April 2014 - Australian Private Hospitals Association
Transcription
April 2014 - Australian Private Hospitals Association
Private Hospital The official Magazine of The Australian Private Hospitals Association April 2014 Patient Perspective Consumer Consultant Representatives Assist Hospitals Secret Shopper Brisbane Private tests its admission processes Robotic Surgery New technology makes procedures safer Partnering with consumers How private hospitals are addressing the new standard of healthcare Agilia® Intuitive Generation Volumat® MC Agilia Injectomat® MC Agilia Injectomat® TIVA Agilia Fresenius Kabi Australia Pty Limited, 964 Pacific Highway, Pymble NSW 2073 Customer Service 1300 732 001, ® Registered Trademarks, www.fresenius-kabi.com.au PFKC 4903 06/11 Private Hospital is published six times a year (February, April, June, August, October and December) as a joint undertaking between the Australian Private Hospitals Association Ltd (ACN 008 623 809) and Globe Publishing (ACN 116 377 354). Australian Private Hospitals Association Diamond Sponsor Major Sponsors: AccessID APHA Office Level 3, 11 National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 Postal Address PO Box 7426, Canberra BC ACT 2610 Phone (02) 6273 9000 Fax: (02) 6273 7000 Email [email protected] Website: apha.org.au Globe Publishing: Suite 3.15, 22-36 Mountain Street, Ultimo NSW 2007 Postal Address: PO Box 57, Glebe NSW 2037 Phone: (02) 8218 3400 Fax: (02) 8218 3488 Website: globepublishing.com.au Advertising Enquiries: David Kettle Phone: (02) 8218 3401 Email: [email protected] Material in Private Hospital is protected under the Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968. No material may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent from the copyright holders (APHA). Private Hospital welcomes submissions and a diversity of opinion on hospital-related issues and will publish views that are not necessarily the policy of the APHA. All material must be relevant, cogent, submitted to APHA and accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope, or submitted electronically by emailing [email protected]. Electronic images must be to print standard – 300 dpi or higher. Please retain duplicates of all hard copy text and illustrative materials. APHA does not accept responsibility for damage to, or loss of, material submitted. Neither APHA, Globe Publishing or their servants and agents accept liability, including liability for negligence, arising from the information contained in Private Hospital. Platinum Associate Member Terumo Australia Pty Ltd Gold Associate Members 3M Healthcare ANZ APHS Pharmacy B. Braun Australia Pty Ltd BD Cardioscan Pty Ltd Ccentric Group Cognitive Institute Coregas Pty Ltd Health Industry Plan Holman Webb Lawyers HPS Pharmacies Intelog Pty Ltd Johnson & Johnson Medical Medline International Two Australia Pty Ltd Medtronic Australasia Pty Ltd Virginia Rigoni Consulting Associate Members Australian Health Services Alliance Atrium Australia Pacific Rim Pty Ltd Bard Australia Pty Ltd Department of Veterans’ Affairs GE Healthcare Australia H Polesy & Co Pty Ltd Home Nurses Meditech Australia Pty Ltd Metrofire Pty Ltd Noarlunga Health Services Norman Disney & Young Odgers Berndtson Queensland X-Ray Regal Health Services Riviera Health Pty Ltd Siemens Healthcare Sunway Medical Centre Berhad Surgical Specialties Pty Ltd Suters Architects Pty Ltd Suva Private Hospital Transport Accident Commission Vital Healthcare Property Trust Willow Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd Australian Private Hospitals Association Chief Executive Officer: Michael Roff Director, Policy & Research: Lucy Cheetham Director, Finance & Administration: Ruth McGorman-Mann Director, Communications & Marketing & Editor: Lisa Ramshaw Communications Officer: Lyndal Bailey APHA National Council 2012-2014 Steve Atkins Healthe Care Australia Henry Barclay Cura Day Hospitals Group Vincent Borg Epworth HealthCare Michael Coglin Healthscope Robert Cooke Healthscope Alan Cooper Friendly Society Private Hospital Anne Crouch Eye-Tech Day Surgeries Andrew Currie Healthscope Philip Currie Sydney Adventist Hospital Robert Cusack St Vincent’s Private Hospital Ray Fairweather St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital Christine Gee Toowong Private Hospital Alan Kinkade Epworth HealthCare Craig McNally Ramsay Health Care Alan Morrison Sportsmed SA Hospital Moira Munro Perth Clinic Kathy Nagle Western Hospital Amanda Quealy Hobart Clinic Chris Rex Ramsay Health Care Richard Royle UnitingCare Health Geoff Sam Healthe Care Australia Daniel Sims Ramsay Health Care Denise Thomas Metropolitan Rehabilitation Hospital A P R I L 2014 Private Hospital 3 More people in health and community services choose HESTA for their super Your super fund can make a lifetime of difference 3 Run only to benefit members 3 Low fees 3 A history of strong returns hesta.com.au ‘Super Fund of the Year’ Product ratings are only one factor to be considered when making a decision. See hesta.com.au/ratings for more information. H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd ABN 66 006 818 695 AFSL No. 235249, the Trustee of Health Employees Superannuation Trust Australia (HESTA) ABN 64 971 749 321. For more information, free call 1800 813 327 or visit hesta.com.au for a copy of a Product Disclosure Statement which should be considered when making a decision about HESTA products. Contents Committee for change 18 At the coal face 20 Consumer representatives 29 South Pacific Private’s Comsumer & Carer Advisory Committee Macquarie University Hospital creates core team to meet national standards North Eastern Rehabilitation Centre consults patients for insight 21 Pindara Magazine Pindara Private Hospital engages patients with new publication 22 23 Passing the test Fake patients test Brisbane Private Hospital to improve admissions Improving programs Epworth’s Transitional Living Centre helps patients return to independent living 24 Strategies for improvement Eye-Tech Day Surgeries outlines patient-centred care 26 28 Top 10 tips Insight into implementing Standard 2 BraveHearts The Wesley Hospital offers unique peer support program 16 24 In focus Partnering with Consumers 16 April 2014 In this issue Regulars 14 06 Editor’s Letter 08 President’s Report 09 As I See It Greenslopes Private Hospital is offering patients a number of robotic procedures 10 News Safer heart procedures 35 Since the Last Issue 36 Legal Matters Hunter Valley Private Hospital reduces vision loss in glaucoma patients with iStent 38 Policy Perspective 34 Back in action 42 Pharmacy Focus 36 Private Hospitals Week Private Hospitals 33rd National Congress Highlights caught on camera 29 Robotic GI surgery Strathfield Private Hospital offers pioneering surgery 30 32 33 Distal pancreatectomy St Andrews reduces radiation to patients undergoing heart procedures Eye implant New procedure improves outcomes for patients suffering back and neck problems 46 With Lisa Ramshaw With Chris Rex With Michael Roff From APHA and beyond With Alison Choy Flannigan With Lucy Cheetham With Michael Ryan On The Ground Kathy Nagle A P R I L 2014 Private Hospital 5 Editor’s Letter Interacting with patients using modern tools Lisa Ramshaw Director, Communications & Marketing Australian Private Hospitals Association E: [email protected] P: 02 6273 9000 M: 0413 971 999 W: apha.org.au T: @Lisa_Ramshaw 6 Private Hospital A P R I L 2 014 P rivate Hospital this month looks at National Standard 2: Partnering with Consumers and I’d like to thank all of the hospitals who have submitted articles for this edition. A recent survey undertaken by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQHC) shows that many hospitals struggle with implementation of National Standard 2. It is heartwarming to see so many hospitals willing to share their experiences and journeys of implementation with others through this magazine. If your facility is finding it difficult to implement National Standard 2, I hope you will find some of the articles in this edition helpful. There are tips to find consumer consultants, information on how to do a literature review and even an example of a ‘mystery patient’ at one private hospital who assisted in changing procedures and policies. National Standard 2 was also the topic of a session presented at APHA’s recent National Congress in Brisbane. Dr Nicola Dunbar from ACSQHC explained the Commission’s intent with this standard, Cathy Jones, national quality manager for Healthscope outlined practical implementation tips for hospitals and I presented on how hospitals around the world are using social media to communicate and partner with patients and carers. From closed Facebook groups to Instagramming paediatric heart surgery, patients are on social media and expect hospitals to use more of it in their interactions. As Ed Bennett from University of Maryland’s Medical Centre says, “Patients expect more than we deliver. They trust healthcare providers and are influenced by our messages. But they want to interact with us using modern tools.” Modern tools helped APHA communicate during the National Congress too. Our new congress app was well received and allowed delegates to follow the conversation on Twitter through #APHACongress even if they were not on Twitter. We ran our first competition for delegates to tweet and share photos. Also, if you attended the congress, we would love your feedback on the sessions, the program, the venue and anything else you’d like to tell us. The feedback survey is live on the congress app. If you did not attend congress this year and want to see what you missed out on, see pages 14-15. We relaunched our Private Hospitals campaign at the National Congress too. If you are not involved with the campaign yet, I strongly encourage you to contact APHA to get involved. We have some great materials for facilities this year to mark Private Hospitals Week (19-25 May 2014). To see some of what we have planned, see pages 36-37. I wish you all a happy Private Hospitals Week! I hope you use the occasion to help communicate the value your private hospital provides in your community. Photography: Chris Canham Implementing National Standard 2 involves communicating with patients through a variety of platforms – including social media Stop the Drop Perioperative hypothermia is unnecessary. Normal core body temperature (normothermia) is 37.0°C (+/- 0.5°C). If core body temperature drops, vasoconstriction and shivering are triggered at particular temperature thresholds to generate heat. In addition, if the temperature becomes elevated/rises, the cooling mechanisms, vasodilation and sweating, are also triggered at threshold levels.1 During anaesthesia, the effects of the anaesthetic drugs/pharmaceuticals and the effects of the anaesthesia coupled with a reduction in metabolic heat production means patients are at an increased risk of hypothermia, which is defined as a core body temperature below 36°C. This can be exacerbated by a cold environment. 1. Sessler DI. Chapter 7 Temperature Regulation and Anesthesia. ASA Refresher Courses in Anesthesiology. 1993;21:81-93. Find out more at www.molnlycke.com.au Mölnlycke Health Care Pty Ltd., Suite 1.01, 10 Tilley Lane, Frenchs Forest NSW 2086,T 02 8977 2144. F 02 8977 2155. The Mölnlycke Health Care, BARRIER®, and EasyWarm® names and respective logos are registered globally to one or more of the Mölnlycke Health Care Group of Companies. Copyright (2013). President’s Report Making progress APHA is addressing several issues with the government, including expanding the role of the private health sector. President Australian Private Hospitals Association E: [email protected] W: apha.org.au 8 Private Hospital A P R I L 2 014 T his year, APHA has identified key objectives to pursue with the Coalition and has commenced meetings with Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott in recent months to progress some of these. While we continue to pursue restoration of support measures for private health insurance such as indexation of the rebate and abolishing the means testing of the rebate, budgetary pressures in the short term are potentially going to delay changes just yet. In consultation with the government we are focusing on initiatives to expand the role of the private health sector and growing private health insurance – some of these were outlined at our recent APHA Congress. Changing the perverse incentives which currently drive public hospitals to seek out and admit privately insured patients, is also on our agenda. It is an unsustainable strategy for public hospitals which have a lack of beds and long waiting lists; it is unsustainable for the health funds and it is driving up the cost of health insurance for everyone. Ironically, in the end, it will drive more people back onto the public purse as more and more of the public see a devaluation of their health insurance or the increased premiums drive them out. We will push for regulatory options in this area, as well as innovations that will encourage private patients to go private. There are many other issues APHA is currently addressing with government, such as increasing private hospital representation on government bodies such as the Ministerial Advisory Council, the ACSQHC and the Health Workforce Board. In the area of workforce and training, the contribution of the private sector is also under-recognised. Funds committed to this area should follow the student/trainee to the private sector and a greater focus needs to be given to supporting productivity improvement and innovation in this area. Streamlined processes for migration and employment of overseas trained health professionals and international graduates, is an item on the agenda with the relevant government departments, given that our biggest challenge remains the future of our nursing workforce. Finally, the health minister has committed to removing unnecessary red tape for clinicians in prescribing, processing and claiming for PBS medicines as a result of the chemotherapy funding review. New funding from 1 January 2014 provides $152.66 per infusion. This is a good start and we await further positive announcements in this area. Photography: Cliff Kent Chris Rex As I See It with Michael Roff 20 years Recently I passed the milestone of 20 years of service with APHA, having commenced in 1994 before being appointed CEO in 2000. Michael Roff Chief Executive Officer Australian Private Hospitals Association E: [email protected] P: 02 6273 9000 W: apha.org.au T: @MAVR_1 O ccasions like this tend to lead to reflection and I recall that when speaking at conferences, Russell Schneider, the former CEO of the Health Insurance Association was always introduced as “the longest serving health lobbyist in Australia.” I think Russell’s tenure was 17 years! I have also been thinking about what has happened since 1994. Despite what has appeared to be a long period of political turmoil, there have only been three changes of government at a federal level (1996, 2007 and 2013) indicating the relative stability of our political system. There has been a bit more turnover in individual personnel with eight people filling the role of minister for health, with one of these going on to become prime minister (Tony Abbott).There have also been 11 shadow health ministers, one of whom went on to become prime minister (Julia Gillard) and one who became treasurer (Joe Hockey). So it would appear that the traditional view that the health portfolio is a kiss of death for future political ambition no longer rings true. There have also been nine APHA presidents, all of whom have brought a different emphasis and style to the role but all have been absolutely focussed on achieving the best outcomes for the industry as a whole, regardless of the particular segment they came from. In addition, there have been quite a few staff in the APHA national office in the past 20 years, many of whom have gone on to bigger and better things. I would like to pay tribute to all staff, past and present for their dedication and commitment to providing the highest level of service to the association. It has been a pleasure to lead you and I thank you all for your contributions. I have also been thinking about why it is I have been here for so long. First and foremost I believe in the private hospitals sector and the vital role it plays within Australia’s health care system. I consider it an honour to represent the sector and am grateful for the opportunity to do so over an extended period. More broadly, health as an issue directly touches the lives of every single person in the country. It always rates as the number one or two issue in determining votes at elections. In fact, the most recent True Issues analysis by JWS Research found 83% of Australians listed “hospitals and healthcare” as the most important issue with “the economy and finances” a distant second at 66%. Quite simply, the work we do at APHA matters. Working at the intersection of policy and politics representing a key component of the healthcare sector is complex and challenging. It is also enormously satisfying. So when summing up why I have been with APHA for 20 years I suppose the best way to encapsulate it is,“Time flies when you are having fun”. A P R I L 2014 Private Hospital 9 news Health Minister affirms private sector’s role in healthcare Minister for Health Peter Dutton In his opening address to the APHA 33rd National Congress, Minister for Health Peter Dutton affirmed the importance of the private hospital sector. “The sector makes a major contribution to health and wellbeing of this country – providing Australians with more choice in the type of health care they can access while at the same time taking pressure off the public system, particularly public hospitals and emergency care. “Our world-class health system is as good as it is because it relies on a combination of private and public services. And like business, government can no longer just rely on increased funding for increased patient outcomes. “We need to be stripping costs, regulatory burden and bureaucratic nonsense from the process. We want to ensure patient safety and government can do that by helping to reduce the red tape industry that has been created in your sector under the guise of workplace health and safety, duplicative reporting requirements and the like.” He went on to stress the importance of productivity in meeting future health challenges. “I believe significant productivity gains in healthcare can – and must – come - not only through improved public sector efficiency - but also through bold new ideas from the private sector. “The private sector generally has a key role to play to ensure the required productivity gains are realised, including through expanded services, innovation and technology and training.” Delegates were heartened to hear the Minister say: “I believe there is capacity to use private hospitals better to improve patient outcomes. We need to look at roles for you that aren’t just about service delivery – as important as that is, you also can play an important role in meeting other challenges – including supporting an appropriately trained and located health workforce, improving patient safety and quality, and delivering the best outcomes for patients.” Fresenius Kabi sets up $47 million pharmaceutical manufacturing centre Construction is set to begin on a state of the art Australian pharmaceutical manufacturing facility that will deliver lifesaving infusion therapies, irrigation solutions, IV generic drugs and compounded oncology products to public and private hospital patients Australia-wide. The facility will be built on a 40,000-square metre site by Fresenius Kabi Australia, one of the major pharmaceutical and medical device providers to hospitals in the country. The new site will create 120 jobs after entering full operation. 10 Private Hospital A P R I L 2 014 Fresenius Kabi’s Managing Director Zita Peach marks the start of construction Marking the start of construction, Zita Peach, managing director of Fresenius Kabi Australia & New Zealand and executive vice president South Asia Pacific said, “The site will markedly change the landscape for IV products and oncology delivery in Australia. Up until now there has been limited choice for hospitals when it comes to choosing products that are manufactured locally. This site will see products being manufactured that have easy handling, drug compatibility, sterility and environmental characteristics. The new centre is being built with the help of a grant from the Victorian state government and set for completion in 2015. The facility will have the capability to operate 24 hours a day, which will ensure hospital demand is met with consistent, guaranteed supply, in turn minimising the strain on Australian hospitals. Queensland medical board announced Christine Gee Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg has announced the new Queensland medical board. Congratulations to Christine Gee, Chief Executive Officer of Toowong Private Hospital, who has been appointed to the board. Other members of the board include: Associate Professor Susan Young from the University of Queensland School of Nursing and Midwifery as the chair; and Dr Mark Waters, a Visiting Medical Officer from the Cherbourg Hospital as deputy. Doctors Cameron Bardsley, Victoria Brazil, William Coman, Christine Foley, David Morgan and Josephine Sundin have also been appointed, along with barristers David Kent and Gregory McGuire and Associate Professor Elenor Milligan. 1800RESPECT 1800RESPECT is a free national government-funded service which provides access to training materials, information, screening tools, and other practical tools and information to help front-line workers (e.g. nurses and midwives) better respond to domestic/family violence and sexual assault in the course of their work. For further information, visit www.1800respect.org.au. Revised Guidelines, Codes of Conduct and Policies The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and associated National Boards has released a suite of documents that came into effect from 17 March 2014. These documents are: revised Good Medical Practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia; revised Guidelines for advertising regulated health services; revised Guidelines for mandatory notifications, and a new Social media policy. All the documents other than Good Medical Practice are common across all the professions that are regulated through the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. Each health practitioner board has approved the guidelines and social media policy. At the time of going to press it is understood that, following outcries from the profession, the Australian Medical Board has given an undertaking that it will change the wording of guidelines relating to unsolicited online testimonials. Further information relevant to medical practitioners about the new guidelines is available on medicalboard.gov.au. Information specific to other professions can be obtained from websites of the relevant boards. Platinum Award for Bethesda Hospital’s Safety Melody Miles, occupational safety and health manager Bethesda Hospital received the WorkSafe Plan Platinum Certificate of Achievement from Worksafe WA Commissioner Lex McCulloch at a presentation in February. Bethesda Hospital is the only WA hospital to receive a Platinum Award from Worksafe WA in this area for the past six years. Yasmin Naglazas, hospital chief executive officer, said, “The WorkSafe Award demonstrates our commitment to creating a safe work environment, and it is an outstanding achievement for our Occupational Safety and Health committee as well as our management and staff to be externally recognised for our practices at the highest level.” To achieve a Platinum WorkSafe Plan Award organisations have to demonstrate a rating of 90% or more in every element of the WorkSafe Plan in the areas of Management Commitment, Planning, Consultation, Hazard Management and Training and Supervision as well as an annual reduction in either the incidence rate or frequency rate of lost time injury. Melody Miles, occupational safety and health manager at Bethesda Hospital, said, “Achieving Platinum level is a challenging task, particularly for hospitals, given the nature of the work we do. It takes an ongoing commitment by everyone to keep our injuries at a low rate, with our ultimate goal being to achieve and maintain a rate of zero injuries.” A P R I L 2014 Private Hospital 11 news St George recognised as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for bariatric surgery Sheryl Kelly after surgery St George Private Hospital is the first and only hospital in Australia to be accredited as a Centre of Excellence for bariatric surgery – as recognised by The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Executive Treasurer of Obesity Surgery Society ANZ, Dr Ken Loi, said the hospital accreditation process, spearheaded by GIT Nursing Unit Manager Gayle Finn, was a major coup for the hospital. “St George was one of the first hospitals to carry out gastric sleeve surgery and gastric bypasses in Australia and this award is formal international recognition of safe and exceptional healthcare for patients.” Dr Loi said, “Obesity surgery continues to be one of the fastest growing areas of medicine in Australia, and obese patients have two or three times greater chance of dying at a young age (under 60). Patients who are otherwise unable to afford surgery, are now offered a new option by tapping into their super to pay for their surgery. Patient Sheryl Kelly who once weighed 150kg and is now just 74kg says she accessed her superannuation on compassionate grounds, with a letter from her specialists documenting her diabetes, blood pressure and arthritis sent to the Department of Human Services. relevant players in preparation for the IPO. The government has pre-existing authority to proceed with this sale through the Medibank Private Sale Act 2006. This act places a limit on individual ownership of 15 per cent. Lazard, Herbert Smith Freehills, Ernst and Young and the Australian Government Solicitor delivered a report to the government on the potential sale of Medibank in February 2014. This scoping study found no evidence that premiums would increase as a result of the sale of Medibank. The study found that Medibank operates in a well-regulated, competitive private health insurance market with 34 competing funds, and that there is no market failure in the health insurance market. Medibank undergoes privatisation Minister for Finance, Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann, announced the sale of Medibank Private (Medibank) in March. An initial public offering (IPO) will proceed in 2014/15, subject to market conditions. The precise timing and structure of the IPO are yet to be determined. To facilitate the privatisation, the government has appointed three new Medibank board members: David Fagan, a banking and major projects lawyer at Clayton Utz; Linda Nicholls AO, a corporate adviser and director of a number of leading companies including KDR, Sigma Pharmaceutical Group and Fairfax Media; and Christine Riley, a director of CSL, Transurban, Energy Australia and Baker IDI and a deputy chair of Care Australia. The government will appoint joint lead managers and other Professor John Turnidge to lead national surveillance program The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) has announced the appointment of Professor John Turnidge as a senior medical advisor to lead work on a national surveillance program for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) 12 Private Hospital A P R I L 2 014 and antibiotic usage (AU). Under the 2013/14 Australian federal budget, the Commission has been funded to coordinate national action to prevent and contain antimicrobial resistance through enhanced surveillance systems. AMR is a critical health issue, with the World Health Organisation calling for urgent action. In Australia, some resistant bacterial pathogens that were primarily the concern of hospitals are now seen with increasing frequency in the community. The Commission’s Chief Executive Officer, Professor Debora Picone, said, “Professor Turnidge is eminently qualified. He has been involved with many high-profile societies and committees dealing with issues of antibiotic resistance and its management.” Research reveals how Reliable Excellence in Care accelerates revenue growth The findings of landmark research into the impact of Reliable Excellence in Care on hospital performance were revealed at the APHA’s recent National Congress in Brisbane. Intelog Healthcare Performance Group led the research in partnership with eminent US not-for-profit Eisenhower Fellowships. Intelog coined the phrase Reliable Excellence in Care to describe what happens when a hospital stops relying on individual heroics in the daily delivery of care. Instead staff, doctors and patients collaborate to develop systems, which ensure that care is delivered right first time and in the way patients prefer it. More than 50 CEOs were amongst over 100 Australian private hospital leaders who helped shape the research results. Key findings include the fact that respondents, who said that their hospitals are actively focused on Reliable Excellence in Care, reported a 166% higher 3-year revenue growth than those who stated that their organisations didn’t have this focus. As well as superior revenue growth, the majority of those who stated that their hospital was actively focussed on Reliable Excellence in Care reported other benefits. These included more patient loyalty, attracting and retaining leading specialists, making efficiency gains and achieving cultural change. Intelog Healthcare Performance Group’s MD Bernie Kelly commented “It’s clear that Australia still lacks a world-class case study of Reliable Excellence in Care. However, some of our clients’ progress shows they’re on track to match or possibly even eclipse the famous US exemplars. There’s a long way to go, with the likes of Seattle’s Virginia Mason having begun their improvement journey 15 years ago. This is part of the reason we began this research, which we believe can help our private healthcare system to accelerate its pursuit of Reliable Excellence in Care.” More people in health and community services choose HESTA for their super Your super fund can make a lifetime of difference 3 Run only to benefit members 3 Low fees 3 A history of strong returns ‘Super Fund of the Year’ hesta.com.au e Year’ Product ratings are only one factor to be considered when making a decision. See hesta.com.au/ratings for more information. H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd ABN 66 006 818 695 A P R I L 2014 Private Hospital 13 AFSL No. 235249, the Trustee of Health Employees Superannuation Trust Australia (HESTA) ABN 64 971 749 321. For more information, free call 1800 813 327 or visit hesta.com.au for a copy of a Product Disclosure Statement which should be considered when making a decision about HESTA products. APHA National Congress APHA 33rd National Congress The APHA hosted its 33rd National Congress in Brisbane at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre from the 23-25 March 2014. Site Visits Delegates were taken on tours around Eye-Tech Day Surgery, St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital and Greenslopes Private Hospital. Welcome Reception With the assistance of networking guru Phillip Jones, delegates were encouraged to make new contacts. Exhibitors Exhibitors showcased the latest devices and information to aid private hospitals. 14 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 Speakers Delegates listened to an array of speakers including: The Hon Peter Dutton MP, Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, and Dr Mark O’Brien on a range of issues affecting the private hospital sector. Sessions included a mix of clinical information and leadership skills. Pre-Dinner Cocktail Party and Gala Dinner Delegates and invited guests were busy networking at the cocktail party (sponsored by Baxter) and Gala Dinner at Brisbane City Hall. The night was filled with lots of laughter and surprises. april 2014 Private Hospital 15 In focus Partnering with consumers Positive improvements The value of consumer and carer engagement at South Pacific Private S outh Pacific Private’s Consumer & Carer Advisory Committee (CACA) has been running for more than a decade and is typically comprised of 10 past client and carer representatives and two South Pacific Private staff members.The committee meets quarterly and suggestions for ongoing improvements are openly discussed and logged. South Pacific Private believes the CACA committee is invaluable and prides itself on the impact it has on the integrity and improvements in the hospital and for the patients. Claire Barber, South Pacific Private’s general manager commented,“Effective partnerships, consumer experience and high quality healthcare are of the utmost importance to South Pacific Private and we feel privileged to work so closely with our consumers, carers and healthcare partners.” The hospital received full accreditation in the 2013 National Accreditation Survey and was singled out by the surveyors for its work with consumers. According to the surveyors,“There was very strong evidence throughout the service that a central tenet of the organisation is partnering with consumers.” The value of consumer engagement The CACA committee has been an integral part of several key improvements throughout the hospital in recent years, including: 1.24 hour alumni support line: This support line was implemented in May 2013 as a direct response from a CACA committee member suggestion.This means the hospital is now able to take enquiry calls 24/7. Prior to this change, after hours calls (from 5.30pm onwards) were channeled to the nurses’ station and to after hours staff. However this was a strain on resources and challenging for the nursing department whose focus needed to be the inpatients’ care and treatment. Implementing this support line has helped to ensure the 16 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 nurses are able to focus their care on the inpatients overnight, and that South Pacific Private is better able to track and respond to overnight enquiries. 2.Client rights and responsibilities: The CACA committee reviewed South Pacific Private’s client rights and responsibilities.This resulted in improved communication throughout the hospital. Posters on rights and responsibilities are now clearly displayed for staff and clients. 3.Development of Changes 2 program resulting from phone survey: The CACA committee members conduct an annual survey with South Pacific Private alumni.This survey consists of questions around program content, development, improvements, customer experience, aftercare and patient recovery. As a result of this annual survey, the hospital developed a Changes 2 program to meet specific needs outlined in the survey. Changes 2 is designed as a treatment booster program, providing an intensive therapeutic experience to support clients who may be struggling in their recovery journey, with further psycho-education, psychotherapy and life skill development while reinforcing the principles of recovery. “The CACA committee has been an integral part of several key improvements throughout the hospital in recent years” 4.Pacific Connections: On a quarterly basis, South Pacific Private designs and develops two newsletters, Pacific Views (for healthcare professionals) and Pacific Connections (for past clients and alumni).The CACA committee helped to generate the idea for the latter as a reflection of annual survey results and this newsletter has been shared with alumni since 2011. Each quarter the newletters cover a variety of topics that are specific to supporting clients in their ongoing recovery journey. 5.Complete revision of the Step Down program (became Transitions): The Transitions program supports clients in their first few weeks after discharge as they transition back into their home and work environment. From personal experience John McMillan is a longstanding committee member and has been involved in many of the improvements and changes over the 20 years South Pacific Private (SPP) has been operating. He has also gone through recovery firsthand and brings his experience to the CACA committee in terms of perspective, insight and support. SPP asked Mr McMillan about his experience with the committee over the years. You’ve been involved with South Pacific Private as a client and as one of our consumer and carer committee members; what changes have you been privy to and do you think are significant? There have been a number of significant improvements over the years. The first I would cite would be the remodel and refurbishment of SSP. It impacted the ‘flow’ in a really positive way and I believe the service provided as a result is fantastic. As a result, there are more beds; and thus more on offer, which is great as it supports each individual experiencing treatment at SPP (regardless of how far along a person is in their recovery journey). Some of the biggest changes I have been privy to is the addition of more after care programs and day programs, which is really important in terms of a person’s recovery post discharge from SPP. Finally, and most significantly, the program has stayed constant, effective and has great integrity. You’ve been a key member of our CACA committee for some time now – what’s the value in being involved in that committee from your standpoint? I am able to share with others, from an intimate point of view, what is on offer; from the perspective of what the hospital is offering now and what the future holds. The CACA committee offers the layer of support that allows the vision and strategy of the hospital to be fulfilled and SPP to continue to support clients. This program is an important part of treatment as it allows clients to address issues as they arise and helps them to focus on reinforcing and extending the skills they learnt during their treatment. The CACA committee disseminated feedback from clients in the annual survey and used it to transform the program into what is now known as Transitions. 6.Aftercare planning groups and lectures developed to improve client aftercare knowledge and engagement: Another fundamental and valuable insight from the CACA committee was the inclusion of tailored lectures specific to aftercare and ongoing recovery.This was to ensure the hospital is educating and preparing clients in terms of how they would manage their own aftercare plans. It is critical to provide insights to clients in terms of their next steps post discharge and these lectures are now an integral part of the facility’s psycho-educational lecture content. The CACA committee provides ongoing support to the hospital. In addition to the quarterly meetings, South Pacific Private also engages with consumers and carers through a variety of channels, which include: • Annual phone survey of past clients • Suggestions box placed in the hospital • Client feedback cards available throughout the hospital and at the reception area • All compliments and complaints logged and addressed on a weekly basis • Weekly staff (clinical and non-clinical) and community meeting which provides the opportunity for current clients to feedback directly to staff • Alumni support email address. By Steve Stokes april 2014 Private Hospital 17 In focus Partnering with consumers Patient involvement Macquarie University Hospital created effective, meaningful strategies to meet national standards by keeping consumer participation high on the agenda I n meeting the Australian Government’s new national standards, Macquarie University Hospital prioritised patient engagement and staff education to make its ‘partnering with consumers’ standard an outstanding success. Early in 2013, Macquarie University Hospital set to work on developing a range of innovative strategies to ensure full compliance with the Australian government’s new National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards. The key to achieving these standards, in particular partnering with consumers, was developing a diligent project plan and creating a core team that assisted in its roll out across all levels of the organisation. Through a methodical approach and the harnessing of a number of tools to lift staff engagement and compliance, Macquarie University Hospital was able to boast being one of the first facilities in the country to roll out all 10 standards. “Every single standard involves some kind of patient involvement,” said Sue Dawson, deputy director of Clinical Services at Macquarie University Hospital, who also served as quality manager during the 12-month compliance process.“With this in mind, we kept consumer participation high on the agenda for the development and implementation of each standard, always focusing on effective strategies that would be meaningful for patients and carers.” Key initiatives included the development of a quality board to display information regarding hospital performance and quality activities such as falls and infection rates, as well as activities that extended to community involvement outside the hospital. Informing patients took place through initiatives such as a patient compendium that provided information about the services the hospital offers, and how and why the national standards were being implemented in clinical practice. In addition, the Australian Commission on 18 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 Vial MUH created a core team to assist in the implementation of Standard 2 Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQHC) resources, such as patient rights and responsibilities posters, were displayed in admission areas in 17 different languages along with a braille copy. “We also involved patients in the review process for hospital-produced publications,” said Ms Dawson.“This involved amending the patient feedback form to allow patients to nominate themselves as patient reviewers, then developing a reviewer database, which was used in developing our patient compendium and the My Stay booklet.” The hospital installed small whiteboards in each patient room that now capture key staff, medical and patient information. Nursing staff write their names on the board at the commencement of a shift, along with other information the patient would like – for example, tests to be conducted during the shift, the kind of diet they are on, and when their next pain medication is due. The whiteboards are also used to identify if a patient is at risk of falls or pressure areas by the use of a magnet that uses the ‘Falls and Pressure Injuries’ standards icons with the permission of the ACSQHC. Auditors from the commission noted that they had not seen this strategy used before. To engage consumers in early detection of clinical deterioration, criteria for calling a clinical review were changed to include ‘any serious concern by a family member’. And clinical handovers were moved from a private room to the patient’s bedside – also involving family members, if present. By Andrea Lewis Hospira your partner driving safety, efficiency and cost savings throughout the hospital. Advance with us. EDUCATION AND SERVICES SPECIALTY PHARMACEUTICALS MEDICATION SAFETY SOFTWARE HOSPIRA BIOLOGICS – BIOLOGICAL CONFIDENCE™ IV SAFETY SYSTEMS SMART PUMP TECHNOLOGY Hospira is the world’s leading provider of injectable drugs and infusion technologies. Through its broad, integrated portfolio, Hospira is uniquely positioned to Advance Wellness™ by improving patient and caregiver safety while reducing healthcare costs. WE LISTEN. WE THINK. WE DISCOVER. W E C R E AT E . W E A D V O C AT E . W E I N V E S T. april 2014 © Hospira Pty Ltd 2014 ABN 13 107 058 328 140107HOSP. January 2014 Private Hospital 19 In focus Partnering with consumers Maureen Hanley Ken Riding From a patient’s perspective The North Eastern Rehabilitation Centre recruited consultant consumer representatives to provide patient insights into the hospital P atient-centred care is at the heart of North Eastern Rehabilitation Centre’s (NERC) healthcare provision with a staff focus on providing the best patient experience possible. Effective engagement and communication with patients is a critical element for NERC in providing a transparent healthcare service for not only the patients but their families and carers, this empowers patients to have a greater say in the planning, delivery and evaluation of care and services whilst being treated at NERC. Focusing on their patient-first approach, the NERC management team recognised the benefits in partnering consultant consumer representatives who could provide insight into the hospital from a patient’s perspective. The NERC management team wanted to ensure they engaged the right mix of people who had not only the willingness and capacity to undertake such a voluntary role, but also had been a past or current patient of NERC or another rehabilitation facility. 20 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 NERC is a 46-bed hospital located in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.The hospital provides rehabilitation for trauma, spinal injury, neurological/stroke, orthopaedic, respiratory, chronic pain management, neurosurgical and restorative/reconditioning. Finding the right person meant utilising a local network to source potential candidates. In the end there were five applicants who undertook the recruitment process of which two candidates were offered the position – Ken Riding and Maureen Hanley, both former patients of NERC. The role of a consultant consumer representative incorporates many areas, including being active members of the Quality and Marketing Committees, as well as being required to review any new or amended publications. Another key focus is their liaison with current patients. According to Mr Riding,“The knowledge I have acquired at NERC has been enriching and based on feedback from management, my contributions to the hospital have been equally beneficial. It is important to realise that NERC is not a five-star hotel, but a rehabilitation hospital – patients are not here for a holiday but for the fantastic care and services. Getting that balance right is what we hope to achieve.” Ms Hanley adds,“Being a consultant consumer representative is different from what I expected as I have been quite involved in operational activities.This has given me quite the insight into how a hospital runs. Being a member of the NERC Quality Committee has been very interesting, my comments or suggestions are always well heard and I look forward to my continued involvement in 2014.” Suggestions from NERC’s consultant consumer representatives include: • Placing additional items on the breakfast menu • Raising the height of the garden beds to better facilitate garden therapy • Installing Wi-Fi so patients and their visitors can access free internet • Provision of larger flat screen TV’s positioned at a preferred height for viewing • Creation of an additional single room with ensuite By Simon Keating Hot off the press Pindara Private Hospital is engaging consumers with a new health and lifestyle magazine P indara Private Hospital, on the Gold Coast, has adopted an innovative approach towards meeting the requirements of Standard 2 of the 10 National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, with the creation of Pindara Magazine, a high quality health and lifestyle consumer quarterly publication. Encouraging and supporting proactive participation and decision-making from consumers and/or carers to improve the patient experience and patient health outcomes is a key criterion of Standard 2, which broadly requires a hospital to partner with consumers to improve the safety and quality of care. Pindara CEO Trish Hogan said the magazine was one of a range of the innovative initiatives her hospital has introduced to meet these requirements. Thought to be the first publication of its type, Pindara Magazine is similar in concept to an airline’s inflight magazine and is distributed free to all hospital patients, visitors, staff, doctors, as well as the general community. Robbie Falconer, business development and marketing manager, said,“The aim is simple: consult, inform and educate consumers in order to engage and empower them to make more informed healthcare choices.” Ms Falconer said Pindara Magazine was part of a communication strategy with long-term goals to keep the Gold Coast community up-to-date with current issues, ensuring communication between the hospital and our important stakeholder groups is a two-way process,” she said. “By creating a better informed and better educated consumer, over time, we expect they will be able to make more informed and more personally relevant healthcare choices. In other words, the more informed our consumers become, the more active “By creating a better educated consumer, over time, we expect they will be able to make more informed healthcare choices. In other words, the more informed our consumers become, the more active they will be in decision-making that concerns their own or their family’s healthcare” new treatments, and new and improved healthcare services and what these mean for the community. “We invited article submissions from a range of contributors, including patients, visitors, staff and the medical community. This process ensures the magazine content is relevant and meaningful while also they will be in decision-making that concerns their own or their family’s healthcare.” The first issue of Pindara Magazine went into circulation in February, and judging by the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from consumers, the magazine is really hitting the mark. Ian McGregor, Robbie Falconer, Ainslee Bauer, Jane McGarry enjoy reading the Pindara Magazine april 2014 Private Hospital 21 In focus Partnering with consumers Secret shopper Brisbane Private Hospital planted a fake patient to test and improve its admission processes A s part of its ongoing quest to improve customer satisfaction, Brisbane Private Hospital used an innovative technique to gauge what the admission process is like for patients. After careful planning, General Manager Mairi McNeill planted a pretend patient in the system.The patient was booked in for an elective surgery, which was later cancelled at the last minute. The ‘secret shopper’ went through the entire process – from consultation with the surgeon, pre-admission and the admission process and discharge, and provided a comprehensive report. This accurate report made it possible for the hospital to recognise areas that could be improved and develop ways to make the entire process more user friendly. Ms McNeill said while the pretend patient had no major complaints or problems, the hospital was able to use her comments and suggestions to better its processes. “In response to the feedback provided by our secret shopper, we have implemented a number of measures to ensure processes are streamlined and to improve the overall experience for patients,” she said. “For example, we have now introduced electronic admissions which eliminates duplication and saves time for the patients and staff. “We have also made amendments to our call centre script to ensure consistent information dissemination, and improved processes to ensure patients are fully informed prior to their admission. Ms McNeill said design layouts of areas used by patients were upgraded as well. “We implemented design changes such as reconfiguration of the waiting room layouts to improve our patients’ comfort,” she said. “The patient change rooms have also been modified to include benches for seating and spaces to hold belongings, and 22 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 “In response to the feedback provided by our secret shopper, we have implemented a number of measures to ensure processes are streamlined and to improve the overall experience for patients” a buzzer has been installed for patients who may need to call for assistance.” Ms McNeill said the findings prompted the hospital to review the time patients are asked to arrive prior to their operation. “We are in the process of doing a thorough analysis to work out the optimal time needed to prepare before an operation and how long the process takes for a patient to be admitted administratively and clinically,” she said. “We are working through the timing with admission, theatre and day surgery staff as well as practice managers and doctors to tailor times to suit patient needs.” Ms McNeill said the exercise was successful and the changes have been well received by patients and staff. “Our secret shopper provided invaluable feedback and it is something we will replicate in the future.” By Karla Simpson Saskia Spijker, medical imaging technologist The key to better care Epworth makes consultation with patients and their families a priority to raise the standard of care A focus on improving rehabilitation programs at Melbourne’s Epworth HealthCare has resulted in an increase in team planning that includes meetings and briefings with patients, their families and their important social contacts. Recognising the devastating effect of severe illness or traumatic injury on families and friends as well as the patients, multidisciplinary care teams go to great lengths to arrange meetings where everyone can contribute to plans for the future care and rehabilitation of the patient. For example, at Epworth’s Transitional Living Centre (TLC) in Thornbury, family consultations have always played a big role in developing programs for patients attending the unique residential program. TLC was established nearly 25 years ago for patients with severe brain injury. In that time, it has created individual patient programs for more than 400 people – helping them return to independent and productive living. Manager Helen Harrington says TLC’s success is thanks to dedicated staff and families, as well as organisations like the Salvation Army and the Keilor Rotary Club, who all those years ago, understood the need to create something different from a hospital setting for brain-injury patients in their long road towards independent living. “Whole communities benefit when families are supported in their care of an injured family member. A testament to the great team work and successful personal outcomes for residents is that many volunteer to work with new residents to share their relearning and recovery experiences – even years after they have completed their stay there,” Ms Harrington added. There are other areas across the rehabilitation sites, where patient care teams are guided by former and current patient views to help improve the programs they run. During 2013, a group of breast cancer patients undergoing rehabilitation at Epworth Camberwell were integral in shaping a program that addressed their physical, psychological and social needs.At the end of the first eight-week program, the patient group not only reported an improved confidence in their physical activities, but said they found a new and unexpected enthusiasm to return to their previous lifestyles because the sense of isolation that they had experienced earlier in their illness had diminished. By Fiona Gerrard and Colleen Coghlan april 2014 Private Hospital 23 In focus Partnering with consumers Making patient care a priority Eye-Tech focuses on providing patient-centred care in a day hospital setting E mpathy is the key to patientcentred care in any healthcare setting. At Eye-Tech Day Surgeries we have made empathy a foundation value. There are numerous definitions for patient-centred care.The ACSQHC suggest that a consumer-centred approach to care involves: • treating consumers and/or carers with dignity and respect • communicating and sharing information between consumers and/ or carers and healthcare providers • encouraging and supporting participation in decision making • fostering collaboration with consumers and/or carers and healthcare organisations in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of health care Internationally, the term patient-based, person-centred, relationship-based, patient-centred or patient and family centred are interchangeable. At Eye-Tech, we encourage patients to be actively involved in their care. We provide a physical environment that promotes patient comfort, and employ staff who are dedicated to meeting the physical and emotional comforts of our patients. How do we achieve this in a day hospital setting? This is a question often asked at our Consumer Focus Group (CFG) meetings. Key factors include: an organisational culture that encourages staff to be sensitive to patients’ needs during their stay; a facility designed to feel like home; and an emphasis on staff, patient and family education. Eye-Tech believes these qualities create a patient experience that distinguishes it from other day hospitals.There is a growing body of research that links patient experience and perceptions of care. At Eye-Tech we have devoted considerable time and effort in applying strategies for quality improvement, systems of risk management and incident reporting, which is essential but does not measure up without patient-centred care. Recruitment and retention of high quality staff are crucial to patient-centred care, and to keep the high quality staff we have it is important for us to operate as a learning organisation. As a result, we have created a relatively flat structure at the top; management and staff share information internally and externally, we provide educational opportunities, we try to stimulate new ideas, we work as a team – even though we are over two sites, and our communication is open. Increasingly, patients are faced with out-of-pocket expenses for their care, so naturally they are seeking more value for their money. Hospitals who respond to their consumers with personalised, high quality care and service excellence are poised to thrive in this era. We can differentiate ourselves by building a brand around a patient-centred approach that addresses the increasingly high expectations of our patients and families. By Anne Crouch Eye-Tech’s strategies 1. Rights and responsibilities Eye-Tech has implemented a rights-based patient constitution and charter. These documents are on our website, in the patient booklet and displayed in reception. We ask each patient individually if they understand the charter or if they have any questions they require answering. Generally speaking, most people say they understand and require no further clarification. 24 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 2. Patient feedback systems One of the methods we employ at Eye-Tech is the collection and reporting of patient feedback. We use a paper-based system and a telephone system. Another method of obtaining feedback is to capture the patient’s story by interviewing them on the spot. We use these stories to begin our meetings when possible. It is a very effective motivator for quality improvement. 3. Consumer Focus Groups For the past three years we have organised a Consumer Focus Group. We only have one meeting a year, generally in July after all the statistics and feedback for the organisations have been collated. There is a core group of five participants and we invite at least another four people who have been recent patients each year. In the first meeting, we learned consumers were not interested in the CEO or high level management driving this meeting. From then on the organisation of this meeting was delegated to one of our permanent part-time registered nurses. The CEO and the executive manager present a report on the day and answer questions during the meeting only. The key to this meeting is in the pre-reading, which is sent out in advance. We share everything Clockwise: Second stage recovery; checking patient ID prior to operating theatre; discharge lounge; patient clinical admission with this group with the exception of financial data. The members sign confidentiality statements and the work books are handed back at the end of the meeting. We include things such as quality and safety statistics, collated feedback and any booklet, brochure or piece of paper we hand out to patients and family in these work books. This allows time for a thorough review of the documents to ensure that everyone in the group can understand them. Participants are encouraged to ring the nurse organising the meeting if they require clarification prior to the meeting. We have made many changes from the feedback over the years. There is generally a lot of work to cover on the day and this preparation is essential for the smooth running of the meeting. Most of the participants have marked up questions and have prepared comments for discussion on the day. The other key is to ensure you cover everything you need to meet the standards in this annual meeting so that it can be reported. The consumer’s perspective is captured in the meeting minutes and action plan. These are the tools we table at every other meeting from staff to our highest governance level. 4. User-centred design We found it important to get patients and carers involved in the design from the initial planning stage. The consumer group stated that a quiet environment and cleanliness were very important to them. They also indicated the design should incorporate positive spaces, interesting ceilings, a natural colour palate and open planning. april 2014 Private Hospital 25 In focus Partnering with consumers Top 10 tips Insight into how private hospitals can implement Standard 2 M any small hospitals recruit a consultant to help them implement the 10 National Safety and Quality in Health Care (NSQHC) standards, but a consultant can only do so much. At some point, the owner or senior management needs to become involved in the implementation and execution of all 10 standards effectively and appropriately. Standard 2: Partnering with Consumers seems to offer more challenges than the other nine.This is because thinking care is reasonable and getting good feedback from an annual survey is not enough. Involvement with consumers progresses across a continuum of participation, building from a passive relationship to fully involved consumer engagement at a management level. Here are 10 tips to start you on your way: 1. Don’t be scared of it and don’t ignore it This standard seems intimidating because we don’t really understand what an auditor is going to look for. Unlike the other NSQHC standards, especially Standard 3: Infection Control, there is no definitive list of things to achieve. Overcome your fear of Standard 2 by looking at it, and accessing the Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Healthcare (ACSQHC)’s website for changes. If you choose to ignore this standard, you will achieve ‘not met’ ratings, and, have a relatively short time to rectify it. 2. Read the standard Start by understanding what partnering means, and then read about examples of how this is achieved. I recommend looking at some major leaders in patient centred care: Planetree and the King’s Fund.Then, look at some Australian and state resources, such as the Australian Institute Patient & Family Centred Care. I would recommend reading what similar organisations around 26 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 you are doing, and how they are implementing their partnering with consumers program.These resources will give you an idea of how to scope this for your organisation. It does not matter how small you are, there are things that can be done to meet the requirements. Looking at the ACSQHC’s website now, there are many toolkits available to suit various clinical settings. 3. Know your demographic Define your target population and design a partnering strategy around them. For example, Chermside Day Hospital (CDH) have chosen to recruit and contact their consumer group via email and the web.The majority of their maxillofacial consumer group are young adults dependant on internet engagement. CDH also present some scenarios to their Consumer Advisory Group (CAG), based on their incident reporting system. Feedback from the CAG provides insight on how consumers would resolve a particular issue. 4. Educate, educate, educate Education is essential. Educate and arm yourself with references and the standard. Present to the owner or board members. Engaging the highest level of governance is important to achieve the intent of this standard. I often get comments like ‘they just want me to take care of it’ or ‘they don’t want to be involved’. They need to be. Also, present it to your staff and teach them about partnering. You may choose to invite a consumer to your staff meetings so they can speak about their experience and provide advice to your staff members. At small one theatre facilities this is easy to do because the staff meetings are very intimate. You can also educate your consumers here and discuss topics like Open Disclosure. 7. Communicate Share hospital information with your consumers. Place a noticeboard in your waiting room or provide a flyer indicating what changes have occurred at the facility and seek feedback. Communicate your hand hygiene rates, the average wait time for patient procedures, and anything else you measure.Ask for suggestions from your consumer group. You may choose to write and display a ‘Partnering with Consumers’ policy outlining what you intend to do to partner with your consumers. 8. Follow-up and post op phone calls This is a great way to harness feedback from your patients and discuss the hospital’s performance.To do this, come up with a couple of things you’d like to measure. At the end of your post-op phone calls ask the patients some consumer related questions, such as ‘We’ve recently introduced our new booklet, what did you think of it?’ or tell the consumer what the organisation has achieved in the last three months, and ask them if they like this change and request some feedback. 9. Are you doing anything to change the facility? Some facilities change their layout or services from time to time. Display your plans, or invite your consumer group to discuss them with senior staff members. 5. Recruit some interested people People love to share their experiences. Chat to a few carers, and ask their thoughts about recent changes in your facility. Set up an email address so patients can be encouraged to communicate their input at any time. Put the email address on your discharge advises and website. Give your consumers the opportunity to contact you, other than when they are upset. Make sure you create a consumer group, complete with terms of reference. 6. Look at your documentation What do your consumers look at? Are your forms easy to fill in? Consider a patient brochure or booklet for them to have before their procedure.This will help you to think through the process for your consumer. It is important to identify what they need to know. Provide information in this brochure, for example ‘When not to come for your procedure’ or information about the national standards.Ask your consumer group to review your documentation. If your facility is very small, consider contacting an association to help you. For example, one of my clients has a predominately Chinese consumer base, so they presented their documentation to their local Chinese community support centre for advice.Another client contacted a hotel that specialises in care for the first night post procedure, and asked them to review their brochure on discharge care. Think outside the box! 10. Document, document, document and discuss Document your discussions and collect your reviews, regardless of how few they may be. Discuss all of your findings, feedback and suggestions at your meetings, and ensure ‘Consumer Engagement’ appears as a standing agenda item. The key is to start somewhere. When you start involving consumers in your facility, the inward flow of valuable information is inevitable. It becomes easier to integrate consumers once you have started. It won’t be long until you will be fostering partnering relationships without realising it. By Kelly Brandt, Tick It Business Solutions april 2014 Private Hospital 27 In focus Partnering with consumers Wesley cardiac patient Stephen McLean (left) with BraveHearts volunteer Ian Heap Peer support BraveHearts support cardiac patients at The Wesley Hospital W hen Ian Heap was diagnosed with coronary heart disease and underwent a stent procedure at Brisbane’s Wesley Hospital eight years ago, a visit from one of the hospital’s BraveHearts had an enormous impact on him – so much so, that Mr Heap is now a BraveHeart himself. BraveHearts are volunteers who have experienced a cardiac event, gone through The Wesley Hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation program HeartWise, then received special training to visit and offer support and encouragement to cardiac patients in the hospital’s wards. The BraveHearts cardiac patient peer support program began in 1999, and since then volunteers have made more than 12,000 visits to patients. “The visit I had from Ron was the beginning of the healing process for me,” Mr Heap said.“No matter what people might say, a cardiac event is a frightening experience and thoughts like ‘this is the 28 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 end of my life’ run through your head. I felt very lonely. “Ron said to me,‘Look, this happened to me. I understand how you are feeling, but there is life after this’.Talking to him was a great benefit to me.” Mr Heap became a BraveHeart volunteer about five years ago and visits patients at The Wesley Hospital one day per week. “I visit people usually after they have had their stent procedures, and would normally see about four patients in a day,” Mr Heap said.“The first thing is to listen, to gauge how someone is feeling, if they want to chat or not.We respect a patient’s privacy and dignity. I come with a cheery attitude and I am happy to share my experience, talk about the lifestyle changes I had to make after finding out I had heart disease. “It is very rewarding for me to be involved as a BraveHeart. Knowing that you have helped somebody, that’s the first and foremost thing.” HeartWise Health Services Clinical Nurse Manager, Sandy McKellar, said the BraveHeart volunteers provided an invaluable peer support service to patients admitted for a range of acute cardiac events including bypass and valve surgery and angioplasty. “The BraveHearts program is an adjunct of HeartWise and is designed to meet the needs of a patient as an individual,” Ms McKellar said. “BraveHearts volunteers are in a unique position to provide understanding and empathy for patients, their partners and families because they have been there, they have gone through it. “Research has shown that social isolation and social stresses can have a negative impact on cardiovascular outcomes, whereas social support has been associated with improved quality of life for cardiac patients. “Partnering with past HeartWise participants who can share personal experiences, provide compassion, support and motivation to patients enhances our cardiac services.” Strathfield on the cutting edge Dr David Martin at Strathfield Private Hospital Strathfield is using robotic GI surgery to improve outcomes for patients P ioneering surgeons Dr David Martin and Dr Michael Talbot from Strathfield Private Hospital are the first Australian doctors to perform robotic upper gastro-intestinal surgery using the da Vinci robot – with the initial procedures yielding impressive results. The robot, which features a 3D-high definition vision system, has tiny wristed instruments that bend and rotate further than the human hand – resulting in tiny incisions, fast recovery and less blood loss. “Robotic GI surgery allows the surgeon to have a significantly greater range of movement and dexterity when compared to conventional keyhole surgery,” Dr Martin said. “It may be particularly useful for difficult cancer operations or complex revision bariatric surgery. “We’ve performed several procedures including sleeve operations, gastric bypasses, hiatus hernia operations and revision surgery on two patients who have previously undergone obesity operations.” Dr Martin says surgical procedures for obesity are gaining more acceptance as the health benefits are better understood by patients and the medical community – coupled with innovative new technology and good safety profiles. “The number of obesity operations carried out annually has increased from around 400 procedures 10 years ago, to 13,000 in 2013.” He said whilst diet and exercise are still the front line tactics in the war on weight, when that fails, increasingly surgical procedures play a role. “Today, serious side effects of bariatric surgery occur in less than one per cent of all bariatric surgeries when performed by subspecialty upper GI teams. “And in more advanced cases, not having surgery can be much riskier. “For our average obesity patient with a BMI of 45, (who often has co-existing conditions such as diabetes), the risk of dying prematurely through a weightrelated issue or cancer is about three times higher than someone of a healthy weight.” He says sleeve surgery and gastric bypass were also increasingly beneficial for people with weight-related diabetes. “Post-surgery, the effects on insulin have been fast and dramatic – due to the metabolic effect of the operation. In about 50 per cent of cases people resolve their diabetes; some people come to hospital on diabetic medication and leave without it or else resolve their diabetes in the weeks and months that follow.” By Jane Worthington april 2014 Private Hospital 29 Feature New technology Robotic surgery Greenslopes Private Hospital is utilising its well-established robotic surgical unit to offer patients complex and uncommonly performed procedures G reenslopes Private General Surgeon, Dr Shinn Yeung, has performed the first robotic distal pancreatectomy in Australia. A distal pancreatectomy is performed in order to resect a tumor in the distal portion of the pancreas – also known as the tail. In this procedure, the abnormal portion of the pancreas is removed – sometimes with the adjoining spleen, and the remaining part of the pancreas is sutured or stapled shut.This operation is normally performed as an open procedure, but can be performed laparoscopically. Since it is a minimally invasive procedure performed through a number of small incisions, robotic distal pancreatectomy avoids the need for a large abdominal incision, resulting in less post-operative discomfort and scarring and a speedier recovery. In addition, the da Vinci Si surgical robot provides surgeons with an enhanced ability to visualise and safely operate on the blood vessels surrounding the pancreas, compared with laparoscopic or open surgery.This enhanced visualisation also allows for improved spleen preservation rates. Hepatobiliary and pancreatic operations are complex and uncommonly performed procedures, and to date there are few centres around the world where they are performed robotically. “We are fortunate at Greenslopes Private to have a well-established robotic surgical unit, and can now offer patients the option of performing these procedures robotically,” Dr Yeung said. “We are building on the success of the last five years with more than 2,000 robotic radical prostatectomies being performed here at Greenslopes.” As a major tertiary referral centre with some of Queensland’s finest surgeons on campus, Greenslopes is able to offer 30 Private Hospital A p r i l 2 014 Greenslopes Private Hospital General Surgeon, Dr Shinn Yeung patients access to very complex surgical procedures, some of which can now be performed robotically. In recent months we have seen other firsts for robotic surgery performed at Greenslopes Private Hospital. Urologist Dr Kate Gray performed Queensland’s first robotic sacrocolpopexy. This procedure is performed to correct prolapse and/or herniation of the vagina, uterus and bladder. In this procedure, mesh is used to anchor the cervix to the sacral bone thereby lifting the vagina and bladder into their normal anatomic positions. The robotic sacrocolpopexy avoids the need for a large abdominal incision, and women undergoing this procedure are able to experience a less painful recovery with a significantly quicker return to normal activities than would be possible with open surgery. Gynaecological Oncologist, Associate Professor Russell Land recently performed Greenslopes’ first robotic hysterectomies. Many women suffer from gynaecologic conditions that may require a hysterectomy. Associate Professor Land said that until now, women facing a hysterectomy have had the option to have this procedure done as open surgery or laparoscopically but now we are able to offer this state of the art minimally invasive surgical option using the da Vinci system. By Frances McChlery Feature New technique Improving diagnosis World-first study shows MRI technique improves diagnosis of life-threatening prostate cancer I n an international first, a clinical trial at Brisbane’s Wesley Hospital has shown that a medical resonance imaging (MRI) guided technique will significantly improve diagnosis of life-threatening prostate cancer while reducing over-diagnosis of non-life-threatening cases. Wesley urologist Dr Les Thompson detailed key findings of a two-year study published in the journal European Urology. The study found that use of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI): • reduced the number of men needing prostate biopsies by 51% • reduced the problem of over-diagnosis of non-life threatening disease by about 90% • had a 92% sensitivity in diagnosing life-threatening prostate cancer. (Compared with the current leading method for prostate cancer diagnosis - transrectal ultrasound biopsy – which had a 70% sensitivity in diagnosing life-threatening prostate cancer) “This latest mpMRI imaging technique will reduce over-treatment of men with non-life-threatening prostate cancer, avoiding the possible side-effects of treatment,” Dr Thompson said. “This is a significant improvement in terms of accuracy and in reducing discomfort for patients and spares many men the burden of multiple prostate biopsies.” The clinical trial was conducted by Dr Thompson in collaboration with Dr Rob Parkinson, a specialist radiologist from Wesley Medical Imaging, Professor Jelle Barentsz, from the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center,The Netherlands and Dr Morgan Pokorny, a Research Urological Fellow at Queensland University of Technology.The trial was supported by the Wesley Research Institute and the Thoresen Foundation. In the study, 223 patients who had elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels underwent two different diagnostic approaches: a standard transrectal ultrasound biopsy (TRUSGB) and mpMRI imaging of their prostates. Only those patients whose MRI images pointed to high-risk prostate cancer then underwent mpMRI-guided biopsy to pinpoint cancer. TRUSGB had a 70% sensitivity in diagnosing life-threatening prostate cancer while mpMRI had a 92% sensitivity in diagnosing life-threatening prostate cancer. “TRUSGB uses as many as 12 to 30 needles for biopsy to randomly test cells in the prostate,” Dr Thompson said.“The mpMRI-guided biopsy needs only two needles directed into the suspicious area that has been identified on the mpMRI images.” Wesley Medical Imaging radiologist Dr Parkinson said that mpMRI used three parameters when imaging the prostate. “Diffusion-weighted imaging, one of these three parameters, assesses movement of water molecules within tissues. An imaging map is mathematically generated from this information, and prostate cancer is evident as a dark area,” Dr Parkinson said. “When biopsies are done under ultrasound guidance, random core samples are obtained from all areas of the prostate. “When biopsies are performed after a prostate mpMRI, you know where the tumour is located and thus where to direct the biopsy needle.” Wesley Hospital urologist Dr Les Thompson and Wesley Medical Imaging radiographer Dr Rob Parkinson. april 2014 Private Hospital 31 Feature New technology Cardiologist Dr John Hayes in St Andrew’s EP laboratory using MediGuide Heart guide St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital in Brisbane offers ground-breaking technology for safer heart procedures S t Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital is the first hospital in the Southern Hemisphere to acquire ground-breaking technology that provides a safer way for patients to undergo heart procedures by dramatically reducing radiation. St Andrew’s has invested $1 million in the MediGuide Technology, which will assist specialists during complex electrophysiology (EP) procedures to diagnose problems with the heart’s rhythm (arrhythmias) and to provide treatment therapies such as ablation and implant of cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) devices (pacemakers and defibrillators). MediGuide incorporates technology that is similar to a GPS (global positioning system) in a car satellite navigation device or smartphone. During conventional EP procedures, a continuous series of live X-ray images of the heart (fluoroscopy) is needed to show specialists the real-time position of electrode catheters inside the heart. Using MediGuide, 32 Private Hospital A p r i l 2 014 only a brief series of recorded fluoroscopic images is required. The MediGuide Technology uses miniature sensors embedded in catheters and other devices to superimpose a three-dimensional (3-D) visualisation of these devices over the prerecorded images to show the specialist their precise location inside the patient. By reducing the time live X-rays are used, radiation exposure is cut substantially – overseas experience shows decreases of up to 90 percent using MediGuide can be achieved, depending on the type and duration of a procedure. St Andrew’s Cardiologist and a Director of Queensland Cardiovascular Group, Dr John Hayes, performed the first EP procedures at St Andrew’s using MediGuide on 28 January, in the presence of Dr Philipp Sommer, associate professor at the University of Leipzig, Germany, who has utilised the technology in more than 350 cases. “We are excited that St Andrew’s is the first hospital not only in Australia, but in the Asia-Pacific region and the southern hemisphere, to have this technology,” Dr Hayes said. “Rather than using GPS satellites in the sky we have, in effect, a couple of satellites in the X-ray equipment using lowfrequency electromagnetic signals to track miniature sensors in the catheters and other devices to guide us. “Reducing radiation exposure to patients is very important because the more radiation anybody is exposed to, the greater the cumulative risk of developing cancers. Patients with cardiovascular disease may have to undergo many tests and procedures that involve radiation in their lifetimes.” Deputy Chief Medical Officer for UnitingCare Health and Director of Medical Services at St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital, Dr Christian Rowan, said the acquisition of MediGuide demonstrated the hospital’s commitment to innovation in healthcare and achieving world-class results for patients. Glaucoma breakthrough Dr Manning checks Carol Hall’s eye Group 44 Graduating Group Australia’s first iStent procedure in progress Hunter Valley Private Hospital has successfully completed an Australian-first glaucoma procedure A new Australian-first procedure to help reduce vision loss in glaucoma patients has been successfully completed on a Newcastle woman at a Hunter Valley hospital. Carol Hall from Cardiff had a tiny titanium device called an iStent implanted into her right eye in a 20-minute procedure at Hunter Valley Private Hospital (HVPH) last month. Glaucoma is a disease often associated with rising pressure inside the eye that damages the optic nerve. Nicknamed the ‘sneak thief of sight’, if left untreated it can cause irreversible blindness. Consultant surgeon Dr David Manning said in the past glaucoma sufferers either had to undergo complicated surgery or use daily eye drops to help manage this incurable disease. Dr Manning said the implant is helping to reduce the need for either. Research conducted in the United States shows that 68 per cent of glaucoma patients who received the iStent remained medication free at 12 months. “The iStent basically creates a channel for fluid to bypass the site of blockage in the eye and lower the eye pressure to help prevent further vision loss,” Dr Manning said. “The procedure is minimally invasive and has little risk compared to other major glaucoma surgeries.” Ms Hall had her check up with Dr Manning at his rooms in Charlestown. She said she was back at bingo and is chuffed at being the first Australian with an iStent. According to Glaucoma Australia, one in 10 Australians over 80 will develop glaucoma. More than 300,000 Australians have glaucoma, but 50 percent of those people don’t know they have it. While it is more common as people age, it can occur at any age. As our population becomes older, the proportion of glaucoma patients is increasing. HVPH CEO Lance Wheeldon said the hospital is a leading ophthalmology facility in Newcastle and the Hunter. Dr Manning is one of eight eye specialists that operate at the Shortland hospital. HVPH was the first hospital in NSW and the second in the southern hemisphere to use a $65,000 surgical guidance system to enable real-time eye tracking ensuring extremely accurate alignment of a lens. iStent and iStent inserter By Craig Eardley april 2014 Private Hospital 33 Feature New treatment Change in fate Australian-first surgery has patient back in action Dr David Johnson A fter almost 10 years of debilitating neck and back pain as a result of a farming accident, Jason Ogden is pain-free thanks to a multilevel disc replacement - the first of its kind in Australia. Mr Ogden, a 42-year-old IT analyst at the University of the Sunshine Coast, was just weeks away from having his neck fused – the traditional treatment for collapsed or bulging cervical discs that can leave a patient with permanent pain and loss of mobility. Mr Ogden said it wasn’t an option he was comfortable with but it was a fate he was willing to accept. “I was no longer coping with my injury. I had been in a lot of pain and on a huge amount of medication for so long and it just wasn’t working anymore,” he said. “I was reluctant to have my discs fused but I felt like I had no other option. I just couldn’t take the pain any longer.” Luckily for Mr Ogden, Brisbane Private Hospital neurosurgeon Dr David Johnson gave him an alternative. “It was like serendipity,” said Mr Ogden. “Just when I had come to terms with having to have the fusion, Dr Johnson gave me another option that had just become available – one that would give me a better prognosis and take less recovery time. I jumped on it and now I couldn’t be happier.” In an Australian-first, Dr Johnson performed a multi-level cervical disc replacement using new artificial discs that have a unique mobile core. These new prosthesis preserve the 34 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 natural motion of the neck and their compact design means multiple implants can be inserted without over distracting the neck. Dr Johnson said this new technology is showing great promise for better outcomes in people with multi-level neck disease when compared to fusion. “Older style surgery fused the neck, leaving the patient with ongoing pain and stiffness, making even the simplest of tasks like reverse parking, painful and difficult,” he said. “These new implants have a mobile core which mimics a healthy spine and results in faster recovery times and there is no loss of cervical movement, particularly if multiples of segments of the spine need to be addressed surgically.” Dr Johnson said while other prosthetic discs had been around for some time, most were very bulky and were still constrained in the movement they provided. “These new devices are low profile which is especially good for older patients who have collapsed discs, as there is not a lot of space to insert them,” he said. “The compactness also allows for multi-level disc replacements which is what we performed with Jason. “Thanks to this new technology, Jason will regain the mobility of a healthy spine and be able to live a life free of pain from his injury.” Now seven months since the surgery, Mr Ogden said he is back at work and living a normal life again. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to move around freely and live my life without pain,” he said. “I could feel the results immediately after the surgery and now, seven months later, I am feeling great and back into my normal day to day activities. “The pain from the original injury is gone altogether now. It is almost like I never had the injury to begin with. “I could not be more pleased with the outcome and hope this will help others take the leap if this is an option for them to be pain free as well.Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Dr Johnston and his entire team, I am so happy.” By Karla Simpson Since the last issue Moving forward APHA is building relationships and providing guidance APHA and CHA Meet with Health Workforce Principals Committee On 13 February, 12 months collaboration between APHA and Catholic Health Australia (CHA) through the Not For Profit and Private Sector Workforce Committee bore fruit in an opportunity for Michael Roff and Martin Laverty to meet with the Health Workforce Principals Committee (HWPC).The HWPC brings together senior bureaucrats from the federal government and all states and territories. In his concluding remarks, Dr Pradeep Philip, chair of the committee identified the opportunity for the sector to continue to build a relationship with the committee around the development of a shared narrative about workforce. APHA and CHA were also encouraged to continue building relationships with each of the jurisdictions represented. APHA Discussions on Performance Reporting With NHPA The most recent upload of data to the My Hospitals website on 17 March saw a significant number of private hospitals reporting on performance indicators.What is under discussion now is how private hospitals might participate in other National Health Performance Agency (NHPA) reports were this data analysed on a comparative basis. NHPA’s public sector reporting program includes multi-stage consultation and data changing processes and it remains to be seen how equivalent processes might be established in the private sector. One proposal under consideration is that the private sector might be invited to participate in a ‘shadow report’, ie production of an unpublished report in order to test the process. Further consideration of this matter and the complex issues involved is being led by the APHA Safety and Quality Taskforce. Reports already produced by NHPA on the public hospital sector are available from its website nhpa.gov.au. AIHW Private Hospital Statistics Advisory Committee AIHW has established a committee to provide guidance to it on the production of a report dedicated to the private hospital sector. APHA has welcomed this development while cautioning that the limitations of existing data collections must be recognised and development of new reports must involve extensive consultation with the sector. APHA is represented by Meke Kamps, Manager Data and Research. Representing APHA Christine Gee, CEO of Toowong Private Hospital has accepted an invitation to represent APHA in discussions with the Department of Veterans Affairs on Pay for Performance. Mark Stephens (Chesterville Day Hospital) and Dr Daniel Heredia (Hollywood Private) have accepted appointment to ACHS working parties on internal medicine and anaesthesia respectively. Kay Bonello (La Trobe Private Hospital) is representing APHA on the International Classification of Diseases Technical Group committee while Scott Williams (North Eastern Community Hospital) has taken on the role of representation on the Diagnosis Related Group Technical Group. Both Committees are convened by the Australian Consortium for Classification Development. Council Meeting The APHA Council met during the Congress and welcomed Alan Morrison, Sportsmed SA Hospital and Vincent Borg, Epworth Health Care to the Council.The Council listened to a presentation from Bernie Harrison, Executive Director Hospital Performance, National Health Performance Authority and received a briefing from Lisa Ramshaw, Director, Communications and Marketing on the relaunch of the Valuing Private Hospitals campaign (see page 42). APHA Quarterly PHIAC Update – December 2013 The Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC) released its quarterly statistics for the December quarter of 2013 on 17 February 2014. The APHA has now completed its detailed analysis for this quarter which is available on the members area of the APHA website. Should you require further information please contact Meke Kamps at APHA on (02) 6273 9000. APRIL 2014 Private Hospital 35 Private Hospitals Week Choose what’s best for you Show your community how valuable your private hospital really is and get involved with Private Hospitals Week 2014 T he Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA) was proud to launch the new look to the Private Hospital campaign at the APHA National Congress in March. The successful ‘We Do So Much More’ campaign has run for the past three years and has helped raise awareness of the contribution private hospitals make in caring for Australians and supporting the Australian health system. Public perception of Australia’s private healthcare system has improved and there is a marked increase in the understanding of services offered in private hospitals. After three years, APHA decided that it was time to change the messaging and to refresh the brand. The APHA Communications and Marketing Taskforce met at the end of last year to discuss what they needed from the campaign; from this the following aims were decided: • Promote the benefits of choice • Establish a clear identity/brand of private hospitals • Distinguish the offering between private and public hospitals • Change behaviour – Is this what’s best for me or my family? From this discussion,‘Choose What’s Best for You’ was developed, which creates a strong differential and emotional attachment to private hospitals. APHA will be sending campaign material, including X-frame banners, posters, brochures, fact cards, balloons and stickers to hospitals for Private Hospitals Week, which will be held on the 19-25 May 2014. APHA encourages hospitals to invite their local community into their hospitals for morning teas, information sessions and tours of their facility. If you are a member hospital of APHA and would like to be involved, please contact Lyndal Bailey on [email protected]. 40% of patients are treated in private hospitals about private hospitals Almost half of all heart procedures privatehospitals.org.au 36 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 performed occur in private and day hospitals More than half of all surgeries in Australia are performed in private hospitals Care and support throughout your recovery choose what’s best for you Private hospitals are a vital part of Australia’s health care system. Every day we save lives and improve the quality of life for our patients. Timely treatment for you and your loved ones choose what’s best for you Private hospitals are a vital part of Australia’s health care system. Every day we save lives and improve the quality of life for our patients. Peace of mind for you and your loved ones choose what’s best for you Private hospitals are a vital part of Australia’s health care system. Every day we save lives and improve the quality of life for our patients. Care and support when you need it choose what’s best for you Private hospitals are a vital part of Australia’s health care system. Every day we save lives and improve the quality of life for our patients. APRIL 2014 Private Hospital 37 Legal Matters Consumer privacy What do changes to the Privacy Act mean for private hospitals? Partner Holman Webb, Lawyers Health, aged care & life sciences E: alison.choyflannigan @holmanwebb.com.au P: 02 9390 8338 T he Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) (Privacy Act), which applies to Commonwealth government agencies and private sector organisations, has been recently amended by the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 (Cth) (Privacy Amendment Act).The Privacy Amendment Act commenced on 12 March 2014. The amended Privacy Act continues to operate concurrently with related state and territory laws. Penalties for privacy breaches have increased for some offences to up to $340K for individuals and $1.7 million for body corporates. Australian Privacy Principles The Privacy Amendment Act replaces the Information Privacy Principles and the National Privacy Principles (NPPs) with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). In summary they are: APP 1 – open and transparent management of personal information APP 2 – anonymity and pseudonymity APP 3 – collection of solicited personal information APP 4 – dealing with unsolicited personal information APP 5 – notification of the collection of personal information APP 6 – use or disclosure of personal information APP 7 – direct marketing APP 8 – cross-border disclosure of personal information APP 9 – adoption, use or disclosure of government related identifiers APP 10 – quality of personal information APP 11 – security of personal information APP 12 – access to personal information APP 13 – correction of personal information 38 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 All private hospital operators must review and revise their privacy policies if they have not done so already. Consumer engagement and direct marketing All businesses are usually involved in consumer engagement and direct marketing to some extent, hospitals included. Hospitals may involve consumers/patients in patient feedback forms, hospital websites and forums, community engagement meetings, discussions with consumer advocacy and interest groups, recruitment for research projects and/or clinical trials, fundraising, health awareness programs and/or marketing for hospital services. However, hospitals are in a unique situation because their consumers are usually patients and hospitals collect personal information in the course of providing health services. Person information collected to provide or in providing a health service is “health information” and health information is “sensitive information”. Special rules apply to “sensitive information”. As it is difficult for a hospital operator to categorise which information was collected in providing a health service and information which was not, it would be prudent to operate on the basis that all of the personal information a hospital operator holds in relation to patients is “sensitive information”. Sensitive information (including health information) APP 7.4 requires that an organisation may use or disclose sensitive information about an individual for the purpose of direct marketing if the individual has consented to the use or disclose of the information for that purpose. Therefore, if you wish to contact past or current patients for consumer engagement or direct marketing you should obtain their Photography: Sue Ferris Alison Choy Flannigan consent to use their information for that purpose. For the avoidance of doubt, we distinguish: • “consumer engagement”; from • communications with patients which is required for their healthcare. Use of information for healthcare is a “primary purpose” of collection and is permitted. Consent can be express or implied, written or oral, however, express consent is preferable. Consent can also be “opt in” or “opt out”, however, if you proceed with the “opt out” model, say in your admission forms, it will be appropriate in limited circumstances and: • the opt out option must be clearly and prominently presented; • you must provide to the individual information about the proposed collection, use and disclosure and the option to opt out; • you must provide to the individual information on the implications of not opting out; • the opt out option must be freely available and not bundled with other purposes; • it must be easy for the individual to exercise the opt out option; • the consequences of opting out are not serious; and • an individual who opts out at a later time, will, as far as practicable, be placed in the position as if they had opted out earlier. Non-sensitive information If you have collected personal information that is not sensitive information (that is, not health information) – for example information about non-patient information, then that information may be used in direct marketing. • if the information was collected directly from the individual; and • the individual would reasonably expect the organisation to use or disclose the information for that purpose; and • the organisation provides a simple means by which the individual may request not to receive direct marking communications from the organisation; and • the individual has not made such a request to the organisation. If you have collected personal information which is not sensitive information and all of the following conditions are met, that information may be used in direct marketing: • the information was collected direct from the individual but the individual would not expect you to use that information for direct marketing or you collected that information from a third party (such as marketing list); and • either the individual has consented to that use or it is impracticable to obtain consent; and • the organisation provides a simple means by which the individual may easily request not to receive direct marking communications from the organisation; and • in each direct marketing communication with the individual the organisation indicates a prominent statement that the individual may request to opt out or the organisation otherwise draws the individuals attention to the fact that the individual may make such a request; and • the individual has not made such a request. Note, however, other laws may also apply, for example, in relation to the “do not call register.” Reports and anonymity When using information for consumer engagement it is preferable to use de-identified data in any resulting reports if possible. Also, consumers should be given an option to provide consumer feedback on an anonymous basis or by using a pseudonym. In publishing results concerning regulated health professionals (such as medical practitioners and nurses) remember to comply with the Medical Board of Australia Guidelines for Advertising of Regulated Health Services, including the Social Media Policy which commenced on 17 March 2014. The Australian Privacy Principle Guidelines are available on oaic.gov.au. This article is provided for general information purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. APRIL 2014 Private Hospital 39 Policy Perspective Prescription for medication safety Electronic prescribing systems could ensure safety and quality of care for patients as they move into and out of acute care settings. Lucy Cheetham Director, Policy & Research Australian Private Hospitals Association E: [email protected] P: 02 6273 9000 W: apha.org.au T: @LucyCheetham1 40 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 E lectronic prescribing systems could ensure safety and quality of care for patients as they move into and out of acute care settings. Medication issues account for about 2-3% of hospital admissions every year. These result in hospital stays that are either avoidable altogether, or longer than they need have been.This rate has been stubbornly consistent over three decades resulting in an annual cost of $1.2 billion. A literature review of the research on medication safety completed for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care in August 2013 makes timely reading as we prepare to begin the final year of the Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement. Patients are at particularly high risk of medication related misadventure as they move in and out of acute care settings. High risk groups include: • Chemotherapy patients • Palliative care patients • Hospital in the home patients • Aged care residents • People with multiple conditions An estimated 20% to 30% of admissions for people over the age of 65 – up to 1.1 million admissions – are medication related. Importantly, this review also identifies key interventions to address these problems. Medication reconciliation for patients on admission to hospital is identified as essential in ensuring that medication charts are an accurate and comprehensive record of both therapies and allergies. Research has shown that without routine intervention, as many as one in two patients will have a medication chart that is incomplete. Allergies are often poorly documented unless pharmacists review charts. Procedural and documentation errors within hospital settings can be reduced by use of electronic prescribing systems. More importantly, these systems provide crucial efficiencies that free up pharmacists’ time to attend to the prevention of clinical errors, which it is estimated arise in 2.5% of medicine orders. Ideally electronic prescribing systems need to incorporate substantial clinical decision support. Implementation also needs to be accompanied by staff training. Currently, however, electronic prescribing systems are not permitted in private hospitals, beyond a strictly limited number of sites involved in a long running government trial. As was mentioned in APHA’s submission to the recent review of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record System, electronic recording of medication and allergy records should be prioritised. These initiatives would provide safe and effective clinical handover and the reduction of medication error and related adverse events. The APHA will be calling on the federal government to ensure that future funding arrangements for the PBS and associated programs takes heed of these findings and recognises the crucial role of hospital based pharmacists in ensuring safety and quality of care for patients as they move into and out of acute care settings. Professor Libby Roughead, Dr Susan Semple, Ms Ellie Rosen Feld, Literature Review: Medication Safety in Australia, Australian Commission of Safety and Quality in Health Care, August 2013. http://www.safetyandquality. gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Literature-ReviewMedication-Safety-in-Australia-2013.pdf You eTG complete me. Concise, independent and evidence-based recommendations for patient management. eTG complete features the latest versions of over 3000 Therapeutic Guidelines topics, including the current endorsed therapeutic guidelines on antibiotic usage.1 Available for use via intranet, individual workstations and mobile devices. 1 Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (September 2011). National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, ACSQHC, Sydney. www.tg.org.au Pharmacy Focus Dispensary automation Can a sound business case be made for pharmacy robotic dispensing units? Michael Ryan Director, PharmConsult PharmConsult is Australasia’s leading hospital pharmacy consultancy advising hospitals on the operational, financial, professional, service, risk and legislative issues associated with hospital pharmacy services. P: 03 9813 0580 W: pharmconsult.com.au 42 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 T he answer quite simply is, yes. As with most complex analyses, the ability to arrive at a positive business case depends on the criteria against which automated dispensing machines (ADMs) or as they are also known, pharmacy robotic dispensing units or robotic dispensing, are assessed. Background In an earlier article in the December 2013 edition of Private Hospital, the benefits of ADMs were described. A reasonable next step is to produce a business case for pharmacybased robotic dispensing. Evidence from a number of UK hospitals over the last 10 years has shown that the introduction of pharmacy robotic dispensing has resulted in fewer dispensing errors, faster dispensing requiring fewer staff, less expired stock and reduced stock holdings. But can these benefits justify the large capital investment required for robotic dispensing? In their November 2010 review of robotic dispensing, Deloitte made the point that to make a business case for robotic dispensing, savings must exceed both the equipment and other associated and ongoing costs.1 They also highlighted that although the financial benefits and process efficiencies can be quantified in terms of inventory, turnover and staff savings, there is also a need to assign measurement to risk minimisation, space utilisation and staff morale. In addition, to quantify the capital cost of the robots, other costs including enabling work, infrastructure, interfaces, hardware, project management, overtime and contingency plans need to be considered. Quantification of benefits The following measures of benefits resulting from ADM implementation are drawn from a number of primary and secondary sources including: • a report on the impact of robotic dispensing in a hospital pharmacy department published by the King’s College Hospital (KCH);2 • the Deloitte paper entitled Robotic dispensing. Automation in pharmacy; and • a review conducted for the Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Healthcare in June 2013 entitled Automated Dispensing Systems and published as part of its Evidence Briefings on Interventions to Improve Medication Safety. 3 Cost savings The main areas for savings in costs associated with the implementation of robotic dispensing in pharmacy include: a) reduction in pharmacy dispensary staff: KCH reduced pharmacy dispensary staff expenditure by 51%, i.e. reduced costs from £262,278 to £134,068 pa over 12 months; b) reduction in stock holding: KCH reduced stock holding by £534,000 as a one-off saving [for reference, the value of drugs issued by KCH Pharmacy in the year of the analysis was approx. £28.3million (or $A53.2m)]; c) reduction in expired stock: KCH reduced expired stock from 0.5% of the value of drug issues to 0.3% (with actual savings in the order £100,000 pa in the first three years). In addition, through automation of the picking process, a number of UK hospitals have reduced employment costs by shifting the skill mix towards lower paid staff without increasing error rates, whilst enabling reductions in overtime and the use of agency staff despite increases in dispensing activity. Reduction in dispensing errors Observational studies following implementation of ADMs in UK hospital pharmacies have shown significant decreases in dispensing error rates from 0.64% to 0.28%4 in one study and from 1.2% to 0.6% and 2.7% to 1.0% in another multisite study.5 KCH observed a reduction from an average of 12.85 reported errors per day to 4.52 reported errors per day. In contrast, other studies have found non-significant reductions in dispensing errors following implementation of ADMs.6 Increasing dispensing efficiency A number of improvements in the dispensing process have been reported including: a) at KCH – reducing the waiting time for patients for discharge medication by 27 minutes (from 131 minutes to 104 minutes) and for outpatients by an average of 15 mins (49 minutes to 34 minutes); b) reducing the average time to dispense a prescription from 8.44 minutes to 5.377 minutes. Although there are reports of nonsignificant reductions in the time taken to dispense medications, the majority of studies show that dispensing robots reduce both dispensing and patient waiting time. Other factors Additional benefits found by KCH in their post ADM-implementation analysis, included: a) t he release of pharmacists, no longer involved in routine supply processes, to support direct patient care; b) the implementation of original pack dispensing (i.e. the dispensing, on admission, of an original pack with full administration directions so that it is ready to take home at discharge without the need for another supply to be made); c) less occupied drug storage space and increased storage capacity in the order of 23% compared to traditional storage methods; and d) improvements in staff morale after ADM implementation, through the creation of a calmer environment with less staff movement in the dispensary, which, in turn, may improve the concentration of staff and reduce errors. Conclusion In summary, costs include the ADM, infrastructure and installation costs, interfaces, project management and allowance for overtime. Savings include reduction in stock holding (one-off), staffing costs, drug expiry and out-of-hours recalls. The ROI figure must also incorporate the harder to quantify benefits. When considered together these benefits outweigh the costs and create a business case supporting pharmacy robotics in busy pharmacy departments. 1 D eloitte. Robotic dispensing. Automation in pharmacy, November 2010. Available at deloitte.com 2 Brinklow N. A report assessing the impact of an automated dispensing system (ADS) at King’s college Hospital NHS Trust. Available at media.dh.gov. uk 3 Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Healthcare. Evidence briefings on interventions to improve medication safety: automated dispensing systems. Issue 2, June 2013. Available at aihi.unsw.edu.au 4 James KL, Barlow D, Bithell A, et al. The impact of automation on workload and dispensing errors in a hospital pharmacy. Int J Pharm Pract 2013;21(2):92-104. 5 Franklin BD, O’Grady K, Voncina L, et al. An evaluation of two automated dispensing machines in UK hospital pharmacy. Int J Pharm Pract 2008;16(1):47-53. 6 Temple J, Ludwig B. Implementation and evaluation of carousel dispensing technology in a university medical center pharmacy. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2010;67(10):821-9. 7 Study conducted by The Next Level for Willach Australia Pty Ltd (unpublished), 2013. acy.com (accessed 2 Jan 2014). APRIL 2014 Private Hospital 43 News Industry Update Industry update From the healthcare and hospital industry Hospira is committed to protecting patients Safety. Design. Confidence Forbo STEP Safety flooring Say no to the institutional look with NEW “designer” safety flooring from Forbo. Discover the NEW STEP Collection, high quality brands SureStep and Safestep with new STEP Crystals for clean, fresh and attractive colour co-ordinated options across R10,R11 & R12 slip ratings. Step allows you to extend your design look into functional and wet barefoot areas. Slip safety is paramount for patients and staff and floors should comply with the standard AS4586:2013. All Step products comply with standards, BCA requirements and EN13845 ensuring sustainable slip resistance for the life of the product. To view the new collection and request your free safety floor application area guide. Visit www.forbo-flooring.com.au/step or email: [email protected]. 44 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 In the Western World the prevalence of cancer is increasing, with the delivery of chemotherapy and drug treatments available evolving and growing. Preparing, transporting and administering cytotoxic medications can be hazardous and the short and long term effects from exposure are of serious concern for healthcare workers who may work closely with these substances on a day to day basis. Hospira is committed to protecting patients, caregivers and the environment from exposure to hazardous medications. The reconstitution and infusion delivery of anti-neoplastic drugs within the oncology setting is complex and Hospira has developed a Total Closed Oncology Solution, designed with safety in mind. Hospira provides pharmacy with one of the broadest ranges of specialty oncology pharmaceuticals. Every cytotoxic oncology vial manufactured by Hospira is packaged in the Onco-Tain™ vial . The LifeShield™ CLAVE™ Oncology System offers a complete portfolio of products for reconstitution, transport and administration of hazardous medications. Dedicated to producing guidelines for therapy Therapeutic Guidelines Ltd is an independent not-for-profit organisation dedicated to producing guidelines for therapy from the latest world literature, interpreted and distilled by Australia’s most respected experts. eTG complete eTG complete is TGL’s core product, which incorporates the latest versions of over 3000 Therapeutic Guidelines topics, including those published in the books and some that are only available electronically. It provides concise, independent and evidence-based recommendations for patient management, with access to over 3000 clinical topics, relevant PBS, pregnancy and breastfeeding information and links to key references. Importantly for hospitals, eTG complete includes the current endorsed therapeutic guidelines on antibiotic usage. (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care [September 2011] National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, ACSQHC, Sydney.) eTG complete is available in a range of convenient formats – online access, online download, CD, and intranet access for hospitals. Multi-user licences, ideal for a practice or clinic, are also available. For online subscribers, eTG complete is now optimised for mobile devices. miniTG The mobile version of eTG complete for offline users is miniTG, offering the convenience of having vital information at the point of care and designed for health professionals who practise and consult on the move. It is supported on a wide range of mobile devices. For more information Therapeutic Guidelines Ltd Freecall: 1800 061 260 Email: [email protected] Website: www.tg.org.au BARRIER® EasyWarm® patient warming solution BARRIER EasyWarm active self-warming blanket is the new patient warming solution. Once opened and unfolded, the blanket reaches operational temperature in approximately 30 minutes and maintains an average temperature of 44°C for up to 10 hours. The skin temperature under each warmer reaches a maximum of 42°C. The benefits of BARRIER EasyWarm are: • Helps to prevent hypothermia in the peri-operative setting • Easy and quick set up to save time •E asy to use before, during and after surgery for efficient patient warming •E asily available to more patients thanks to no need for additional equipment • Innovative design possible to split for upper and/or lower body coverage (EasyWarm+) For more information please contact the Mölnlycke Health Care Product Manager Joanne Douglas on 02 8977 2115, [email protected] or visit www.molnlycke.com.au Meet Australia’s best in nursing! The winners of the 2014 HESTA Australian Nursing Awards will be announced at an awards dinner on 8 May 2014 at Dockside in Sydney. Don’t miss out — tickets are available at hestanursingawards.com.au now! APRIL 2014 Private Hospital 45 On the Ground Kathy Nagle CEO/ DON, Western Hospital Where do you work, what is your role and how long have you been there? I am employed at Western Hospital and I have the joint position of Chief Executive Officer / Director of Nursing. I am also the CEO of Western Sports Ortho and GP Practice and Western Facilities Management Service – a company designed to assist in the management of other facilities. I have been in this position for 10 years under the current ownership and 14 years prior to this when managed as a community hospital. I am a councillor representing small “for profit” hospitals for APHA. I am also chairman for the SA State Advisory Committee for the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) and work as a surveyor for ACHS. What is involved in your role as an ACHS surveyor? I feel privileged to be an ACHS surveyor which satisfies and drives my passion for quality improvement. My role as a surveyor for the ACHS entails committing to the understanding and philosophy of the national standards set by the Safety and Quality in Healthcare Commission and representing the ACHS in measuring an organisation’s performance against these standards and those of the EQuIP National Program. I feel I act as an ambassador for the ACHS when surveying other facilities and I hope I impart meaningful feedback and education to support staff in their endeavours towards continuous quality improvement. Did being a surveyor help your hospital meet the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards? The national standards are different from the EQuIP accreditation model which is outcomesfocused. I feel my role as a volunteer surveyor has assisted both the hospitals I survey and my 46 Private Hospital a p r i l 2 014 own hospital in identifying the common challenges faced by all hospitals in their attempts to comply with the national standards. I feel I can empathise and assist other organisations in navigating their way through the standards due to being at the coalface in implementing these standards at my own organisation. As a working surveyor, I am able to draw on my own hospital’s challenges and achievements and share these experiences and those of others to benefit not only my hospital but also those I survey. What would be your tip for helping facilities meet the NSQHS’ Standard 2: Partnering with consumers? My tip would be to use a gap analysis exercise to identify the criteria that you believe are not being met. Use the monitoring tool which is available on the Commission website. Consider actions that will meet several criteria. Define and identify exactly who your consumers are (this is half the battle) and work your way through each criteria remembering always to evaluate as you go. You sit on the Communication and Marketing Taskforce for APHA, which has just launched its re-branded Private Hospitals campaign. Can the campaign help facilities meet Standard 2: Partnering with consumers? I believe that the campaign will assist hospitals in educating all consumers about the standard and its importance in providing healthcare in Australian hospitals. I hope it will be a platform for consumers to engage with hospitals and healthcare facilities whilst assisting these facilities to improve by being active participants in decision-making. step safety flooring Your steps; sure and safe Surestep® R10 Safestep® R11 & R12 Wetroom Safety. Design. Confidence NEW “designer” safety flooring from Forbo with new STEP Crystals for clean, fresh and attractive colour co-ordinated options across R10, R11 & R12 slip ratings. 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