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Safer Healthcare Now!
About SHN
A key component in the advancement of patient safety in Canada, Safer Healthcare Now! (SHN) has struck a ‘chord of caring’ across the country, with a growing list of hospitals and health regions and over 1000 clinical teams enrolled in the campaign. SHN is a collaborative effort aimed at reducing the number of injuries and deaths related to adverse events, such as infections and medication incidents.
The goal of the campaign is to improve healthcare delivery by focusing on patients and their safety while in the care of health providers. The primary focus of the campaign is the implementation of 10 targeted interventions to improve patient care. These interventions include:
- Implement a series of evidence-based guidelines to prevent harm from antibiotic resistant organisms (focus on MRSA);
- Prevent adverse drug events (ADEs) by implementing medication reconciliation in long term care (LTC) settings;
- Implement a series of protocols to ensure that general surgery and hip fracture surgery patients receive the appropriate thromboprophylaxis to prevent complications such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolus;
- Improved care for Acute Myocardial Infarction by ensuring the reliable delivery of evidence-based care;
- Prevent central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI) and deaths from CR-BSI by implementing a set of evidence-based interventions in all patients requiring a central line;
- Prevent adverse drug events (ADEs) by implementing medication reconciliation in acute care;
- Prevent deaths in patients who are progressively failing outside the ICU by implementing rapid response teams;
- Prevent surgical site infection (SSI) and deaths from SSI by implementing a set of evidence-based interventions in all surgical patients;
- Prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and deaths from VAP and other complications in patients on ventilators by implementing a set of interventions known as the "VAP bundle”; and
- Prevent harm resulting from falls in long-term care settings.
Two pilot projects are also underway related to:
- Prevent adverse drug events related to high risk medication delivery in paediatrics; and
- Prevent adverse drug events through medication reconciliation in home care.
The clinical teams involved in the campaign are committed to implementing one or more of these interventions in their healthcare settings. Teams are provided with resources designed to engage health care teams and clinicians in a dynamic approach to quality improvement and provide a solid foundation for getting started.
The BC Patient Safety & Quality Council supports the operations of the Western Node of Safer Healthcare Now! The Node provides support to teams working in the campaign through a number of means including Breakthrough Series Collaboratives, workshops, on-line learning opportunities, and telephone and face-to-face consultation.
For more information: www.saferhealthcarenow.ca
