ready for surgery and provide a nurse led anaesthetist supported admission service and admit 70 per cent of elective orthopaedic patients on day of surgery reducing RMO workload.              

Canterbury DHB Corporate Quality and Risk Manager Jan Nicholson says the winning project had resulted in a vast array of positive outcomes.  “The project has attracted considerable interest nationally and is fast evolving into a world leading service.”

Other successful projects in the awards were:

§         A supported early discharge project which is a community nursing response to hospital patient flow.  Both Nurse Maude and Healthcare of New Zealand facilitate the collaborative ‘Meet and Greet’ service for patients discharged from Christchurch Hospital, which was the winner in the Community Based Services category.

§         A quality improvement initiative to assist long term care facilities to manage and contain both norovirus outbreaks and multidrug-resistant organisms within their facilities.  This project, undertaken by Medlab South, was the runner-up project in the Community Based Services category.

§         A project which assists children and their families to cope with hospitalisation through the use of special ‘Play with a Purpose’ packs given to children on admission to the Children’s Acute Assessment Unit won the Hospital and Specialist Service category.

§         A project which developed a reliable Orthopaedic Screening Tool at Burwood Hospital, to be used for patients referred by their GP for orthopaedic assessment, won the runner-up award in the Hospital and Specialist Service category.

§         The Project RED: Rejuvenating the Emergency Department project which continues to address issues in the Emergency Department at Christchurch Hospital through a strong clinician led focus won the runner-up award in the Systems Improvement category.

§         A dementia education programme which commenced in February 2008 in Community Dementia Resthomes won a Highly Commended award.

§         The in-patient management of acute pancreatitis has also been improved at Christchurch Hospital through the implementation of evidence based guidelines and audit.  This project received a Highly Commended award.

§         Dedicated Education U nits for undergraduate nursing students have been established throughout the Canterbury DHB and are creating positive learning and teaching experiences for those involved.  This project won a Highly Commended award. 

 
ENDS