Improving Patient Safety In Hospitals Focus Of New OHA Program
Ontario Hospital Association
200 Front Street West, Suite 2800
Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3L1
Tel: (416) 205-1345 Fax: (416) 205-1360
Visit our Web Site: http://www.oha.com
Monday, August 23, 2004
Toronto – Ontario hospitals are taking action to improve patient safety by bringing together experts to help develop and implement innovative new patient safety measures across the province, the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) announced today.
"Ontario hospitals have always made patient safety a top priority," said Hilary Short, President and CEO of the OHA. "Our new Patient Safety Support Service is bringing together leading experts in this field to develop programs and tools to make our hospitals even safer."
Managed by the OHA and funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC), Canada's first province-wide Patient Safety Support Service will provide Ontario hospitals with information, tools and training to promote effective strategies that enhance patient safety. It will also establish links and collaborative relationships with other leaders in the field, including the Institute of Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Canada and the Canadian Patient Safety Institute.
The Patient Safety Support Service will be guided by the leadership of an expert Advisory Group, chaired by Robert Devitt, President and CEO of the Toronto East General Hospital.
"Patient safety is a critical health care issue and our Advisory Group is committed to addressing it," said Robert Devitt. "We recognize that strong leadership and collaboration will be key to strengthening our patient safety practices."
A committee dedicated to addressing issues relating to medical devices has also been established as part of the Patient Safety Support Service. This committee – the Medical Devices Initiative – is jointly chaired by the OHA and MOHLTC, and consists of leading experts and regulators including Health Canada. The group is tasked with developing and promoting strategies for the safe, effective, and efficient utilization of medical devices in Ontario hospitals.
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Backgrounder
Patient Safety Support Service
The safety of patients is a priority for the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) and Ontario hospitals
In March, 2004, the OHA and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) jointly announced Canada's first province-wide Patient Safety Support Service, which will provide hospitals with assistance to improve patient safety practices
Through the involvement of an Advisory Group, the Patient Safety Support Service will implement innovative programs and larger system changes that have a demonstrated ability to improve patient safety and raise awareness of patient safety issues across the province of Ontario
Mr. Robert Devitt, President and CEO of the Toronto East General Hospital will serve as Chair of the Advisory Group
Prior to joining the Toronto East General, Mr. Devitt was the President and CEO of the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. In Peterborough, he was tasked with leading the integration and merger of two separate hospitals. He was also successful in securing government approval for the development of a new replacement hospital in Peterborough. Mr. Devitt has also served as the President and CEO of the Queensway-Carleton Hospital, a community hospital serving western Ottawa and the Upper Ottawa Valley. Mr. Devitt has a Bachelors degree from Queen’s University and a Masters degree from the University of Ottawa
The Patient Safety Support Service Advisory Group includes experts on patient safety. It is holding its first meeting in mid-September.
Hospitals and Recent Patient Safety Initiatives
Medication Safety
Ontario hospitals already participate in the Medication Safety Support Service (MSSS). The first of its kind in Canada, the MSSS is managed by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Canada and is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC). Its sole purpose is to help hospitals establish safe drug management processes and prevent this leading cause of adverse events:
- The MSSS has already had a very positive impact. Its first project – to promote the safe use of concentrated potassium chloride – resulted in over 70% of hospitals making changes to the storage, availability and use of this medication; and
- The MSSS is already on to its next project - the Narcotic Medications Safety Initiative – a very important program that will provide hospitals with the tools they need to improve the safe and effective use of these potent medicines.
Infection Control and Medical Devices
During the SARS crisis, the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) and member hospitals worked with the government to battle the outbreak of a disease that we had never seen before. New safety procedures were developed and initiated by front line physicians and hospital staff as they learned more about the disease in efforts to prevent its spread.
In January, 2004, every hospital in Ontario completed an audit of their infection control and prevention systems to ensure that the right procedures and measures were in place to prevent and contain the spread of contagious viruses.
Over the past year, the OHA and the MOHLTC have issued a number of joint communiqués to hospitals on issues related to both infection control and medical devices. Areas addressed included: infection control audits, cleaning and sterilization of medical devices, links to reference materials, as well as updates on the MOHLTC, OHA and other activities.
The OHA formed an ad hoc working group that reviewed the reuse of single use medical devices and developed a report with recommendations for hospitals around the reuse of single use medical devices that was released in January, 2004.
The OHA has discussed the issue of medical devices with Health Canada and MEDEC, the national association for the Canadian medical device industry.
In the Spring of 2004, the OHA and the MOHLTC established a process that would inform hospitals of issues regarding medical devices, including Hemodialysis Units and Blood Tubing Sets Incorporating a Transducer Protector, and the Acetabular Reamer Shaft. The OHA and the MOHLTC determined that this collaborative approach was of value to hospitals in addressing arising issues related to medical devices. This initiated the establishment of a new joint committee – the Medical Devices Initiative.
Research and Education
Ontario hospitals have been playing a leadership role in developing solutions. Earlier this year, the OHA and The Change Foundation released an extremely detailed study on preventing adverse events to provide hospital managers and front-line workers with concrete advice and tools to help prevent mistakes and accidents that can affect patient safety. The report is entitled "Strategies for Hospitals to Improve Patient Safety: A Review of the Research" and is available on The Change Foundation website at
www.changefoundation.com
OHA and its members have a long history of holding educational events and courses to present the latest in patient safety measures and serve as a forum to exchange best practices. A sampling of topics includes:
2004 Reuse of Single Use Medical Devices
2003 SARS and the New Normal
2002 Patient Safety, Infection Control and Risk Management
2001 Medical Errors, Making Patients Safer, Latex Allergies
2000 Blood Issues, Y2K Follow Up – Lessons Learned
1999 Infection Control, Ongoing Challenges,
1998 Blood Issues, Y2K
1997 Drug Resistant Superbugs and Latex Allergies
For further information:
OHA Public Affairs
416-205-1371