Peninsula Private Hospital will today launch a new initiative, thanks to the support of Medibank Private, to introduce a Falls Risk Management Program - an area that can have a dramatic improvement on patient outcomes.
Peninsula Private Hospital has been awarded $30,000 through the Medibank Safety and Clinical Improvement Incentive Pool, set up to support private hospitals to improve quality and safety.
At a presentation ceremony held at the hospital today, Medibank praised Peninsula Private Hospital's commitment to lifting the standards of patient safety and quality and for leading the industry in improving the safety and quality of healthcare for members.
Medibank Private has dedicated more than $900,000 in funding, through the Incentive Pool to hospitals across Australia to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.
Medibank' Private's Hospital Contract Manager, David Nowell said, the incentive pool allows us to work with private hospitals, like Peninsula Private Hospital, to reduce the risk of adverse events and encourage innovation and best practice in clinical care in Australian private hospitals.
Peninsula Private Hospital will use the grant to implement an improved falls risk management program in the hospital, with the aim of providing better service to patients and reducing the risk of adverse events. The Hospital will establish a multidisciplinary project team to ensure that best practice guidelines are put in place and staff are educated in falls prevention strategies.
Peninsula Private Hospital's General Manager, Anne Howe explained, that the Hospital developed its Falls Risk Management Program in response to an identified opportunity to improve patient outcomes. This has included the establishment of a Multidisciplinary Committee to drive the project; a review of Best Practice Standards and comprehensive education of all staff involved in patient care.
"Medibank has had an overwhelming response from hospitals to take part in the Incentive Pool and we're very pleased that hospitals share our commitment to improving clinical outcomes," Mr Nowell went on to say.
"We want better health outcomes for our members and the incentive pool forces us to do more than just talk about improving quality and safety.
"We are assisting hospitals to be more innovative, to lift the bar on current standards.
"It's simple really - we want the best health outcomes for our members, we asked hospitals how they could do this, they told us and we are helping them make it a reality," he said.
FACTS ABOUT THE MEDIBANK PRIVATE SAFETY AND CLINICAL IMPROVEMENT INCENTIVE POOL:
� Originally $500,000 was made available in 2006, but due to the quality of applications this increased to over $900,000.
� 34 hospitals across Australia were successful in their application
� Total value of approved proposals is $907,488
� Major areas of innovation of applications included:
Falls prevention and management
Improving management of medication
Discharge and re-admission planning
Improving patient communication and education
� A pool of $1 million will be available for distribution in 2007.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Libby Woolnough - Medibank Private
T. (03) 8622 5181 or 0411 659 060
E: libby_woolnough@medibank.com.au