We are in awe of all the incredible efforts made by BC’s health care community over the past several weeks in response to COVID-19.
Like many of you, we cheer, clap, and drum together with our families every night at 7 p.m. to express the gratitude that words alone cannot.
We are also heartened to see that patient safety has remained a top priority throughout this turbulent time.
All of us at Central Office are working (remotely!) to offer resources and support COVID-19 efforts wherever possible.
Dashboards
Over the past few months, staff have begun using PSLS to report safety concerns related to COVID-19.
The Patient Care Quality Offices are also interacting with patients and members of the public who contact them with questions, suggestions, and concerns about COVID-19, as well as compliments for our health care providers and organizations on a job well done!
In response, Central Office developed a keyword search and quality assurance process to flag COVID-19 related records and display them visually on dashboards.
Leaders now have a simple way to review data for their areas to identify themes and trends. The data can also be looked at with a provincial lens to understand the bigger picture. If you are a leader and need access to a dashboard, please contact your health authority PSLS Coordinator.
Many of the reports submitted are about hazards, meaning situations that create risks for patients, workers, or others, but do not directly impact or nearly impact a specific patient. If you identify such a concern and have time to report it, use the short Safety Hazard form to save time.
Operation Protect
As you are likely aware, BC’s Ministry of Health has put out a call to suppliers for medical and non-medical supplies to help with the COVID-19 response. Even small donations can make a difference!
One suggestion that struck a chord with our team was to check our office emergency preparedness kit for N95 masks.
Our provincial project manager, Jesse St. Mars, searched the kit and, lo and behold, he found ten masks!
He then reached out to SafeCare BC, a non-profit association that aims to ensure injury free, safe working conditions for continuing care workers in BC. SafeCare BC has launched Operation Protect to help the Ministry of Health collect needed equipment.
Jesse complied with SafeCare BC’s instructions for physical distancing by placing the masks in the trunk of his car for the volunteer to access; he gave the volunteer a smile by putting them in his child’s toy truck for delivery!
“We are grateful for the support we’ve received so far. It’s heartening to see British Columbians come together and support health care workers during this exceptional time,” says Jen Lyle, CEO, SafeCare BC. “But we know the need will become even more critical in the coming weeks, with the increased use of this equipment to protect workers and those in care, and before supply networks are able to return to normal.”
A big thank you to Jesse and the SafeCare BC team and volunteers for helping with equipment donations!
There’s an app for that
The Ministry of Health has provided a number of resources for information about COVID-19 on its website, including a self-assessment app for people who are feeling unwell.
The BC Centre for Disease Control continues to be recommended as the best source of COVID-19 information for health professionals and the public in BC.
For trusted information from around the globe, visit the World Health Organization’s website.
Thank you, again, for coming together to fight COVID-19 and for putting patient safety first in all that you do!
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