Smart Choices about the Costs and Benefits of Health Services: 2007 NSW Health Awards
As the costs of health care continue to rise, consuming a growing share of government and individual resources, greater rigour, broader community participation, stronger accountability and a solid evidence base are required to decide how available funds should be spent.
What we are striving for in 2010 is a health system that makes the most effective use of the finite resources available and manages costs effectively to ensure financial sustainability. Services and infrastructure provided to meet the State’s healthcare needs must be carefully planned with community and clinician input. They must also be managed efficiently based on solid evidence of effectiveness and health impact. Resources will need to be shifted to support early intervention and prevention programs.
Winner
- Land versus water-based exercise following TKR - This randomised trial compared the effectiveness of a land and a water-based programme in the first 8 weeks following TKR.
Finalists
- Cutting the Cost! Mandatories Online - The introduction of mandatory training online has resulted in numerous benefits including, reduced time away from core business, reduced travel requirements, improved return on invested training costs and increased mandatory training compliance.
- Fast Track Colorectal Surgery - Fast track colorectal surgery programs are multi-modal rehabilitation approach to patients undergoing colorectal surgery.
Entries
- Advanced liver disease - A Gastroenterology Liaison Nurse Service was established to co-ordinate the management of patients with chronic gastrointestinal disease, with positive results.
- Better food service for patients using the hostess system - This project combines suitable catering system with a service designed to best meet the needs of a particular patient population with demonstrated improved patient satisfaction and efficiency gains.
- Better patient health using electronic medical scheduling - The introduction of a software package to track and reschedule routine patient physical health checks for long-stay mental health patients resulted in significant improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of this task.
- Clinical Pharmacy Medication Chart Review – a Virtual Experience - Thsi program aims to provide clinical pharmacist review of medications prescribed for selected patients at a remote rural hospital utilising broadband technology.
- Communicating Hands Free in the Kids ED - The ED and Information Services (IS) trialled a hands free communication solution in a wireless environment, which resulted in significant improvements in productivity, reduced waiting times and enhanced patient and staff satisfaction.
- Delivering safe, effective and efficient inpatient transport service - A redesign of inpatient transport services that included the introduction of an online booking system, the development of business rules, development of an acuity matrix, amalgamation of existing services and the expansion and redesign of the current roster.
- Embedding a Performance Culture - A range of care models were introduced and staff roles realigned resulting in overall performance improvement.
- Go Active Program - This program was established to provide an enhanced community based service addressing the growing demand on health resources in the areas of aged and chronic care.
- Going Places with the GSAHS Travel Office - Changes implemented by the GSAHS Travel Office increased the efficiency of service delivery, provided a more customer focused service and realised significant savings.
- GSAHS electronic Asset Management and Maintenance System - A centralised database will be used to manage all maintainable assets and provides a consistent approach for users in collecting, analysing and storing asset information.
- Occupancy Management Program - Predictability Tool - The Predictability Tool enables workload and resources to be identified to proactively manage bed capacity requirements in advance, based on projections of planned and unplanned admissions and expected patient discharges.
- On-Line Clinical Education in Nursing (OLCEN) - This program combines the latest multi-media technology with contemporary approaches to health service teaching.
- Prioritised Clinical Assets Replacement Plan - The establishment of a five year clinical equipment replacement plan using a blind weighted score (requester can not see individual scores) to prioritise requested equipment according to clinical needs.
- SESIH Area Governance Manual - The Governance Manual was developed to document how the Area Health Service achieves accountability, both corporate and clinical, through its governance system.
