Cardiac Services has undergone significant redesign and service improvements as part of a Cardiac Quality Improvement Project (CQIP). Empowering the staff to make and own changes to the service led to impressive reductions in waiting times, reductions in the number of patients waiting, agreement on standardised practices and KPIs and a visible dashboard of both demand and capacity in the service.
Power to the People – Transforming Cardiology
Initiative Type
Redesign
Status
Deliver
Added
Last updated
Summary
Key dates
Jun 2016
Aug 2017
Implementation sites
Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service
Aim
Standardise practice, based on evidence and value, with agreed KPIs and service measures.
Benefits
Reduction in waiting times.
Background
18 months ago Cardiac services in the Gold Coast University Hospital lacked visibility of the whole patient’s journey, had limited insight into demand and capacity and was reliant on multiple and siloed sources of information.
Evaluation and Results
- Outpatient long wait reduction from 240 to 31 (Feb 2015-Feb 2017)
- Clinical measurement long wait reduction from 500 to 29 (Apr 2016-Feb 2017)
- Standardised practice for categorisation (Outpatient and Clinical Measurement) resulting in 90% categorised in agreed time
- No patients waiting outside the clinically recommended waiting times (CRWT) for cardiac catheter procedures (excluding electrophysiology studies) since Feb 2016
- Streamlined process for clinical measurement bookings with all tests booked within 5 days
- All clinical measurement and cardiac catheter procedures are reported on within 7 days
- Development of a unique Cardiology integrated management dashboard (Management Information System)
- Nearly 40 new documents standardising practice, roles and service expectations.
Lessons Learnt
Empowerment, transparency, honesty and accountability leads to service changes that impact positively on patient care.
