The farm boy in me is itching for the smell of dirt! Spring has been slow in coming this year and I am going crazy for the chance to give my boys a ride in the tractor and watch for the sure signs of growth that come a few weeks later. Farming can be one of the most rewarding occupations that exists simply because the fruits of your labor are so quick in appearing.
I am equally excited to see Spring because I know it is going to bring growth of another kind. There has been a lot of QI work going on in the Region and I know that the fruits of that labor are soon going to be popping up too!
There have been a number of staff trained in “Walk This Way – An Introduction to Lean” including Community Health Services, Estevan Hospital Management group. Still to come is a group including all Sun Country HR staff on May 11. I continue to be excited about the potential of this training for SCHR. Stay tuned for your opportunity to take part!
Another big QI Initiative has been the rollout of Medication Reconciliation (MedRec) across the Region. MedRec falls under the QI umbrella because of the incredible potential it has to improve the patient experience. The statistics surrounding medication errors and adverse events that involve medication administration all point to opportunities for improvement. MedRec focuses on obtaining a patient’s current medications and creating the “best possible medication history”. This in turn will reduce medication errors and potential for patient harm, become a key component of seamless care strategies, and save time for nurses, physicians, and pharmacists.
I have worked on the MedRec project with staff at St. Josephs’s Hospital, Weyburn General Hospital, Kipling Hospital, Filmore LTC facility, Stoughton LTC facility, Arcola Health Centre and Carlyle Health Centre as well as our SCHR Home Care Team, and have a huge amount of respect for the work that is done every day to care for our clients and family members. MedRec is going to be an incredible tool that will ensure care is provided safely and efficiently. Thank you to all involved for their enthusiasm and hard work on the roll out!
This spring as you see machinery like this in the fields, I would encourage you to think not only of the growth that will follow on the land, but the growth that is taking place in SCHR. It is going to produce some amazing results as well.
