Qual Saf Health Care
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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 · Oct 2009
Meta AnalysisImproving the use of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in an Australian teaching hospital.
Hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potentially fatal complication of hospitalisation, with meta-analyses and guidelines supporting the use of proven prophylactic measures (graduated compression stockings (GCS) and anticoagulants). Despite this, prophylaxis is underutilised and represents one of the largest gaps between evidence and current clinical practice. ⋯ Affordable and accessible interventions can improve the application of VTE prophylaxis guidelines into daily hospital care and are associated with reductions in this potentially life-threatening complication.
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Qual Saf Health Care · Oct 2009
Development and usability of a behavioural marking system for performance assessment of obstetrical teams.
Teamwork and communication have been identified as root causes of sentinel events involving infant death and injury during delivery. However, despite the emphasis on team training as a way to improve maternal and fetal safety outcomes, valid and reliable markers of obstetrical team performance are not available to assess curricular efficacy. ⋯ Feedback regarding usability suggests that the AOTP allows for an accurate reflection of raters' assessments of the performance of the team, and as a whole, it is comprehensive, quick and easy to use. Studies are underway to establish the validity and reliability of the AOTP and GAOTP.
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Qual Saf Health Care · Aug 2009
Multicenter StudyAdverse events and potentially preventable deaths in Dutch hospitals: results of a retrospective patient record review study.
This study determined the incidence, type, nature, preventability and impact of adverse events (AEs) among hospitalised patients and potentially preventable deaths in Dutch hospitals. ⋯ The incidence of AEs, preventable AEs and potentially preventable deaths in the Netherlands is substantial and needs to be reduced. Patient safety efforts should focus on surgical procedures and older patients.