- What is Safer Healthcare Now?
Safer Healthcare Now! (SHN) is a patient safety initiative aimed at reducing preventable adverse events and deaths in Canadian hospitals. It is patterned after the 100K Lives campaign, which is being led by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Top
- What is the goal of Safer Healthcare Now?
The goal of SHN is to improve the safety of patient care in Canada through learning, sharing and implementing interventions that are known to reduce avoidable adverse events. SHN focuses on the 10 targeted interventions):
- Deploy Rapid Response Teams - at the first sign of patient decline
- Deliver reliable, evidence-based care for Acute Myocardial Infarction - to prevent deaths from heart attack
- Prevent Adverse Drug Events (ADEs) - by implementing medication reconciliation
- Prevent Central Line Infections - by implementing a series of evidence-based
- interventions in all patients requiring a central line
- Prevent Surgical Site Infections - by reliably delivering the correct perioperative antibiotics at the proper time
- Prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia - by implementing a series of interdependent, scientifically grounded steps called the "VAP Bundle"
- Antibiotic resistant organisms (AROs)/Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): Implement a series of evidence-based guidelines to prevent harm from antibiotic resistant organisms
- MedRec (Long Term Care): Prevent adverse drug events (ADEs) by implementing medication reconciliation in long-term care (LTC) settings.
- National Collaborative on Falls in long-term care: Prevent harm resulting from falls in long-term care settings
- Venous thromboembolism (VTE): 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
When reliably implemented, these interventions will greatly reduce avoidable morbidity and mortality.
Top
- How do we participate in Safer Healthcare Now?
See Sign Up for enrollment forms and detailed instructions. Complete the online enrollment form and fax the signed copy (per instructions on the form). There are two types of forms: a form for participants (healthcare delivery organizations implementing one or more of the 10 strategies) and a form for partners (health organizations that are supporting SHN in other important ways). Once your organization has enrolled, the key contact for your organization will also have the ability to login and update enrollment information for your organization.
Upon enrollment, your area Node will contact you. One of the benefits of membership in SHN is the ability to participate in the online Communities of Practice (CoP), and invite others to join as well. In addition to facilitating online discussion, the CoP sites contain intervention-specific resources. If you have questions about enrollment, please contact any of the Nodes (see Contact Us on this website).
Everything you need to know about getting started in your organization is available on this website. Here you will find an overview, Getting Started kits on each of the 10 targeted interventions, measurement worksheets to help you track your progress on implementing the interventions, information on SHN events, recordings of Information Calls, a list of organizations already enrolled in SHN, and many other valuable resources.
Top
-
What is a Node?
Coordination and optimization of SHN activities on such a large, national scale requires a robust communications strategy. The Nodes are a collection of organizations established as local ‘field offices’ around the country. Currently, the following Nodes, representing defined geographic areas, manage their "networks" of enrolled teams, facilities and partners.
- Atlantic Node (the four Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador)
- Ontario Node (Ontario and Nunavut)
- Quebec Campaign: Together, let’s improve healthcare safety (Quebec)
- Western Node (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North West Territories, and Yukon)
Top
- What is a partner?
Partners are health organizations such as hospital associations, health ministries, quality improvement organizations, specialty patient groups or health authorities that have committed to supporting and promoting SHN. For more information on enrolling as a Partner go to Sign Up.
There are several types of partners supporting SHN. The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) is the coordinating body and primary funder of SHN. Numerous organizations provide both financial and in-kind support to SHN through their clinical expertise or through participation in SHN Committees or working groups. Support is also provided by encouraging enrollment or promoting SHN through organization memberships, sponsoring specific SHN initiatives, such as the learning workshops, and in numerous other ways. A list of SHN partners and clinical partners can be found on the SHN website.
Top
- Is there a deadline for joining SHN, or is enrollment ongoing?
There is no deadline to join SHN. Even though we have added four new interventions, it is still possible to enroll in the original six interventions. We recognize the importance of receiving your organization's full commitment prior to enrolling and understand that this time will vary across organizations. We expect teams to join throughout the duration of the program and will accommodate them as they enroll.
*Please Note that the prevention of falls in long-term care (LTC) intervention is a collaborative event requiring registration and participation in scheduled learning series. Due to the nature of this initiatives enrollment in the National Falls Collaborative is currently closed.
Top
- If we want to work on the ICU-related interventions, how do we become involved with the Canadian ICU Collaborative?
The Canadian ICU Collaborative provides clinical support to the three ICU-related interventions (Rapid Response Teams, Central Line Infections, and Ventilator Associated Pneumonia). By enrolling in one or more of these interventions you will receive the support of this group. A key function of the ICU Collaborative is to regularly run a Breakthrough Series Collaborative. The SHN website provides information on the Canadian ICU Collaborative and provides the current Collaborative schedule. For more information contact: Bruce Harries at bharries@telus.net; (780) 437 - 5861
Top
- Is it possible to participate in SHN, even if we are unable to commit resources to any of the interventions, at this time?
We recognize that not all facilities or teams have the resources to commit fully to all of the interventions but would benefit from the tools, resources and networking opportunities.
We encourage all teams to initiate some quality improvement activity related to any or all of the interventions. We welcome organizations that have enrolled in one or more of the10 interventions. Not all organizations will implement all interventions. Starting is the most important step. We hope you find, once your improvement work is underway, that with the support and resources available from experts and local Nodes, your efforts with the targeted interventions will accelerate, based on your results. We believe that all forms of participation are valuable and provide a good learning opportunity.
Top
- What expectations are there of enrolled participants in terms of data collection?
SHN has two types of measures for each of the interventions; one is process measures and the other is outcome measures. An example of a process measure is percentage compliance with implementing the VAP bundle. Central line-associated primary bloodstream infection rate is an example of an outcome measure. Measurement is essential to monitoring quality improvement success and it helps guide teams toward their specific intervention goal (e.g. 90 per cent of ventilated patients have the VAP bundle implemented).
The goal for the project is that all participating organizations will track and report their intervention data (e.g. per cent of acute MI patients receiving aspirin on discharge, or percentage of patients who receive the VAP bundle) to the SHN Central Measurement Team (CMT). The sharing of intervention results will be voluntary and aggregated results will be reported publicly. High performing organizations will be asked if they would like to be identified and profiled publicly. A specific consent for this public recognition will be obtained.
For further information on SHN measurement refer to the SHN Instructions for Data Entry and Submission Using Measurement Worksheets.
Top
- Can you tell me whether the data requirement submission for SHN identifies individual hospitals?
Results of Individual hospitals/organizations will not be shared publicly unless that organization has provided explicit consent to do so. For example, high-performing organizations may be asked if they would like to be identified and profiled publicly, but authorization must be provided before publicizing results. Other than this type of consensual publication, all SHN results will be presented in aggregate form only.
Top
- What kind of support can we expect from the regional Nodes?
The Nodes are available to facilitate the networking or connection of you with others working in similar areas. Based on the needs of teams across the country, the Nodes will offer "in time" learning opportunities relating to the intervention strategies. Structured, virtual learning opportunities on each of the strategies will be offered, providing content and measurement advice. Each Node will be able to link you with measurement and quality improvement expertise from across the country in each of the content areas.
In addition to National Falls Collaborative and ICU collaborative events, the Nodes often host collaborative events. A collaborative event is a series of learning sessions in which participating teams come together at specified times for the purpose of sharing their learnings and exchanging ideas around one of the targeted interventions. An example of a past collaborative event was the Western Node Mec Rec Collaborative held in 2007-08.
Top
- Is SHN only for hospitals?
Hospitals were chosen as the initial venue focus of SHN, as this is where the six initial targeted interventions have been introduced and tested. However, the second phase of SHN is being extended into the LTC and community settings with the launch of the Falls Collaborative, and expansion of med rec in LTC and home care settings.
SHN considers and values the important role that everyone plays in safe patient care, including patients, family and healthcare professionals working across the health system spectrum.
An important objective of SHN is to expand the reach of quality improvement initiatives. This is being done by adding new interventions and pilot programs and through the spread of the existing ones across the continuum of care.
Top
- What if we are already implementing programs and initiatives that are similar to the SHN’s targeted interventions?
It may be the case that your organization is already doing work in the areas of safe patient care that we've identified for improvement. We still encourage you to enroll in SHN, and to share your efforts and learning experiences. Participating in SHN will provide you with the opportunity to develop your work in new ways, participate in the data collection, and provide a fresh perspective on the enhancement of patient safety in your organization.
Top
- What's the cost to participate in SHN?
There is no cost to enroll or participate in SHN. The only requirement is that your organization is ready to make changes and improvements to advance safe patient care, and that you are willing to report on your progress. In most cases, this does involve the allocation of additional resources at the local level. SHN offers free of charge, various tools and resources such as Getting Started Kits for nine of the 10 targeted interventions, measurement worksheets, promotional materials, Communities of Practices for each of the interventions and a Mentorship Program.
Organizations wishing to participate in any of the collaborative events, learning sessions and SHN workshops will be required to pay a registration fee.
Top
- What is a Community of Practice (CoP)
A CoP is a virtual learning community located on the Internet. This web-based community enables group collaboration and knowledge management. There is a CoP for all of the interventions*, they are free to join and open to anyone who is interested in patient safety and healthcare quality improvement.
A CoP provides teams with the means to instantly establish online areas for:
- group collaboration - temporary or ongoing
- facilitate group interaction
- share text content, images and files
- enable real-time communication via chat and instant messaging
*The falls intervention is using a collaborative approach to learning and sharing, however this CoP is available only to members of the Falls Collaborative.
Top
- Does participation in SHN meet Accreditation Canada’s (AC) Required Organizational Practices (ROPs)?
In January 2005, AC released a set of patient safety goals and required organizational practices (ROPs) in five key areas: culture, communication, medication use, workforce/worklife and infection control.
While, participation in SHN is not a mandatory component of the ROPs, AC recognizes the benefits of participation and encourages its members to enroll in SHN. Past teams have reported participation in SHN supports the work they need undertake to address some of ROPs.
Top
- I am interested in implementing one of the interventions, where would I go to find our more information and learn how to get started on the intervention?
For more information on the 10 intervention and measures, teams should refer to the specific target intervention link within the SHN website. This link will provide access to the Getting Started Kits, measurement sheets and additional supporting material such as short videos providing an overview of the four newest interventions along with success stories from the initial six interventions.