Qual Saf Health Care
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Qual Saf Health Care · Dec 2009
Evidence-based chronic heart failure management programs: reality or myth?
Chronic heart failure management programmes (CHF-MPs) have become part of standard care for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). ⋯ CHF-MPs are being implemented rapidly throughout Australia. However, many of these programmes do not adhere to expert clinical guidelines for the management of patients with CHF. This poor translation of evidence into practice highlights the inconsistency and questions the quality of health-related outcomes for these patients.
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Qual Saf Health Care · Dec 2009
Patient safety on the otolaryngology service: the role of an established rapid response system.
To study the medical emergencies occurring on a tertiary otolaryngology service identified using a rapid response system (RRS). ⋯ Although otolaryngology care units attempt to prevent adverse events, emergencies still occur. RRSs identify deteriorating otolaryngology patients who are at increased risk for mortality. RRSs are an efficient mechanism of intervention during a medical emergency. RRSs provide a convenient method of identifying medical/system errors and educational opportunities.
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Qual Saf Health Care · Dec 2009
Do managed clinical networks improve quality of diabetes care? Evidence from a retrospective mixed methods evaluation.
System-wide improvement of chronic disease care is challenging because it requires collaboration and communication across organisational and professional boundaries. Managed clinical networks are one potential solution, but there is little evidence of their effectiveness. ⋯ Delivering better care to whole populations across organisational and professional boundaries required sustained work over long periods, and at all levels of the system of care. Past network focus on clinical collaboration has been effective at improving clinical process and outcome, and the network is now prioritising work with managers and patients to support future redesign.
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Qual Saf Health Care · Dec 2009
An engineered solution to the maladministration of spinal injections.
An overview is provided of the progress made in a Department of Health (DH) initiative to implement an engineered solution to the maladministration of spinal injections. In an effort to eliminate the possibility of misconnection errors at the spinal route, the DH is investigating the potential for dedicated spinal equipment that will be incompatible with standard Luer syringes, needles and associated devices. ⋯ Usability testing of two prototype connection systems concluded that one design was inadequate, as the non-Luer element was provided as a separable adapter. The second connection system was modified following the first round of testing, and achieved improved satisfaction ratings from clinicians in round two. This system was selected to proceed to a pre-implementation evaluation and the research team are currently evaluating its acceptability in clinical use.