The first audit of how well the country’s hospitals are meeting new quality and safety markers shows a mix of some success and plenty of room for improvement.
The baseline data in meeting the markers aimed at reducing patient harm from falls, healthcare associated infections, and surgery was released recently by the Health and Quality Safety Commission.
Associate health minister Jo Goodhew said the results showed some “excellent achievements”, particularly in improving central line catheter insertion practices.
“This has led to a reduction in the national rate of central-line associated bacteraemia (CLAB) to almost zero.”
She said, however, the baseline data also highlighted inconsistencies in the boards’ use of these patient safety interventions and practices.
“No DHB performed at the highest level on all four measures or performed badly on all four.”
The new data is part of the new national patient safety campaign Open for Better Care, which is currently focusing on falls prevention but will move on to surgical site infections, then reducing harm from surgery and reducing harm from medication error.
The Commission will next report against the quality markers in December 2013 and quarterly after that. The baseline data for each DHB and the aims of the markers can be read at the Commission’s website:
- 25 per cent of DHBs had carried out a falls risk assessment on 90 per cent or more of patients aged 75 or over.
- 6 out of 20 DHBs had used all three parts of the surgical safety checklist at least 90 per cent of the time.
- 8 out of 20 DHBs were observed to comply with WHO hand hygiene practice at least 70 per cent of the time.
- 12 out of 21 intensive care units or high dependency units were using insertion bundles to reduce the risk of CLAB (central-line associated bacteraemia) at least 90 per cent of the time.
