Tami Photinos, Executive Director
I’d like to start by extending a big thanks to everyone for their efforts and hard work in continuing to provide high quality care to our patients and consumers at TPCH. This is certainly no easy task, especially with such high demands on our services, which is expected to remain as we head into the cooler months.
With everyone being so busy, it is important that we continue to think about how we support patients through their journey and what it means to provide a positive patient experience.
This week, I received some feedback about communicating with patients waiting for care in our facility. The feedback was a reminder that as health care professionals, we need to be aware of the entire care experience of our patients. When we are busy, we can sometimes overlook the personal side of care, and focus only on the technical tasks at hand.
Communication plays a key role in creating a positive experience for our patients and families. It is important we take the time to show care and compassion in helping our patients navigate their health journey, even when it’s difficult and we are busy. The effect of spending a small amount of time listening to a person’s concerns can be long lasting.
It is important that we always aspire to: ‘Care for patients the way you would want your own family and friends to be cared for.’
Executive update
Health Equity Workshop
This week, members of TPCH Executive team attended a Health Equity Workshop hosted by the Metro North Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Team. We joined with members of TPCH’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service team to discuss next steps in progressing the Metro North Health Equity agenda at TPCH. Our focus during the session was on developing an action plan around the five Key Performance Areas (KPAs) within the agenda. Over the next few months, we will continue work on the action plan with the view to have a draft plan available for review by the Metro North Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership team. This is an important body of work for TPCH in helping us become a more culturally sensitive and equitable health care organisation and we look forward to bringing everyone on the journey.
Close the Gap morning tea
Yesterday, TPCH’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services hosted a special Close the Gap morning tea which saw Elders and staff from across the hospital come together at the Healing Garden. It was great to see so many staff from across TPCH enjoying the event, highlighting our collective commitment to health equity and working towards improved outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Thanks to Kieran Costigan, Rebeckah Mooney and the team for organising such a successful event.
World Delirium Day
Wednesday was World Delirium Day aimed at raising awareness about one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in the hospital setting. Delirium is condition whereby a person experiences serious changes to their mental abilities, and will affect one in four hospitalised older people. On the day, I popped into the Café for the Common Good where members of the TPCH’s Cognitive Impairment Working Group were hosting a display offering various information resources about delirium. Staff from around the hospital also celebrated the day with some colourful displays. Well done teams in shining the spotlight on this very important health issue.
Ward 2D
This week I visited Ward 2D to view the almost-completed Sky Garden project. The project, which was funded through the Common Good’s Giving Day with local support from Ward 2D and the broader hospital has seen the transformation of a tutorial room in the Fractured Neck of Femur Ward into a sitting area for patients with an outside view of the atrium. The project was undertaken to give patients who are significantly immobilised after their surgery, a comfortable and inviting area to spend time with family and friends during their hospital stay. A great patient-centred initiative!
Psychosocial Risk Assessment Working Party
This week I attended a TPCH Psychosocial Risk Assessment Working Party meeting. This working party has been established to undertake Psychosocial Risk Assessment at TPCH with the aim of creating and maintaining safe work environments for the health, safety and well-being of staff. During the meeting we covered psychosocial hazards such as high job demands, poor support, poor organisational justice, poor organisational change management traumatic events, and occupational violence and harassment.
At TPCH we are committed to creating a safe work environment for staff which supports positive mental health and well-being, eliminates psychological health and safety risks, and empowers staff to manage risks and support others.
TPCH Expansion Update
TPCH Expansion Project team is continuing to work with teams located in Building 14 as decant planning progresses. Floor plans and seating layouts are the current focus, as the team work together to finalise the design of the new modular accommodation. Relocation of the Healing Garden also remains a key focus, with the team undertaking consultation with both staff and representatives from our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community on the preferred location for the Healing Garden while construction works are underway. With the help of TPCH Cultural Capability Officer, Rebeckah Mooney, the team has also sought formal approval from the Turrbal Traditional Owners to relocate the Healing Garden to the preferred location.
Schematic Design also continues. The project’s lead Clinical Planner took Theatres leads, including the CSSD NUM, Recovery NUM and Anaesthetic team, on a tour to the Mater and Queensland Children’s Hospital to look at the design, flows and functionality of their operating theatres to inform the design of our operating theatres in the new Acute Services Building. Other works are also underway, including planning activities to manage and mitigate potential impacts to Building 6 and the BEMS building when early works construction commences.
FAST FACTS
This week we will profile the Senior Health Information Management Quality team.
Did you know?
- The Senior Health Information Management Quality team consists of seven experienced Health Information Managers, possessing over 140 years combined experience in the field.
- The team is responsible for the quality and Weighted Activity Unit (WAU) optimisation of the clinical coded data to support appropriate funding for current and future clinical activity.
- 200-250 clinical documentation queries are sent out by the team each month to clarify information or add specificity to documented diagnoses.
- The team undertakes audits across the coded data and HBCIS data elements to ensure the data is accurate for:
– Activity Based Funding (funding for hospital)
– Hospital Acquired Complications (HACs) /sentinel events
– Avoidable Hospital Readmissions (Funding Penalty)
– Variable Life Adjusted Displays (VLADs)
– Benchmarking (i.e) Health Round Table. - Clinical coding is an alphanumeric representation of the patient’s admission. The accuracy and completeness of this admission is dependent on the quality of the clinical documentation, complex classification rules, and standards and level of coding experience.
Staff profile
This week we will profile TPCH Peer Responder, Trixie Garland.
As a Peer Responder, Trixie, who is the Administration Support Officer for the Executive Office Reception, provides support to colleagues who are experiencing emotional distress. Using her training in Psychological First Aid, Trixie provides a compassionate ear for staff to speak about their situation, creating a safe space for staff to share their concerns. She values the ability to help put a smile on peoples’ faces and connect them with the right services for further support.
Trixie is passionate about practising the Metro North values in her everyday life, both at work and at home, placing great importance on always being ready and willing to help others.
Outside of work, Trixie enjoys motorbike riding through the mountains, international motorbike ventures, roller skating and playing bass guitar in a band.
Shout out
This week’s shout out goes to those medical staff who flew the Metro North and TPCH flag at the AMA Queensland Medical Careers Expo last weekend.
Dr Christina Nguyen, Dr Andy Teodorczuk and Dr Poppy Heffernan represented Metro North at the expo which provided an opportunity to explore medical career pathways and speak with experts. Thanks team TPCH!
Closing thought
This week I was speaking with one of our senior clinicians about decision making and how we know whether our decisions are correct. I told this clinician that sometimes we can’t be 100% certain, because if we were, this would ultimately be hindsight.
Therefore, if we are 51% certain, then this is enough to move forward with a decision because we are more than halfway there anyway. So, if you’re waiting to be 100% certain all the time, you’ll never make a decision and will potentially miss out on great opportunities.
So be brave, make a decision and stand by it.
Tami.