Ensuring that patients at risk of critical illness or a serious adverse event receive appropriate and timely care is a key safety and quality challenge. All patients at risk should receive comprehensive care irrespective of their location in the hospital or the time of day. Even though a range of systems have been introduced locally to better manage patients at risk, this area needs to remain a priority while patients continue to experience preventable adverse events because their deterioration is not identified or managed properly.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has commenced a new program of work regarding patients at risk of critical illness and serious adverse events. There are three initiatives in this program that support work at a national level:
Initiative 1: development of a standardised and validated observation chart that supports recognition of deterioration and prompts action (PDF 141 KB)
Initiative 2: development of minimum standards for rapid response systems, looking particularly at the needs of rural and remote areas (PDF 138 KB)
Initiative 3: examination of the way which concepts arising from the work on patients at risk apply in primary care (PDF 141 KB)
A background leaflet (PDF 139 KB) summarising the current state of work in this area is also available for download.
National Innovation Workshop: Development and use of observation charts to identify patients at risk
Date: Friday 14 November 2008
Venue: Grand Ballroom, Bayview Boulevard Hotel, 90 William Street (corner of Crown Street), Sydney
Time: 10.00am – 4.30pm (Registration from 9.30am)
This workshop is an opportunity to showcase exciting and innovative developments in the area or observation charts or related activities in managing patients at risk and learn about innovations from other healthcare centres.
The workshop agenda (PDF 140 KB) is now available to download.
Please note that registrations for this workshop have closed. The Commission will continue to update this website with outcomes from the workshop and information on this initiative.
Contact
Dr Nicola Dunbar, Program Manager
(02) 9263 3633
Email: mail@safetyandquality.gov.au
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