Eight Canadian home care organizations pioneering home care safety improvement
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Posted on February 15, 2017
Follow the leaders – Eight Canadian home care organizations pioneering home care safety improvement
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 15, 2017 /CNW/ – Striving for safe patient care when delivering home care services poses many challenges. Inconsistencies in care planning and delivery, potential medication errors, and home safety risks are examples of possible risks.
Eight leading home care organizations, part of the Home Care Safety Improvement Collaborative, are working to improve safety and quality as they collaborate to apply proven improvement techniques to introduce and support sustainable change that will keep patients safe in their homes.
This initiative is led by the Canadian Home Care Association (CHCA) and Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI), who will work with these frontline home care providers and government home care programs to develop effective strategies to engage patients and carers in improvement initiatives; build effective communication strategies and high functioning teams; and engage senior leadership to reinforce safety as a strategic priority.
“Falls, infection and medication incidents are the major safety issues facing people receiving home care, and half of them are preventable,” stated Chris Power, CEO, CPSI. “Through the engagement of home care recipients and their families and home care providers in safety improvement work, we can ensure safety and effective home care delivery.”
“Providing care in the home setting poses unique safety challenges,” said Nadine Henningsen, CEO, CHCA. “The safety improvement collaborative will provide teams with the necessary tools and knowledge to prevent falls, safety manage medication and improve overall quality of care.”
The eight home care organizations involved in the collaborative are: Beacon Community Services, Care at Home Services, CBI Health Group, Central West Community Care Access Centre, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Spectrum Health, Vancouver Island Health Authority and VHA Home Healthcare.
Team results from the collaborative will be available in early 2018 and shared broadly with stakeholders across the country.
About the Improvement Collaborative Sponsors
The Canadian Home Care Association (CHCA), incorporated in 1990, is a national not-for-profit membership association that advances excellence in home care and continuing care through leadership, awareness, advocacy and knowledge. For more information, go to http://www.cdnhomecare.ca.
The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) has over 10 years of experience in safety leadership and implementing programs to enhance safety in every part of the healthcare continuum. For more information, go to http://www.patientsafetyinstitute.ca.
SOURCE Canadian Home Care Association
For further information: Contacts: Lisa Benedet, Government Advocacy Lead, Canadian Home Care Association, 905-567-7373, lbenedet@cdnhomecare.ca; Jason Thompson, Communications Officer, Canadian Patient Safety Institute, 780-566-8375, jthompson@cpsi-icsp.ca
