Message from TPCH Executive Director

As our hospital sees more and more patients, the need to become more innovative and change the way we think about delivering care to our patients, becomes increasingly important.

Having spoken with a number of patients during my visits, I have learnt that many patients expend a great deal of time and effort in ensuring they can be here to get the care they need. Some of our patients come from other locations across Queensland, taking time off work, and traveling here through their own personal expense to be the recipients of our specialist care at TPCH. This is testament to the quality of care we offer here at TPCH. The question is how do we continue to offer this same level of high quality care with growing numbers of patients requiring access to our clinical expertise?

COVID influenced us to innovate, by compelling us to adopt new ways of working and delivering care to our patients. As a hospital, TPCH stepped up and showed that it was capable of evolving and adapting to meet the needs of patients. We need to keep building on the lessons learnt through COVID, and continue to challenge traditional ways of thinking, looking at alternative pathways or models that support us to deliver a high quality patient care experience. It’s all about working smarter, and not necessarily harder for our patients.

Involving patients in the design and delivery of services is paramount towards achieving a positive patient experience. In recognition of this, we have started to invite some of our consumers to attend our Executive Leadership Team meetings on a quarterly basis, so we can gain the patient’s perspective on some of our decision making.

Executive Update

This week, I visited a number of areas within our Surgical Service including Surgical Bookings where I spoke with administration staff, Lisa Dowling and Theresa Pettman. I’m always interested to know how the hospital can do better for our patients, so asked Lisa and Theresa about one thing they would like to improve. They told me that better communication flows would help improve the patient journey and experience, as they often interact with patients who get upset as a result of procedures being cancelled or changed. It was very valuable to hear this feedback in helping understand where we need to improve our systems and processes for our patients.

Director of Operations, Surgery and Critical Care, Melanie Dubbelde and I also had the opportunity to visit our Post Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU), where we met Nurse Unit Manager, Beth Linnane, who showed us around the unit, and how her team is working on different ways to achieve best utilisation of space. A big thanks to Beth for taking the time to speak with us.

While in PACU, we also had the chance to meet and chat with new nurse graduate Jenet Schofield. Interestingly, Jenet was an Enrolled Nurse in Ward 2A at TPCH for over three years, then went to university to complete her Registered Nursing studies. Obviously Jen enjoys working at TPCH; she can’t stay away!

We also received some great feedback from patient, Stephen O’Donnell, while visiting Ward 2E. Stephen, who is from Rockhampton, praised the entire 2E team for the wonderful care he’d received during his stay, saying he wouldn’t change a thing – apart from trying to get home of course. Well done team!

Also this week, Director of Allied Health, Perry Judd and I visited with some members of our Psychology Service team. We had a great session speaking with staff about how we can improve systems and processes, thinking outside the box, and flexible work arrangements. Thanks to the team for accommodating us; a very valuable discussion.

DATE CLAIMER – Launch of TPCH Aborignal and Torres Strait Islander Service Community and Consumer Council – Mon 27 Feb, 10am

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service and Executive team at TPCH welcomes all staff to come and join us for a traditional Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony to respectfully start business with our newly established Community and Consumer Council on Monday 27 February, 10 – 10.30am in the Education Centre car park.

As part of our commitment to achieving health equity for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the Community and Consumer Council will continue to co-design our health service to ensure a more equitable and culturally appropriate experience, and improved health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Please join us to help celebrate the work completed and the journey moving forward together. Read more.

FAST FACTS

This week we will focus on the Respiratory Investigations Unit (RIU).

Did you know?:

• RIU is located on the first floor of the Main Acute Building
• The Unit comprises 7 scientists, a pool of casual scientists and 3 administrative officers.
• In 2021-22, the RIU team performed 16,422 tests on 7,104 patients
• Some of the investigations offered by RIU include spirometry, gas transfer, lung volumes, cardiopulmonary exercise tests, bronchoprovocation tests – just to name a few
• The Unit provides services to patients from all over Queensland, as well as the Northern Territory and northern New South Wales.
• Referrals are received from a range of specialities including thoracic, cardiology, general medicine, oncology, paediatrics, orthopaedics and rheumatology.
• RIU is involved in many research projects for the thoracic and cardiology departments as well instigating and presenting its own research at national conferences
• Last year, the Unit performed enough 6-minute walk tests to travel from Brisbane to Ballina, a total of 172 kilometres!
• The unit is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee (60 years) this year.

Staff Profile

This week we will profile Anaesthetic Registered Medical Officer (RMO) and current Chair of Junior Doctor Advisory Committee (JAC), Dr Angus Low.

As Anaesthetic RMO, Angus works under the supervision of anaesthetic consultants, assisting in pre-operative assessment, IVC insertion, drug preparation, intraoperative and post operative care of patients. In his role as JAC Chair, Angus attends Committee meetings where he and other members discuss various topics in relation to junior doctors such as well-being, ward call, education, quality improvement and clinical handover. He subsequently represents the JAC at TPCH’s Medical Advisory Committee meeting where he advises on issues affecting junior doctors, and makes suggestions on improvements to the hospital.

Angus enjoys the combination of pharmacology and physiology that anaesthetics brings, procedures, and focusing his attention on one patient at time in a close knit and supportive team environment. As JAC Chair, Angus values the opportunity to work with his colleagues to make changes that improve patient care and the working environment of junior doctors.

Outside of work, Angus enjoys spending down time with his family which includes his 11-month old son, Charlie who is currently teething! He relaxes by running, listening to music and playing guitar.

Shout out

This week’s shout out goes to Chief Executive Officer, The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation, Michael Hornby who will shortly finish up at TPCH to commence a new career endeavour. Michael, who is well known by many staff at TPCH, has been an enduring source of support to the hospital for the past eight years, through his strong commitment to the funding of vital medical research at TPCH, across the areas of heart and lung disease, mental health and dementia. Some of the key research projects supported by TPCH Foundation under Michael’s leadership include the ICU of the Future, Living Heart Project and Sterling’s Dream.

Michael is known for his passion, hard work, commitment, and genuine desire to help researchers achieve better outcomes for patients. He has been a great supporter of the staff and services at TPCH, always seeking different ways to assist with patient-care related activities, through events such as TPCH Giving Day.

We thank Michael for his significant contribution to our TPCH community. He has done a stellar job in supporting the advancement of research on our campus which is improving and will continue to improve the lives of patients now and into the future. Best wishes Michael, you will be missed.

Today’s quote

“If you want different results, do not do the same things.” – Albert Einstein

Tami.