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February 2012
Welcome
Great News! Allison Ravo, Laboratory Aide, gave birth to her beautiful baby girl, Emme Claire,
on Thursday, February 16. Emme weighed in at 8 lb 12 oz. Both Mom and baby are doing well.
Congratulations to the Ravo family for their new addition. Best wishes from the Laboratory staff.
From the Emergency Department
The emergency department and inpatient unit would like to thank the WHHH Foundation for
fundraising for the Central Monitor upgrades on the Inpatient Unit and in the Emergency
Department. WHGH now has the ability for the two systems to interface with each other. The
staff on the Inpatient Unit can see what is happening with a patient in the emergency
department and visa versa. This is very valuable if a department requires a second opinion of
what is happening on a monitor, as well providing back up staffing without leaving a department.
Staff is now able to access more information regarding a patient’s heart rhythm by monitoring
more than one abnormal heart rhythm at a time. Staff were not able to do this previously. As
with all medical information, the more you have the better it is for diagnosis and treatment.
Patients now have the freedom to move around the hospital while being monitored. Previously,
they were restricted as to how far away from the central monitoring station they could be and
still be monitored. Now patients can go to other departments and we can still monitor their heart
rhythms.
Our systems are now up-to-date and fully functional. We are still able to monitor the same
number of patients and to do telemetry on two patients at one time. This upgrade is very much
appreciated by the nursing staff. It means staff can better preserve the safety of our patients.
Thank you again to the Foundation for all their hard work to make this happen.
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Non-Slip Socks for Patient Safety
WHGH has implemented the use non-slip socks called Tread Slippers. This Best
Practice initiative is in an effort to strive for excellence in our Falls Prevention
Program. The Tread Slippers are for patients on the inpatient unit, if they do not
have safe and appropriate footwear of their own. The Tread Slippers have
improved fit and grip when compared to the "blue bootie" type foot wear we
have used in the past.
Inpatient Unit Benefits from Foundation and Auxiliary Purchase
The Inpatient Unit is the proud recipient of the central monitoring system, a Pro Pac (the
bedside monitor in Special Care) and a portable vital signs machine. The IV pumps will be
significantly beneficial to patient care when they are purchased.
Patient Safety at WHGH
WHGH is committed to patient safety. Every member of our hospital – staff, physicians and
volunteers – plays a role in protecting the lives of our patients through hand hygiene, providing
excellent care, education and process improvement. The hospital has included several Patient
Safety Indicators in the Quality Improvement Plan, including hand hygiene education and
compliance and compliance with the falls assessment. Together, we can improve the safety of
our patients.
Public reporting of our Patient Safety Indicators is a way for us to share the results of our work,
and to build confidence in the safety of our hospital. Our results can be compared to hospitals
across the LHIN and the province to demonstrate that we are providing safe patient care. On
our website and in our Corporate Monitor, the hospital reports on the following Patient Safety
Indicators:
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Hand hygiene compliance rate
Patient Falls and compliance with the Falls Assessment
C. difficile infection rate
MRSA and VRE infection rates
Surgical Safety Checklist Compliance rate
Why don’t you go to the website and see how we’re doing?
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Innovation Communication Accountability Respect Excellence
Hospital Foundation Launches New Project
West Haldimand Hospital and Healthcare Foundation, Chair, Lynn Montague recently
announced a new equipment project. She stated “Our hospital is here for us when we need it
most, providing excellence in patient care. Improving quality of care cannot be done alone; all
of us need to play a role. That is why each and every donation is vital to this next project.”
The West Haldimand Hospital and Healthcare Foundation’s new equipment fundraising project
has a goal of $285,000. The much needed equipment in some cases will replace aging equipment
and other pieces will introduce new medical technology. To be effective in healthcare delivery,
West Haldimand General Hospital (WHGH) must be able to utilize new equipment that can
improve the level of care available to the people of our community. The Foundation has taken
on this fundraising project so that the following equipment can benefit our patients and staff at
the West Haldimand General Hospital.:
ECG Machine: ECG (electrocardiogram) is used to measure the rate and regularity of
heartbeats as well as the size and position of the heart chambers, the presence of any damage to
the heart, and the effects of drugs or devices used to regulate the heart (such as a pacemaker). It
is a first-line diagnostic test to detect heart attacks.
Glidescope: The physician will be able to insert a breathing tube quickly and safely in patients
that are experiencing breathing difficulties. The glidescope will be used in all areas of the
hospital.
Inpatient Automated Medication Dispensing Unit: The automated dispensing unit helps to
manage the use of medications in hospital and can greatly improve patient safety, particularly
outside of regular pharmacy hours. It allows for the controlled dispensing of prescribed
medications and is linked to the Hospital’s pharmacy system to ensure notification regarding
appropriate dosages, medication conflicts and allergies. It will improve the security of
medication storage and reduce the time spent on stocking/record keeping, leaving more time for
patient care.
Wireless Medication Cart (4): Medication carts have been used for many years in hospitals to
store and organize medications. Medication safety for patients is greatly improved when the
nurse is able to prepare their medications right at the bedside, which WHGH cannot currently do.
With the new computerized carts, potential medication errors will be reduced and they can save
valuable nursing time allowing more time for hands-on nursing.
Electronic Nursing Chart: This will allow WHGH to install and implement the clinical
documentation module of a fully electronic health record. Adoption of electronic health records
is seen as a major enabler of hospitals to increase efficiency, decrease errors, increase patient
safety, increase professional’s access to available records, reduce testing duplication and better
ensure patient privacy.
Continued…
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Innovation Communication Accountability Respect Excellence
WHHH Foundation Launches New Project, Continued
Propaq with Acuity (3): This is a portable monitor that provides information on the health
status of patients. It monitors heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, and respirations. The patient
can be monitored while transported within the hospital. The Propaq is a wireless device and is
connected to the central monitoring system.
David Bird, CEO, reported that WHGH has a very long list of equipment needs and is very
grateful the Foundation has taken on such an ambitious project. He stated “In recent years there
have been constant changes in medical technology and as such it has changed the way medicine
is practiced in hospitals. Today, to be effective in healthcare delivery the hospital must be able
to utilize new equipment that can improve the level of care available
to our patients. As you may be aware the provincial government funds the majority of the day-today operating expenses of the hospital, however it does not usually fund the costs associated with
replacing outdated medical equipment or for the purchase of new equipment. Thus, we have to
rely heavily on the generosity of our community for current and future equipment needs of the
hospital.”
If you would like to show you care by donating to the New Hospital Equipment Project you have
several payment options. Perhaps the easiest is to participate in payroll deductions. Just ask
Joan or Susan in the Foundation office to get you started. Visa, MasterCard or personal cheques
are also accepted. Donations can be made on line at www.whhhf.ca. Let’s work together to
make this new project become a reality for our community hospital. Working together we can
accomplish so much for the West Haldimand General Hospital.
From Your Mind/Body Spirit Team
The M/B/S/ Team would like to thank everyone who participated in our Valentine’s Day Candy
Grams – they were a great hit and I for one was so pleased to receive one – they were GREAT!
Don’t you think?
Through the month of February your committee focused on heart health – information has been
displayed in the cafeteria for the month to bring awareness to everyone of things to watch for
and healthier lifestyle choices.
March is Nutrition Month – we will have some fun activities planned and will have a dietician
from the Health Unit coming to provide information on Myth Busting, budgeting and food
preparation. Watch for your invitation!
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Innovation Communication Accountability Respect Excellence
Grateful Patient Program Continues to Grow
The Grateful Patients of West Haldimand Hospital continue to grow. Programs similar
to this have been initiated at many hospitals across Canada. Patients who respond will
help the Foundation ensure that additional health equipment can be purchased. It’s a
meaningful way for patients to say “thank you” to their local healthcare team that
genuinely cares about them. Some of the donors have taken the opportunity to honour
members of our staff. A card is sent to all honoured recipients notifying him/her or
department that they have been recognized for their kindness by a patient using health
services at WHGH.
Each month in Pulse we will acknowledge recent staff members who the Foundation
has been made aware of.
Recent honoured recipients of the West Haldimand Hospital Grateful Patient Program
are:
All Staff
Doctors
Nurses
Paramedics
Dr. R. Rossman
Outpatient Clinic and Day Surgery Staff
Sue Tompkins, Nursing
Darlene Kuhn, Nursing
These individuals and departments truly have made a difference to a patient’s stay at
WHGH. Thank you from all of us. You all demonstrate how working together can
accomplish so much more.
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Innovation Communication Accountability Respect Excellence
Mammography Program Receives Accreditation
Diagnostic Imaging staff at West Haldimand General Hospital (WHGH) is proud to announce the
Mammography Department has received a three year accreditation from the Canadian
Association of Radiologists. Sites that have successfully achieved the award demonstrate they
are offering the gold standard of mammography services to their patients.
Dr. Hynes, Radiologist for WHGH
commends the staff for their work in
achieving the award and he is pleased that
WHGH will continue to be an accredited site,
participating in the Ontario Breast Screening
Program (OBSP). WHGH has held the
accreditation award for more than 10 years
and the Hospital has been an affiliated site
of the Ontario Breast Screening Program
since 2009.
Women who are screened at an OBSP site
will receive services that are accredited by
the Canadian Association of Radiologists.
Women also receive the added value of
participating in an organized program:
results notification, automatic recall, coordinate follow-up and evaluation. A
doctor’s referral is not needed.
Breast cancer is the most common female cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer
deaths in women. Women eligible for the Ontario Breast Screening Program need to be 50+
years of age and have not had a mammogram within the last 12 months. You do not require a
doctor’s referral. It is easy to make an appointment at the West Haldimand General Hospital for
the Ontario Breast Screening Program by simply calling 905-768-3311 ext. 1116, Monday thru
Friday between 8 am and 4 pm.
COMING EVENTS
Flu Vaccine Available
Flu Season is approaching
Flu Vaccine now available from
Sue Benson or Wendy King
WHGH Auxiliary Annual Meeting & Luncheon
Caledonia Presbyterian Church
Wednesday, April 4th, 2012
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Innovation Communication Accountability Respect Excellence