Becoming a High-Reliability Community Hospital
Care Continuum
Care Process & Redesign
AIC Community Care Excellence Awards
Agency for Integrated Care - Intermediate and Long Term Care
31 December 2024
Increase staff trained with Quality Improvement skills by 50%, decrease falls rate by 20%, improve Clinical Quality. Implementing a Quality Framework improved focus on quality care and provided synergy among committees.
Year Submitted: 2024
Published Date: 31 December 2024
Tags: Care Continuum, Care Process ＆ Redesign, Value Based Care, Quality Improvement, Clinical Practice Improvement, End-Of-Life Care, Palliative Care, Intermediate and Long Term Care ＆ Community Care
About this Content
Aims
Increase staff trained with Quality Improvement skills by 50%, decrease falls rate by 20%, improve Clinical Quality Indicator for Hip and Stroke by 20%.
Background
St. Andrew’s Community Hospital (SACH) operates inpatient rehabilitation, subacute and palliative care, home care, outpatient clinics, and follows Total Quality Management since 2008.
Methods
The project adapted the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) framework to develop an internal framework at St. Andrew’s Community Hospital. Several initiatives were implemented progressively since 2019, including evidence-based practices, leadership walkabouts, and revised quality improvement processes. Staff were trained through workshops and competency-based learning needs analysis.
Results
By 2023, the number of staff equipped with Quality Improvement knowledge increased by 57%. Fall incidents were reduced by 50% from 0.77 (in 2021) to 0.37 per 1,000 bed days in 2023. Serious Reportable Events (SRE) reduced from 9 in 2018 to 5 in 2023. Overall Clinical Quality Indicator (CQI) for Hip and Stroke improved by 17% and 15% respectively compared to 2022.
Conclusion
Implementing a Quality Framework improved focus on quality care and provided synergy among committees. Training staff empowered them to contribute to patient safety and quality. Strategic reviews and periodic updates will be needed to maintain relevance and effectiveness.
Lessons Learnt
Having a Quality Framework enhances focus on quality care, aligning committees improves synergy, staff training increases safety and quality.
Keywords
Inpatient rehabilitation, Quality Improvement, Clinical Quality Indicator
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | Agency for Integrated Care - Intermediate and Long Term Care |
Organization(s) Involved | St. Andrew Community Hospital |
Platform(s) | AIC Community Care Excellence Awards |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Ancillary Care |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Geriatric Medicine, Palliative Medicine |
Project Lead(s) | Angel Lee |
Project Member(s) | Law Yen Hoon |
Connect with this contributor!
Estella Tan Li Boey - estella_tan@sacs.org.sg
Project Attachment
36_SACH_CCEA_2024_Becoming_a_High_Reliability_Community_Hospital.pdf