Authors (including presenting author) :
Cheung PH, Hung SY, Cheung YHK, Wong SNS, Ngai KWK, Lai WMY, Fan SYC, Leung WM, Wong MYM, Wong MSM
Affiliation :
Department of Family Medicine & Primary Health Care, Hong Kong East Cluster
Introduction :
In order to increase the staff awareness on workplace safety and health as well as develop safety culture, the Quality & Safety Committee of Department of FM&PHC /HKEC initiated to conduct integrated safety round in 10 General Out-patient Clinics (GOPCs) and Staff Clinic since 2017. A team of multidisciplinary staff including doctors, nurses, hospital administrator, Infection Control nurse, Facility Management staff, led by Family Medicine OSH coordinator scheduled site visits to GOPCs every 2 months to review and monitor the standard of OSH, Infection control, Q&S practice and clinic environment and facility.
Objectives :
1. To identify and eliminate hazards in workplace and recommend improvement measures to prevent clinical and non-clinical incidents such as patient falls, breach of data privacy, injury on duty 2. To share and align good practice of different clinics including posters, patient journey, clinical workflow, store and equipment management, document control and safe practice etc. 3. To increase staff awareness on Q&S practice, engage all levels of staff and build up a safety culture in GOPCs
Methodology :
A team of multidisciplinary staff visited 1-2 clinics every 2 months according to pre-set schedule of Integrated Safety Round and followed up the improvement measures. Integrated round reports with photos were shared in clinic meetings, Q&S Committee and Department Operational Team meetings to share and align practice Patient fall, Injury on duty rate and patients’ feedback were closely monitored and reviewed in department meetings.
Result & Outcome :
1. Risks areas were identified and rectified timely; reports and improvement measures were shared in department meetings 2. Clinic staff actively participated in the safety round, provided feedback and shared good practice among GOPCs 3. Decreased patient fall rate by 47% and IOD rate by 36% from 2016-2021. Regular multidisciplinary team integrated safety round was very effective to engage frontline staff in promotion of safety culture in workplace. The approach also allowed direct communication and collaboration between frontline and management team for continuous quality improvement. Cross clinic visits was introduced in 2022 as a tool for staff training and development.
