In a few days, the Quebec government will announce the appointment of the new CEO of the Santé Québec agency. The news will attract the attention of many since Santé Québec will take over from the Ministry of Health with regard to the operational aspect of the health network. Santé Québec will be the sole employer and, therefore, will inherit all of the health establishments.
Some hospitals, like the CHUM or the Jewish General Hospital, are modern and ultra-sophisticated, while others date from another era. The media regularly remind us of this with images of dilapidated buildings and crowded emergency rooms.
Rethink the design
Moreover, hospital design is a recurring theme among many architects, health professionals and administrators. As nearly 20 to 30% of people go through the emergency room of a hospital and more than 50% of people admitted to the hospital come from the emergency room, some will agree that having a modern layout of the premises is essential to patient reception and care management. Thus, there is better employee circulation and the working environment becomes more pleasant.
An example of a redesigned design is that of emergency rooms where three points of dispensation (POD) are attached to a wide corridor. Each POD houses several private beds and all the equipment needed to treat patients.
As each POD is independent, it can be isolated if there is an outbreak and the emergency room will continue to operate. Additionally, with a station installed along this corridor, it becomes possible to control and monitor each POD, and communicate patient needs.
Many hospitals are rethinking the healthcare delivery system in collaboration with architectural firms. Whether through new construction, prefabricated facilities or space redevelopment, the modern layout of a hospital can greatly improve the flow of care, have an effect on employee morale and help patients recover.
“Control towers”
However, design is not everything. Some hospitals like Johns Hopkins Medicine in Maryland have set up a command center within their walls. In the command center, numerous screens display real-time data on patient conditions and situations. The team can thus monitor the flow of patients and help manage hospital activities.
In addition to monitoring hospital operations, the command center tracks operations at long-term care centers, rehabilitation centers and other facilities.
Screens can predict the occupancy rate for beds in different hospital departments. Screens that show the number of beds waiting to be cleaned and prepared for the next patients. Screens that can report the number of operations in progress for each operating room as well as the anticipated time. And other screens that indicate patient transfers from one hospital to another.
The command center of a hospital could be likened to the control tower of an airport from which the right patient is directed to the right bed, at the right time.
Magnet Hospitals
But to retain exhausted employees, you sometimes have to change the way you do things. Hospitals use programs that highlight the role of nurses within healthcare organizations. And one such structure is the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet program.
The program consists of implementing a framework of 16 criteria whose objective is to support nursing leadership. To do this, we ask hospital management to establish conditions that will improve interprofessional relations, develop greater employee commitment within organizations and create a work environment where people feel good. and are satisfied.
In a text from the magazine Health Affairsthe authors point out that hospitals that have Magnet accreditation have better quality of care, better clinical outcomes, and a better clinical experience than those that do not.
Magnet is not the only program that can help with staff recruitment and retention, but it is an example of an interesting initiative.
Virtual care units
And why not get patients out of the hospital more quickly? The British innovated by developing the concept of a virtual care unit. To set up a virtual bed, the patient and caregiver receive a kit containing an iPad and sensors capable of measuring blood pressure, temperature, pulse and oxygen saturation. This allows the nurse and doctor to monitor the patient in real time and interact with them.
Follow-ups can be done remotely or in a hybrid service, that is to say with virtual follow-up and in-person care. However, it is important to carefully select patients. Virtual units are not made for very sick patients. They are designed for patients at low risk of readmission.
The health system has every interest in encouraging innovation, flexibility and best practices so that virtual care units reflect the populations served.
Exchange good practices
For Santé Québec, it will be crucial to understand the structure of health organizations. Because an effective structure can greatly improve healthcare, help reduce medical errors and make the patient experience more satisfying.
In addition, hospitals have every interest in establishing partnerships with similar institutions, exchanging best practices and comparing results with other hospitals in order to improve their ways of doing things.
With greater accountability of health stakeholders to the challenges of the health environment, we want there to be awareness of developing the best clinical and management practices to continually adapt organizations to a changing world.
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reference: www.lapresse.ca