Since our first Go Live in 2008, BC PSLS has grown considerably – in the quantity and quality of patient safety data and overall scope of the system – and we envision huge opportunities for the continued development of reporting and learning in British Columbia (BC).
Recognizing the potential of BC PSLS and the value of collaborating with our provincial stakeholders, we hosted a multi-health authority workshop in November 2012 to acquire input and ideas for how we might move forward. With 38 participants, including patient safety & risk management leaders from all BC health authorities and BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), BC PSLS Coordinators, subject matter experts, and our Central Office team, we had a collective audience of experienced BC PSLS users. Setting the stage for the day were Dr. D. Douglas Cochrane, Chair & Provincial Patient Safety & Quality Officer, and Annemarie Taylor, BC PSLS Provincial Director, who presented their thoughts about…where have we come from…where are we now…and where might we go with BC PSLS? Their overview and vision, combined with a lively ‘courtyard cafe’ session in the afternoon, led to stimulating discussions and sharing of ideas for how BC PSLS can continue to offer meaningful patient safety data to users across the province and support our shared vision – to make healthcare safer for all British Columbians by fostering a culture of safety, shared learning and continuous system improvement.
Today, Central Office is focusing its efforts on developing specialized reporter forms, including a ‘simplified’ generic reporter form, to make reporting easier and less time-consuming for BC PSLS reporters – a key priority arising from the provincial workshop. Using the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) Common Formats as a guide, BC PSLS specialized forms are being developed for event categories or service areas where reporting is specialized or the volume is particularly high. Forms for falls, pressure ulcers, medications, mental health, and emergency, among others, will include input from subject matter experts (e.g. Falls Coordinators) to ensure the new forms are asking the right questions and capturing the most useful data, supporting care providers across the province in their work to implement quality improvement strategies in BC’s healthcare facilities.
Updates and communications about this important work will be shared with BC PSLS users as the new specialized forms become available. Watch for Blog Posts, follow Updates and eNews and stay tuned for our new BC PSLS eNewsletter (coming soon!). As always, BC PSLS Coordinators are an excellent resource as they will be kept up-to-date as this work moves forward.
With that I will leave you with this definition of “patient safety” from Emanual, Berwick, Conway and colleagues in What exactly is patient safety?
Patient safety is a discipline in the health care sector that applies safety science methods toward the goal of achieving a trustworthy system of health care delivery. Patient safety is also an attribute of health care systems; it minimizes the incidence and impact of, and maximizes recovery from, adverse events.
Michelle