Jun 10, 2015 | Central Office, Featured Posts, Island Health (VIHA), Lab Safety
In our first article about Transfusion Medicine (TM) safety we introduced the Transfusion Error Surveillance System, or “TESS,” a national initiative led by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and we described Island Health’s significant contribution to...
Jan 16, 2015 | Featured Posts, Island Health (VIHA)
A “near miss” (good catch/close call) is an unplanned occurrence that could have caused harm but is prevented from reaching the patient, either through timely intervention – by staff, families or patients – or by chance. For several years, quality and safety experts...
Nov 14, 2013 | Featured Posts, Island Health (VIHA)
High quality patient care is central to sustaining a safe and reliable healthcare system. With this in mind, the Patient Care Quality Review Board introduced legislation in 2008, requiring all six BC Health Authorities to establish a Patient Care Quality Office...
Nov 7, 2013 | Featured Posts, Island Health (VIHA), Medical Imaging
In healthcare, medical imaging (MI) is the production of high-resolution images of the human body, and often involves expertise from a variety of medical professionals such as Radiologists, Technologists, Sonographers, Clerical, or Medical Physicists. Medical images...
Oct 22, 2013 | Central Office, Featured Posts, Island Health (VIHA), Lab Safety
Transfusions of blood and blood products are an important part of healthcare. When adverse events related to transfusions occur, the impact on patients can be considerable with negative outcomes such as ABO blood group incompatibility, delays in care, inappropriate...
Sep 10, 2013 | Featured Posts, Island Health (VIHA), Lab Safety, Medication Safety
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada considers insulin as one of the Top 5 “high alert” medications due to its narrow therapeutic index and its frequency of use. When used in error, insulin has an increased risk of causing significant patient harm – “too...
