There is good news for Rockhampton residents with the local Mater Misericordiae Private Hospital being recognised nationally for its innovation and commitment to clinical quality and patient safety.
The Mater has received a $30,000 grant from the Medibank Private Safety and Clinical Improvement Incentive Pool to fund a project to develop clinical handover guidelines for clinical staff and visiting medical officers. The project will ensure effective transfer of patient information between health professionals, guaranteeing continuity of care and optimising the safety and quality of health outcomes.
At a presentation ceremony held at the hospital today, Rockhampton Mater Chief Executive Officer Ian Mill spoke about the hospital's commitment to lifting the standards of patient safety and clinical quality.
"Our Clinical Communications Project is about transforming care at the bedside. It is an expansive initiative to redesign the medical unit care process as well as the way services is delivered," he said.
"The project draws on experience in mobilizing teams of staff to make significant changes in care processes as well as its expertise in health system redesign."
"We are extremely grateful to Medibank Private for this award. This is a significant commitment by Medibank Private across Australia in providing substantial funding to encourage and reward quality and safety initiatives," Mr Mill said.
More than one million dollars has been granted by Medibank Private to hospitals around Australia this year, with Queensland hospitals receiving a total of almost $155,000 to fund quality and safety projects. In the last two years Medibank Private has provided $1.9 million in funding for 74 quality and safety projects across 65 hospitals.
Rockhampton Mater is one of just five Queensland hospitals to receive funding from Medibank Private in support of quality and safety initiatives. The other Queensland private hospitals to receive a grant were Greenslopes Private in Brisbane, Allamanda Private in Southport, Friendly Society Private in Bundaberg, and John Flynn Private Hospital in Tugan.
Medibank Private's Queensland General Manager Brian Loo praised the local projects as being of a particularly high standard.
"Quality and safety is emerging as the number one issue in Australian health care, especially here in Queensland, so it is great that local private hospitals are now being recognised for their effort and innovation.
"Australia has some of the best quality hospital care in the world, but there is always room for improvement, and improvement and innovation should be supported. Medibank is proud to take a leadership role in this area.
The lessons learned from the various quality and safety projects funded over the last two years will be shared throughout the health sector, extending the value of individual projects far beyond the hospitals in which they are run.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
James Connors - T. (03) 8622 5163 or 0433 992 677
E: james_connors@medibank.com.au
