Eastern health quality of care report 2015 final

In the patient’s shoes QUALITY OF CARE REPORT 2015

IMPROVING CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CANCER CARE

Comparing treatment in a community setting and hospital clinic

Helping people with a mental illness find suitable housing

Newly-diagnosed patients benefit from new approach

(pg 11)

(pg 18)

(pg 24)

Providing positive health experiences for people and communities in the east

Eastern Health is one of Melbourne’s largest metropolitan public health services. We provide a range of emergency, medical and general healthcare services, obstetrics, mental health, drug and alcohol, residential care, statewide services and community health services to Melbourne’s diverse eastern community.

We deliver services from 21 locations to 705,003 people across a geographic area of 2816 square kilometres.

1

Healesville & District Hospital Healesville & District Hospital offers general medicine, general surgery, geriatric evaluation and management, palliative care, endoscopy, antenatal care, specialist outpatient clinics and midwifery home care.

2

Yarra Ranges Health Yarra Ranges Health offers a variety of day surgery procedures, oncology and chemotherapy services, and a range of specialist clinical, rehabilitation and outreach services.

3

Buxton

Glenburn

Kinglake

Marysville Narbethong

Steel Creek

Box Hill Hospital Box Hill Hospital offers emergency care, general and specialty medicine, intensive care services, surgery, maternity, paediatrics, specialist outpatient clinics, mental healthcare, allied health services, teaching and research.

Chum Creek 1

Yarra Glen Kangaroo Ground Eltham Warrandyte Templestowe

2

Box Hill Hospital 3

Glen Iris

6

Peter James Centre 4

5

Warburton

Yarra Ranges Health

Wandin Kew

Healesville & District Hospital

Woori Yallock

Maroondah Hospital

Hoddles Creek Wantirna Health

7

Olinda

Powelltown

Angliss Hospital

Emerald

Rowville

Mulgrave

Lysterfield Gembrook

4

Peter James Centre Peter James Centre offers rehabilitation, geriatric medicine, aged persons' mental health services, aged care assessment services, aged psychiatry assessment, haemodialysis, residential care and transition care.

5

Wantirna Health Wantirna Health offers palliative care, rehabilitation and specialist clinics. It is also home to Eastern Health's education precinct which was opened in 2014.

02

Upper Beaconsfield

6

Maroondah Hospital Maroondah Hospital offers emergency care, general and specialty medicine, intensive care services, general and specialist surgery, paediatrics, specialist outpatient clinics, allied health services and adult mental healthcare.

7

Angliss Hospital Angliss Hospital offers emergency care, general medicine, surgery, maternity, paediatrics and rehabilitation.

CONTENTS 04 Welcome

20 A dash of culture for hospital food

LOCALITIES

04 A warm reception

21 Language no barrier to healthcare

EASTERN HEALTH CAMPUSES

06 Closing the health gap

22 The power to stop the flu begins

PRIMARY CATCHMENT

06 Asking the question

SECONDARY CATCHMENT

with YOU

23 Fighting infection

07 Traineeship opens up new

24 Holistic approach to cancer care

pathways

08 Sport unites community

26 Better communication and collaboration

10 Collaborative approach to

27 Waiting times reduced

general healthcare

Woods Point

10 Easing the pressure

27 Shadows help improve care

11 Improving care for people

28 Meyi and her “alien”

with diabetes

30 Safe move to new hospital

11 Helping hand for nurses Cambarville

Matlock

32 Young people take ownership

12 Community engaged in

of recovery

redevelopment

32 Providing quality aged care services

14 Peer support for families

33 Stopping the waste

and carers

15 Champions reduce number of falls 15 Leap forward for electronic health 16 Crunch and munch an

Reefton

every time

36 What our consumers and carers are telling us

awesome lunch

37 Meeting consumer participation

18 There’s no place like home Toorongo

34 Striving for excellent care,

standards

18 Patient information gets

37 All feedback welcome

community tick of approval

38 Listening and using feedback

19 Eastern Health shines spotlight

40 Contact us

on diversity

Spectrum Spectrum is a statewide service that supports mental health services to provide treatment for people with personality disorders.

19

Turning Point Turning Point is a statewide service that provides treatment, research and education in the fields of alcohol, other drugs and gambling.

08

12

30

Yarra Valley Community Health Yarra Valley Community Health offers a range of primary health services across the Yarra Ranges. Programs include counselling, allied health, Aboriginal health, health promotion, wellness programs, district nursing and a GP clinic.

04 22 Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

03

Welcome On behalf of the Board and our dedicated staff at Eastern Health, we are delighted to present “In the patient’s shoes” – the Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2014-15.

This report is designed to increase community awareness about Eastern Health’s commitment to providing safe, high-quality care for all our patients, clients, residents and their families.

Articles in this report cover a range of programs that deliver clinical services to 750,003 people in Melbourne’s east.

In 2014, we were honoured to be named the Victorian Premier’s Metropolitan Health Service of the Year for the second consecutive year – the first time a health service has received back-to-back awards. This is an outstanding achievement and a very proud moment in Eastern Health’s history.

While the external accolades are exciting and most welcomed

by Eastern Health, our continued focus is striving for excellence. Our clinical governance ensures our staff share responsibility for quality, safety, continuous improvement, minimising risks, promoting innovation and providing the highest standard of care. At Eastern Health, we are increasingly involving our consumers and carers in everything we do as we firmly believe this is the best way to make sure our services meet the community’s needs.

There are many examples of this approach throughout this report, which highlights a range of achievements in clinical effectiveness, risk management, consumer participation and quality healthcare. This report also outlines the ways we receive, review and use feedback to improve our services.

One of our latest initiatives in this area is our active partnership with Patient Opinion, a website that allows patients and their families to publish anonymous feedback regarding their healthcare experience. Eastern Health is the first health service in Victoria to sign up to Patient Opinion. You can read more about this and other feedback initiatives from page 34.

Production of this report involves input from many of our staff, feedback from our consumers and the support of our Community Advisory Committee. We hope you enjoy reading about our progress during the past 12 months.

If you would like to provide feedback on this report, please email feedback@easternhealth.org.au or write to us at the Centre for Patient Experience, Wantirna Health, 251 Mountain Highway, Wantirna, VIC 3152.

It is our pleasure to commend this Quality of Care Report to you.

Alan Lilly

Chief Executive

04

Prof Pauline Nugent Chair Quality Committee

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eet Maria Baker, one of the 35 volunteers recruited as a Welcome Ambassador for Box Hill Hospital.

Since the opening of the new building in September 2014, Maria has been helping others find their way around the much larger hospital.

The ambassadors’ role is to meet, greet and support patients and visitors to find their way around the hospital. As a result of positive feedback about the service, this highly-valued program was expanded from five days a week to seven.

Maria said Welcome Ambassadors promoted and embedded a culture of service excellence and safety. “It’s a real privilege to help people when they arrive. They may be unwell, stressed or nervous.

Sometimes hospital signage can be overwhelming for people in this situation and a friendly face can make all the difference,” Maria said.

Welcome Ambassadors are located at the reception desk inside the main entrance of Building A and are distinguishable by their Eastern Health uniform. Two volunteers are on duty during hospital visiting hours and they are always happy to provide guidance.

With support from the Box Hill Hospital Business Service Centre, the Welcome Ambassador program is run entirely by volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a Welcome Ambassador, please call Eastern Health Volunteer Services on 9895 4658.

“I have always been a people person, working as a high school principal for many years,” Maria said.

“My husband was a regular visitor to the hospital so I wanted to give back in some way.”

A WARM RECEPTION

Maria Baker volunteers at Box Hill Hospital every Friday.

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

05

CLOSING THE HEALTH GAP Eastern Health continued its strong commitment to close the health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-indigenous Australians in 2014-15.

A dedicated group of staff members are on Eastern Health’s Closing the Health Gap Committee, which provides leadership for all staff on a range of initiatives.

Closing the Health Gap committees at each site have also continued to provide local guidance for staff, volunteers and consumers.

Asking the question

E

astern Health has introduced a new initiative to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and consumers are identified more often and referred to the most appropriate services for their healthcare needs.

An audit in 2013 revealed that many patients were not being asked whether they were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin. This led to inaccurate data regarding this patient group and making referrals to the Aboriginal hospital liaison officer and Aboriginal health services difficult.

“A committed group of staff from across Eastern Health commenced a detailed improvement project, overseen by our Closing the Health Gap Committee, to understand why staff were not asking the question and to create a better understanding of how we use this information,” said Matt Sharp, Executive Director of Continuing Care, Ambulatory, Mental Health & Statewide Services.

This group then developed a standardised process for all staff to ask the question upon admission to hospital or a program.

“Guidelines have now been developed to ensure staff not only ask the question but understand why they are asking, so they are better able to explain it to the patient if they have any queries," Mr Sharp said.

Eastern Health’s aim is to ensure every patient is asked the question, something that our Senior Aboriginal Services Development Officer, Vera Webber says is vital to help close the health gap.

“If we don’t give these patients the opportunity to identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, we are denying them the opportunity to be referred to relevant services, such as our Aboriginal hospital liaison officer or Aboriginal health team,” Vera said.

Frontline staff have been provided with a range of information regarding the process.

“It’s great to see that we now have all the processes in place to ensure we can always ask the question, record the answer and use this information to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.”

06

TRAINEESHIP OPENS UP NEW PATHWAYS

Gaby Bruning

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mployment and training opportunities for Aboriginal people have increased at Eastern Health as part of the Aboriginal Employment Plan, which was introduced in 2014.

Gaby Bruning is completing an Aboriginal Alcohol and Drug Worker Traineeship at Wellington House. Located in Box Hill, Wellington House is a 12-bed residential unit that provides withdrawal support to clients with alcohol or other drug problems.

The traineeship offers a mix of education and practical work.

While Gaby is receiving a solid foundation by completing a Certificate IV in Alcohol and Drugs, she is also gaining valuable

experience by working three days a week at Wellington House.

With quality training and supervision, Gaby has been given the responsibility to provide treatment and care for people withdrawing from alcohol and other drugs.

“It’s important that the traineeship exists,” Gaby said. “With my understanding of Aboriginal culture, Aboriginal clients have someone to reach out to.”

Eastern Health's Aboriginal Employment Co-ordinator Stephanie May said the Aboriginal Alcohol and Drug Worker Traineeship was an important part of the Aboriginal Employment Plan, known as Karreeta Yirramboi.

Karreeta is the Gunditjmara word for “grow” and Yirramboi is the Taungurung word meaning “tomorrow”.

Gaby will complete her traineeship in February 2016.

“Eastern Health understands the importance of diversity and inclusion in our workforce and increasing the employment participation of Aboriginal people is crucial to this.”

– Gaby Bruning Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

07

SPORT UNITES COMMUNITY

“It is a terrific event to break down cultural barriers and encourage collaboration between Eastern Health and local Aboriginal communities.”

– Vera Webber

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Keilara Jessie Briggs (left) and Jirra Graham Briggs (top tight) from Aldara Consultancy performed at Eastern Health's Closing the Gap Sports Day. Bottom right: Staff from Eastern Health compete in the netball tournament.

H

undreds of people gathered in Healesville to “connect with respect” at Eastern Health’s Closing the Gap Sports Day in March 1, 2015.

Some of the best Aboriginal sporting talent in the eastern region challenged Eastern Health staff in the annual football and netball tournament.

Eastern Health Senior Aboriginal Services Development Officer Vera Webber said the event helped promote Aboriginal health.

“The aim of the day is to celebrate the spirit of reconciliation and to better inform the community about the dedicated Aboriginal health services we have,” Vera said.

A traditional Welcome to Country, children’s activities and post-match entertainment, including a barbecue, were also part of the day’s festivities.

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015 09

Collaborative approach to general healthcare P eople with multiple health conditions are experiencing greater benefits from a collaborative approach to healthcare in general medicine.

Following an extensive review, Eastern Health’s general medical team introduced a new model of care that has significantly improved processes and patient outcomes.

“The benefits for patients are exceptional. They include reducing the time patients spend in hospital and providing them with a team of experts working together to deliver the best possible care,” said Professor Chris Gilfillan, Director of General Medicine and Endocrinology.

Prof Gilfillan said the new model focused on a team approach, involving staff members from a range of professions.

“A recent example was a patient who was admitted for pneumonia. She had a range of other long-standing conditions including vertigo, dizziness, type 2 diabetes and previous cases of breast cancer and stroke,” he said.

“While the initial priority was to treat the pneumonia, the team approach allowed our physiotherapists, occupational therapists and dietitians to assist with the other conditions, enabling the patient to leave hospital after five days with ongoing support provided in her home.”

Without the team approach, this patient may not have returned home and instead, have been permanently placed in an aged care facility.

“Early referral to the right specialty units and allied health support helps us get patients on the right path earlier.”

– Professor Chris Gilfillan

Easing the pressure

A

pressure injury (or bed sore) is an area of damaged skin caused by constant, unrelieved pressure or friction. Pressure injuries are a major risk for hospital patients, especially those who are restricted to a bed or chair, and they can have a negative impact on patient wellbeing.

Eastern Health’s dedicated Skin Integrity Expert Advisory Committee is focused on ensuring the impact of these types of injuries is reduced and where possible, completely avoided.

“Factors such as decreased movement and poor nutrition can lead to damaged skin,” Skin Integrity Clinical Nurse Consultant Roslyn Carmichael said.

“These factors all increase with age, making prevention strategies even more vital as the population of the eastern suburbs continues to age.”

In February 2015, the committee introduced a new process to help prevent pressure injuries.

“It incorporates a daily skin inspection for all patients, which is a proactive measure to reduce the development of pressure injuries while in our care,” Ros said.

The committee strives for continuous improvement in this area and is constantly monitoring, reviewing and testing prevention strategies across all areas of the health service.

How to keep your skin healthy

1

Throw away the soap.

Soaps dry the skin and increase the skin’s pH level

2 3

Moisturise your skin daily

Angliss Hospital patient Jeffery Bomford with nurse Kate Henry in Ward 2 East.

10

Drink enough fluids to keep your skin hydrated

Improving care for people with diabetes

Vanessa Starling works at Maroondah Hospital as a Health Assistant in Nursing.

A

n Eastern Health study has found patients with type 2 diabetes appear to have significantly better experiences in a community setting than hospital clinics.

Eastern Health’s Integrated Diabetes Education and Assessment Service (IDEAS) is an integrated type 2 diabetes healthcare program that is receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from consumers.

This is the first time the effectiveness of the program has been evaluated.

The study compared the experiences of IDEAS clients and those attending specialist outpatient clinics in hospitals.

“IDEAS clients felt they received more consistent advice from their healthcare professionals and found it easier to make appointments,” said Professor Chris Gilfillan, Director of General Medicine and Endocrinology.

The findings suggest the IDEAS model holds promise for people with type 2 diabetes who need more specialist care from a range of health professionals.

“Ensuring people with diabetes have a positive experience and fostering engagement with the service needs to be a priority for diabetes healthcare,” Prof Gilfillan said. “These results provide us with an excellent insight into the patient perspective and we will use this to further enhance the services we provide.”

HELPING HAND FOR NURSES B

ox Hill Hospital and Maroondah Hospital have welcomed six staff members to a new nursing assistant role.

Health Assistants in Nursing (HAN) positions were introduced in February 2014 for a 12-month period.

Six people who were interested in gaining experience in the nursing profession, but had no formal qualifications in health, were recruited as part of the trial to determine whether the role was beneficial.

“This was a great opportunity to offer a foot in the door for people seeking a career in health. Our HANs came from a range of backgrounds, including a café business owner, a newly-graduated high school student and a staff member from Maroondah Hospital’s meals service,” said Joanne Mapes, Associate Director of Nursing & Midwifery at Eastern Health.

HANs provide assistance to nursing staff on the ward. Tasks include helping patients during meal times, changing bed linen, keeping wards stocked and organised, and assisting with patient hygiene and mobility.

“The HANs are highly valued by their teams. They provide an additional resource to not only help nursing staff manage their workloads but to provide enhanced patient care and improved outcomes,” Joanne said.

All six HANs completed the 12-month apprenticeship with a Certificate III in Health Services Assistance from Mayfield Education. Five of the staff members have stayed at Eastern Health for ongoing employment and one staff member has continued to pursue further studies in nursing.

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

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H

ealesville & District Hospital and Yarra Valley Community Health’s $8.8 million redevelopment is underway and Eastern Health has provided many opportunities for local residents to be involved.

Eastern Health's strong focus on consumer and stakeholder engagement has been led

by Tanya Hendry, Manager of Consumer Participation and Patient Experience, who has worked closely with members of the community.

“Local health services are close to the heart of the community and it has been very exciting to see such high public interest in this project,” Tanya said.

Following the initial funding announcement, Eastern Health launched a range of initiatives to ensure the community not only had access to the latest information but also opportunities to provide feedback.

“We have six members of the community on our redevelopment liaison group, who act as the link between Eastern Health and local residents. We have also presented at key community groups such as Lions and Rotary, sent newsletters to local households and schools, and organised information displays at the hospital and other locations in the community.”

Tanya said ongoing engagement was vital during the building phase.

TOP RIGHT: Healesville & District Hospital patient Leonard Sedawie with nurse Jessie Fryer.

RIGHT: Patient Hazel Covington.

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The $8.8 million expansion of Healesville & District Hospital and Yarra Valley Community Health is underway.

Once complete, the hospital and community health centre will be larger to support new services, with improved facilities and equipment.

What’s included in the redevelopment?

A new operating theatre A new renal dialysis unit A redeveloped community health centre A refurbished and modernised interior, as well as improved parking and open spaces.

For more information, visit our website at www.easternhealth.org.au

Healesville & District Hospital nurse, Tammy Smith.

COMMUNITY ENGAGED IN REDEVELOPMENT “We are looking forward to continuing to engage with the community as the redevelopment continues.” – Tanya Hendry

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

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PEER SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES AND CARERS Dave Neef says his role as a COPES worker is extremely rewarding.

M

ental illness can be one of the most challenging health conditions to manage and it can have a profound effect on families and friends.

Carers Offering Peers Early Support, or COPES, is a program that aims to provide individual support to family members or friends who have been affected by a mental illness. It is run in partnership with local agencies Eastern Access Community Health and Mind Australia.

COPES workers have first-hand experience of mental illness and understand its effects on others.

Dave Neef is a COPES worker in Ringwood and says his role is extremely rewarding.

“The service provides an opportunity for families to be heard, recognised and validated in their Carers role.

Family members are mainly parents and partners of a person with mental illness but we also see siblings, sons, daughters and other relatives and friends,” Dave said.

“My job is very rewarding as I am able to use my own lived experience to support others.”

Eastern Health’s Carer Support Co-ordinator Cate Bourke said

Dave’s experience was a great example of the power of peer support.

“It is particularly important in the mental health inpatient setting where families can feel lost and alone. COPES helps carers navigate our mental health system and assists them to attend to their own needs so they can best support their family member who is using our mental health services,” Cate said.

Eastern Health’s three COPES workers provide peer support to more than 500 new mental health carers each year.

COPES is one of a number of Eastern Health services that help thousands of family members and carers supporting people experiencing mental illness.

Feedback from family members “It’s been very positive. I felt that Marina really listened to me and offered some valuable solutions and input to my concerns.”

“It was great to have Dave from COPES phoning me every week as I was too busy and stressed to see anyone. Talking on the phone was a great support. It was wonderful to know that someone cared and knew how hard it was but most of all, he gave me hope that things could get better. Thank you.”

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Leap forward for electronic health

Registered nurse Christie Fullalove and occupational therapist Emma Prowse assist a patient on Ward 6.1 at Box Hill Hospital.

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and-written medication charts could be a thing of the past as Eastern Health moves towards a fully integrated electronic medical record.

CHAMPIONS REDUCE NUMBER OF FALLS F

alling is a major risk for people in hospital. As part of Eastern Health’s commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care, the BLAST project aims to achieve improvement By Leadership, Action, Support and Teamwork.

With patient safety the number one priority, this initiative promotes guidelines to reduce the number of falls.

“We initially started the project in six wards to target rapid and sustainable improvement. It involved a thorough review of falls performance data, trends, equipment, resources and communication,” said Adjunct Professor David Plunkett, Executive Director of Acute Health and Chief Nursing & Midwifery Officer.

“Staff and consumers were initially involved in an organisation-wide review with a focus on compliance with our falls management procedures.

Following this review, we organised focus groups to engage staff and share experiences, and identified

‘falls champions’ in each area to ensure the spotlight remained on the overall goal – to improve compliance with our falls management processes and therefore, patient safety.”

Following the intensive 12-week program, each ward developed their own improvement plans to ensure the findings of the BLAST project continued to have lasting benefits.

“This project has enabled our staff to work together and take a proactive approach to preventing falls," Adj Prof Plunkett said. “Findings from each team have been used to develop a BLAST Falls Action Plan, which will be implemented across Eastern Health to reduce the risk of falls.”

Four wards at Wantirna Health and Peter James Centre have successfully introduced an electronic medication management system, which is reducing the risk of errors and improving patient safety.

“This system has allowed doctors, nurses and pharmacists to manage medications electronically; from prescribing and supplying medications to recording when doses have been given,” Clinical System Operation Lead Sam Alabaster said.

Staff were trained to ensure a smooth transition to the electronic system.

“There has been a reduction in the number of medication errors through improved prescription legibility, dose calculation and tools that alert staff to duplicate orders, patient allergies and drug interactions,” Sam said.

Staff also said the system improved efficiency because patient medical histories were readily accessible through the electronic system, eliminating the need to search through paper charts.

Eastern Health plans to extend the system to other sites.

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

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CRUNCH AND MUNCH AN AWESOME LUNCH H

ealesville Primary School students will have access to healthier food options thanks to Yarra Valley Community Health’s overhaul of the school canteen.

Crunch and Munch an Awesome Lunch was a pilot project led by Eastern Health’s health promotion team in conjunction with dietitians to improve the school’s eating culture.

“The canteen was selling lots of packaged foods with little nutritional value. Staff at the canteen were keen to work with us to improve the food choices available, giving children healthier options,” Health Promotion Officer Raini Nailer said.

“We ran a program for six months that included having discussions with students, parents and teachers about the importance of a balanced diet to help change attitudes towards food.”

Raini and her team were able to source new fridges, cooking equipment and marketing materials to revamp the canteen, providing staff with the tools they needed to launch a new and improved service.

“We launched the new canteen in February 2015 and the response has been overwhelmingly positive,” Raini said.

New foods have been introduced and education provided to introduce a traffic light system and give children the ability to take ownership of their food choices.

Parents were also given a range of resources to assist their own understanding of healthy eating, including suggestions for healthy after school snacks.

“Giving children and their parents simple tips to improve their diet, such as adding yoghurt and fruit to pancakes or muesli in the morning, has been really well received.”

16

Healesville Primary School students Zac and April Hoiles with Vikki Chandler at the school's revamped canteen.

100% of parents found sessions about after school snacks and dietetics advice useful

63%

of parents noted their children’s willingness to try foods had increased

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

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There’s no place like home

P

eople struggling to find appropriate housing due to mental health conditions are finding comfort in a program that links housing officers with healthcare providers.

Eastern Health has partnered with Eastern Access Community Health (EACH) to deliver the Improved Housing Access Initiative, which links a housing consultant to mental health services at the Murnong Clinic in Ringwood East and Chandler House in Upper Ferntree Gully.

This unique initiative places a full-time housing consultant within Eastern Health’s community mental health service, making them a part of the broader mental health team.

This means clients can access specialist clinical mental healthcare and expert housing support and advocacy in the same location.

Eastern Health clinicians have developed

strong relationships with EACH staff through this program, which has resulted in a rise in assisted referrals and better outcomes for clients.

“By working with EACH, the housing consultant has a thorough knowledge of local housing programs, providing Eastern Health’s mental health clients with a range of options to suit their needs,” Improved Housing Access Service Manager Tim Brewster said.

During 2014 - 2015, the program assisted 28 people to obtain independent accommodation.

“We’ve had a single mother with two teenage children secure long-term social housing and we were able to help a 55-year-old client and his wife move from an overcrowded family home with their daughter to independent accommodation,” Tim said.

“One female client was left homeless due to family violence and we were able to assist her to access legal support and a private rental.

This program is really making a big difference to people’s lives.”

Patient information gets community tick of approval

A

committed group of community representatives is helping Eastern Health to develop easy-to-read consumer information.

Eastern Health’s Consumer Information Committee consists of five representatives from the local community who provide feedback on written information that is provided to consumers.

“The group meets monthly to review all consumer information, such as brochures, posters and information sheets, to ensure the content is easy to understand,” said Tanya Hendry, Manager of Consumer Participation and Patient Experience.

“While we previously had systems to seek consumer feedback on written information, this committee provides us with a formal process to ensure all consumer information is reviewed and approved by members of the community before it is given to patients.”

Tanya said the group often identified phrases that patients might not understand.

“It is important to ensure consumer information can be easily read and understood. This group gives us an excellent insight into the patient perspective and helps us to improve the information we provide.”

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Pride Cup Eastern Health has thrown its support behind the Pride Cup, an annual event that tackles homophobia in Australian Rules football and celebrates diversity and inclusion in sport for the lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and intersex (LGBTI) communities.

Staff from Yarra Valley Community Health joined beyondblue, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, Yarra Ranges Council, Netball Victoria, Headspace and Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria as official supporters of the event, which was held in May 2015.

EASTERN HEALTH SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON DIVERSITY S

andy Ashton commenced in March 2015 as Eastern Health’s first Diversity Co-ordinator. Sandy's role is to ensure diversity in culture, age, gender, disability, sexuality and spirituality is acknowledged and accepted throughout the health service.

“I love the portfolio of work for this role. It helps Eastern Health to be more inclusive when we deliver our services,” Sandy said.

“It is about recognising and valuing differences among our consumers, communities and workforce, and enabling us to better understand how we can best meet their needs.

“This role complements the great work already being done at Eastern Health, such as our language services department, which last year provided thousands of occasions of interpreter services in more than 60 languages, and the spiritual care team, which provides wonderful support to consumers across the whole of Eastern Health.

I am really looking forward to working with staff to ensure we are at the forefront of providing inclusive care for people from all our communities.”

Sandy Ashton is Eastern Health’s Diversity Co-ordinator.

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

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I

nterpreter Florence Wong has helped develop a Chinese soup for Eastern Health’s patient menu.

It was identified during the development of the menu that cultural expertise was required to ensure the food was authentic.

“Western soup is much thicker than Chinese soup, which is clear,” Florence said.

Florence provided her feedback as part of a tasting session earlier this year.

Two soups have since been developed – lemongrass and coconut – and will be added to the Eastern Health menu.

A DASH OF CULTURE FOR HOSPITAL FOOD 20

Language no barrier to healthcare “It is important for us to know what our patients want to ensure we provide them with the best experience.” – Florence Wong

F

rom translating a doctor’s appointment to attending a birth, Eastern Health’s interpreters are often part of life-changing moments for patients and their families.

Providing more than 7500 occasions of service per year, our in-house interpreters cover a range of languages. Eastern Health also engages an external agency to provide other languages, taking the total number of occasions of service per year to almost 10,000.

The languages in highest demand are Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Greek and Chin Haka, a language spoken in southern Asia.

We have dedicated staff to provide these services as well as a casual bank of interpreters for when other languages are required,” Language Services Manager Cynthia Zupan said. “Our Chin Haka interpreter is also able to provide assistance for Chin Falam, Chin Mizo and Chin Lautu speaking patients (languages of Burma and India).”

Cynthia said her team was often present for intimate moments in a person’s life.

“Our staff may need to interpret very emotional occasions, such as a cancer diagnosis or telling someone their loved one is not responding to treatment and may require end of life care,” she said.

“There are also the more positive occasions, including the success of an operation or helping to interpret during childbirth.”

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Florence Wong has been an interpreter at Eastern Health for 25 years and speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, Hakka, Hokkien, Teo Chew and Malay.

the number of languages spoken by Eastern Health patients in 2014

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

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THE POWER TO STOP THE FLU BEGINS WITH YOU “We encourage all staff and volunteers to protect themselves, their patients and their colleagues from the flu by getting their vaccination every year.” – Leanne Houston

E

astern Health’s fight against influenza had added punch this season, with a superhero ambassador joining the team.

Flu Fighter was out and about across the organisation to spread the word about the importance of flu vaccinations. Supported by a team of infection prevention and control experts, Flu Fighter’s goal was to vaccinate more than 75 per cent of staff and volunteers.

“Flu vaccination of healthcare workers has significant benefits for staff, patients and visitors. It has the potential to save lives,” said Leanne Houston, Eastern Health’s Associate Director of Infection Prevention and Control.

Patients and members of the public are also encouraged to consider being immunised against influenza through their GP.

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Katherine McKay and Bree Davies from Eastern Health’s Infection Prevention and Control team with Flu Fighter, aka Maroondah Hospital's Human Resources Adviser Josh Humphries.

Human Resources Adviser Josh Humphreys was in character during his time as Eastern Health’s Flu Fighter at Maroondah Hospital.

Fighting infection

E

astern Health staff are using a range of measures to reduce the spread of infections and provide a cleaner, healthier environment for patients and visitors.

Hand hygiene continues to top the list as one of the best ways to prevent infections.

“Regular hand-washing is one of the simplest ways the community can avoid spreading germs. It’s even more vital in a healthcare setting, where patients have lower immunity and a higher chance of complications,” said Leanne Houston, Eastern Health’s Associate Director of Infection Prevention and Control.

“It is so important that staff right across our organisation understand the importance of routinely washing their hands.”

Eastern Health’s intensive care unit (ICU) staff have worked hard to increase their hand-washing rate during the past 12 months and are now leading the way for other areas to follow.

“Senior medical and nursing staff in our two ICUs have set a high expectation and led by example.

They have developed a range of strategies to guide staff through the appropriate times to wash their hands during common procedures,” Leanne said.

Banners and hand sanitiser dispensers have been placed in the main entrances of all Eastern Health sites as well as entrances to high-risk areas, such as the ICU.

“Visual cues remind all of us to wash our hands and help prevent infections.” – Leanne Houston Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

23

N

ewly-diagnosed cancer patients are reaping the benefits of an innovative program that promotes a team approach to their care.

Cancer affects one in three people and is the leading cause of death in Victoria. Eastern Health treats a large number of cancer patients each year and is constantly looking for ways to improve services and outcomes.

“Cancer care involves an extensive range of services from medical, nursing and allied health. It may include screening, diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, supportive care, palliative and end of life care – it is easy to see why cancer patients can find their journey overwhelming,” Eastern Health’s Cancer Services Strategy and Projects Manager Luellen Thek said.

“In an attempt to simplify the process for patients and their families, we review each cancer diagnosis to determine the best care and treatment options.”

In December 2014, the Cancer Multidisciplinary Meeting Room was opened at Box Hill Hospital to provide a physical space for cancer specialists from a range of fields to come together and discuss patient cases.

“It is a unique space specifically designed to facilitate expert discussions and debates on the best way forward for the patient,” Luellen said. “It means we can bring all available expertise into the one room to review results of scans, blood tests and other health conditions – and make an informed, holistic decision about the best options for the patient.”

Patients provide consent to their health professionals for their case to be discussed and while they are not present for the meeting, they are provided with a comprehensive, recommended treatment plan for their suspected, newly-diagnosed or relapsed cancer.

“It means the patient doesn’t have to see a range of health professionals individually and potentially receive conflicting or confusing advice about their diagnosis and treatment."

“Patients are also more likely to be entered into high-quality and relevant clinical trials because the experts in the room will have up-to-date information about any opportunities for this type of treatment.” – Luellen Thek More than $200,000 was raised by the Eastern Health Foundation to build the specialised space, which will provide benefits for more than 3000 cancer patients each year.

FROM THE TOP: Dr Nicholas Wilsmore, Dr Alan Young, Mr Alex Rosalion, Mr Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann and Associate Professor Phillip Parente discuss a patient case.

Yolanda Ebanks, Dr Eileen Fong.

Dr Nicholas Wilsmore, Dr Alan Young and Mr Alex Rosalion.

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HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CANCER CARE

Dr Eileen Fong

400

meetings each year

3000 14 patient cases reviewed

different tumour streams

300

clinicians across all disciplines

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

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BETTER COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION P

atients who need rehabilitation and geriatric evaluation and management are set to benefit from an overhaul of services at Eastern Health.

Following extensive consultation and planning, a new model of care was introduced in mid-2015.

“These recent improvements build on our team’s existing commitment to deliver quality care. We have been able to standardise the way we provide care across all our sites, improve collaboration between different staff groups and enhance the effectiveness of therapy,” Continuing Care Redesign Facilitator Ann Yeomanson said.

Some of the improvements include:

Offering patients and families new ways to communicate with staff about their care, such as having a key contact person

Increasing the opportunity for patient and family involvement in care planning through the provision of more family meetings

Providing simple, up-to-date service information in patient and family welcome packs

Improving assessment processes to limit the number of repetitive questions a patient may experience

Standardising bedside medical charts to ensure the information is consistent across all sites and wards

Providing information at the bedside via a new communication board.

Damian Gibney, Program Director for Continuing Care, described the process as a “great team effort”.

“Nursing, allied health and medical staff have been working together to improve the care we provide. We believe these improvements will have lasting benefits for patients and their families.”

– Damian Gibney

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Waiting times reduced

P

eople requiring support from the Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service (CDAMS) and Ambulatory Continence Service will experience shorter waiting times for appointments thanks to funding from the National Partnership Agreement on Improving Public Health Services.

Eastern Health’s Ambulatory and Community Services Program used the one-off funding to review waiting lists and the models of care for each service.

“Historically, both services had long wait times for appointments. The aim of this project was to design and implement solutions that reduced the average waiting time for patients,” said Erin Wilson, Clinical Operations Manager of the Ambulatory and Community Services Program.

Teams from both areas worked to identify the cause of the long waiting times, deciding more efficient processes and solutions were needed to ensure they provided patient-centred and evidence-based services.

The CDAMS team introduced joint assessments between doctors and allied health staff, and improved scheduling for client appointments.

They also reviewed assessment methods to minimise duplication.

“Following the introduction of these improvements, CDAMS reduced waiting times for referrals by an average of 68 days. The average length of stay was also dramatically reduced from 17 months to three months,” Erin said.

“In addition to this, 25 per cent of clients received their diagnosis earlier, which was a direct result of the joint assessment.”

The continence service also introduced fixed scheduling for client appointments, as well as refining the initial screening process and sending appointment reminders to clients via text message.

“Education classes were introduced to provide clients with an earlier opportunity to think about their treatment goals and learn more about bowel and bladder management strategies before meeting with the continence clinician,” Erin said.

Within four months, the service achieved a 40-day reduction in average referral waiting times and had more patients attending their scheduled appointments.

“We are very pleased with the improvements we have made in both areas and our patient feedback reflects the positive changes within each area.

Staff have also seen the benefits of increased collaboration, fewer appointments and a more streamlined process.”

Shadows help improve care

S

enior clinical and management staff in Eastern Health’s Continuing Care Program have participated in a “shadowing” exercise to gain insight into the patient journey.

The program involved observing more than 50 hours of patient and visitor interactions with staff.

“The purpose was to understand the patient and family’s response to their experience,” Continuing Care Redesign Facilitator Ann Yeomanson said.

Michelle Garrett was one of the first patients admitted to Box Hill Hospital’s new continuing care ward in 2015. She is pictured with social worker Jacqueline Green.

“We ran 26 two-hour 'shadows' in the early morning, daytime and evening to gain a complete view of the patient’s experience from when they first come to our service until they leave,” Ann said. Staff reported an increase in their understanding of the patient’s perspective and were able to make some immediate changes to the way they provided care.

W o g o

“Shifting our perspective is vital to providing patient-centred care. Shadowing was certainly a valuable exercise and something we will continue to do.”

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

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“ w i r t c E a

MEYI AND HER “ALIEN” Amy Wilkinson is an occupational therapist and was part of the team caring for Meyi Cabello.

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M

eyi Cabello describes her “unpronounceable illness” (Eosinophilic Fasciitis, or Shulman’s Syndrome) as her “alien”. It is a condition that causes thickening and inflammation of the skin and fascia (connective tissue found throughout the body).

The illness caused her great pain and sadness as she was unable to walk due to the severity of the condition. That was before she was introduced to a team of health professionals she never knew existed and to whom she now says, she owes her total independence.

“I did not understand the importance of occupational therapy.

I imagined it would involve silly games to keep me busy. After working with the staff at Royal Melbourne Hospital I realised that these activities were actually where my independence started – re-learning how to cook, putting my shoes and socks on, and using unusual tools to help me pick up things,” Meyi said.

Following two months in Royal Melbourne Hospital’s rehabilitation centre, Meyi returned home.

“This is when my relationship with the team at Yarra Ranges Health in Lilydale began,” she said.

Meyi received ongoing treatment from Eastern Health’s rehabilitation team, which included occupational therapy, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy.

“I felt privileged to be attended to so quickly. I was able to continue my exercises at home with the support of this fantastic team,” she said.

Meyi was able to acquire an electric scooter to help her return to her daily travel. She was also able to work on her motor skills to further enhance her recovery.

Meyi has continued to write about her experience as a form of therapy and published two books, The Alien’s Embrace and My Alien and I.

“Despite having suffered through this rare condition, which has caused much sadness and frustration, I feel confident and proud to live in a country that shows concern for people with disabilities – with centres like Yarra Ranges Health providing skilled staff who can teach us to live our lives with quality and dignity.” – Meyi Cabello

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Six-year-old Mischa Teh was the first patient moved into the new paediatric ward at Box Hill Hospital.

SAFE MOVE TO NEW HOSPITAL B

ox Hill Hospital’s new 10-storey clinical services building accepted its first patients on September 30, 2014.

In what was one of the most significant events in the hospital’s 58-year history, more than 200 patients were safely moved from the existing hospital (Building B) to the new hospital (Building A) within seven hours.

“The move went amazingly well. We were extremely proud of the commitment and professionalism of our staff in the lead-up, during and post-move,” said Adjunct Professor David Plunkett, Executive Director of Acute Health and Chief Nursing & Midwifery Officer.

Box Hill Hospital’s new main entrance is located at 8 Arnold Street, Box Hill and the new, much larger emergency department is now located on Rodgerson Road.

Refurbishment of Building B is due to be completed in late 2015.

High interest in community tours As part of Eastern Health’s commitment to engage the community in the $447.5 million redevelopment of Box Hill Hospital, the Eastern Health Foundation led a series of public tours of the new building.

More than 1000 people attended 96 tours between October 2014 and December 2014.

Feedback about the tours, which provided participants with a “behind the scenes” look at the state-of-the-art facility, was extremely positive.

Eastern Health is considering extending this initiative to other sites.

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Box Hill Hospital’s first day in Building A

FIRST

BABY BORN Alexandra Rita

FIRST

PATIENT TO MOVE Maternity patients Sarah Iannelli and baby D’Arcy at 7am

LAST

PATIENT TO MOVE Maxwell Hayes at 1.30pm

FIRST

EMERGENCY PATIENT

Mathew Interno at 8.02am – doors opened at 8am

FIRST

CHILD IN NEW PAEDIATRIC WARD Mischa Teh, 6

FROM THE TOP: Sarah Iannelli and her baby D’Arcy were the first patients to move into Building A. Patient William Jackson was one of more than 200 patients moved from Building B to Building A. Intensive care nurse Jessica O’Shauhnessy during the move.

FIRST

SURGERY

Edward Minett at 12.05pm – Surgeon, Mr Rob Howells Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

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Young people take ownership of recovery

A

Providing quality aged care services

E

astern Health’s residential aged care facilities are constantly reviewing their practices to ensure they provide the best quality care at all times.

peer-led course is empowering young people to take ownership of their mental illness recovery.

Accredited by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency (AACQA), the four facilities undergo rigorous assessment processes, including unannounced visits by surveyors.

MI Recovery provides participants with information, support and skills to manage their mental health, giving them a sense of hope for the future.

“We undergo formal accreditation every three years however, the standards are regularly reviewed by the AACQA, which gives residents and their families confidence in the quality and safety of the care they receive,” Eastern Health’s Residential Services Manager Fiona Quigley said.

“Young people who have prior experience as mental health service users are involved in the co-ordination of the program, which is led by trained facilitators and a clinical co-ordinator,” Youth and Family Advisory Co-ordinator Cate Bourke said.

“This program has been well received by participants, who have said it has given them a greater understanding of strategies for managing their mental health.”

By involving people who have experience with mental health recovery, the program provides a personal insight into the road ahead.

“Participants have told us they feel more confident in their ability to get through tough times after seeing people who have overcome the same struggle,” Cate said.

Peer facilitators and carers have also provided encouraging feedback about the program, saying it has given them an opportunity to be involved in the recovery of young people.

MI Recovery is run by Eastern Health’s Child and Youth Mental Health Service, in partnership with the Mental Illness Fellowship, and involves a 10-week course for people aged 15-25 who are currently receiving treatment for mental health conditions.

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Fiona works with the facility managers at each site and representatives from Eastern Health’s Quality, Planning and Innovation team to improve care, quality and safety processes.

Melissa Elliott, Associate Director of Quality, Planning and Innovation for Eastern Health’s residential services, said the work involved continuously reviewing all services and standards of care, and ensuring any changes in legislation were noted and actioned.

“These processes ensure our residential services are the best they can be.”

Eastern Health’s four residential aged care facilities are:

1 2 3

Northside Residential Aged Care Facility in Burwood East Mooroolbark Residential Aged Care Facility in Mooroolbark

4

Monda Lodge Hostel in Healesville

Edward Street Nursing Home in Upper Ferntree Gully

44 44 out of

Northside Residential Aged Care Facility and Mooroolbark Residential Aged Care Facility achieved all expected outcomes to receive accreditation from June 2015 to June 2018.

STOPPING THE WASTE “Blood wastage costs Australian health services millions of dollars each year, so it is important to have processes to receive, store, collect and transport blood and blood products, and to minimise unnecessary waste.” – Janine Carnell

B

lood and blood products are used in hospitals across Australia every day to save lives. Australia relies on voluntary donations for its blood supply and reducing waste of this precious resource is vital.

“Blood wastage costs Australian health services millions of dollars each year, so it is important to have processes to receive, store, collect and transport blood and blood products, and to minimise unnecessary waste,” Transfusion Nurse Consultant Janine Carnell said.

Eastern Health’s Blood Transfusion Expert Advisory Committee launched a Stop the Waste campaign in 2014 to improve staff awareness of appropriate blood and blood product usage.

“This campaign encouraged staff to stop and think when dealing with blood and blood products,” Janine said.

Promotional materials were distributed throughout the health service to highlight the importance of waste reduction. Education sessions to increase awareness were also provided for more than 200 staff.

Transfusion Nurse Consultant Clare Hennessy said early data had suggested these initiatives were having some impact on blood wastage across Eastern Health.

“We will continue to monitor trends to further assess the effectiveness of this campaign,” she said.

Eastern Health’s transfusion nurses presented their findings at the National Blood Symposium in Brisbane in June 2015.

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

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M

aroondah Hospital staff have raised the standards in patient experience following a ground-breaking pilot project.

The Patient Experience of Care initiative focuses on using feedback from patients to improve the quality and safety of care.

“Patient experience is at the heart of everything we do. We want our patients to have an outstanding experience with every interaction they have with us,” Patient Experience Co-ordinator Sally Deacon said.

More than 6500 patients have provided feedback during the past two years via a monthly patient experience survey.

Maroondah Hospital staff who are involved in the pilot project have been using this data to make local level improvements to ensure patients have a great experience every time.

As part of the project, staff are aiming for all patients to agree with the following statements:

I was involved in my care and treatment as much as I wanted to be

I was given clear information that helped me understand and manage my current health condition

My family and friends were involved in my care when I wanted them to be

“Through this project, the ward teams are improving the way care is provided in response to feedback from patients. Over time, these changes will result in improvements in the quality and safety of care, staff satisfaction and patient experience.”

– Sally Deacon

34

Left to right: Maroondah Hospital nurse Marlo Saunders with Ward 1 South patient Keith Sutton, Dr Dominik Teisseyre and physiotherapist Katherine Fox.

STRIVING FOR EXCELLENT CARE, EVERY TIME

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

35

E

astern Health routinely receives results from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Victorian Healthcare Experience Survey.

Kathleen Tester is a practice nurse at Eastern Health’s Yarra Valley Community Medical Service, a bulk-billing GP clinic in Healesville.

These results suggest certain areas that Eastern Health can improve, including:

Patients receiving sufficient information about their hospital stay before arrival

Patients receiving the right amount of information about their condition and treatment

Operations or procedures being explained to patients in an understandable way before they occur

Health professionals discussing worries or fears with patients about their condition or treatment

Patients feeling listened to and understood by the people caring for them.

The above issues all relate to communication – whether it is written or verbal. Improving communication is a key priority for Eastern Health.

At least 10 consumers are surveyed every month in each hospital ward and in most community services to find out about their experience. Results are displayed in the ward and included in the overall data published in quarterly Patient Experience of Care reports. These reports help Eastern Health identify areas for improvements.

As well as surveying clients, Yarra Valley Community Health recently conducted a survey of community partners who refer clients to its services. The aim of this was to improve access for new clients and discover what referrers think about the services and how they can improve.

68 people completed the survey and 100 per cent said they would recommend Yarra Valley Community Health to others

56 per cent of referrers reported they did not understand the eligibility criteria for clients

80 per cent of referrers reported they did not understand the fee structure

Some referrers were not aware of all services offered.

The survey results have helped inform a new Yarra Valley Community Health plan.

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WHAT OUR CONSUMERS AND CARERS ARE TELLING US

68 people completed the survey and 100 per cent said they would recommend Yarra Valley Community Health to others

Meeting consumer participation standards Eastern Health is proud to meet all the standards set by the Department of Health and Human Services in relation to consumer (patients, clients and residents), carer and community participation. Overall, meeting these standards means that Eastern Health: Developed a written standard that tells staff how they will involve consumers, carers and community members Implemented a two-year Community Participation and Responsiveness Plan Ensures a consumer is on our Patient Experience of Care Expert Advisory Committee to review the results of all feedback from patients and carers including complaints, compliments and surveys Involves consumers, carers and community members in service planning, quality improvement activities and when we build new facilities or redevelop existing buildings Supports consumers by providing orientation and ongoing formal and informal professional development.

All feedback welcome

P

atients and their families now have another avenue to provide feedback about their healthcare experience, with Eastern Health actively partnering with Patient Opinion.

Based on a platform used across Britain’s National Health Service, Patient Opinion is a website that allows patients and their families to anonymously provide open and honest feedback about their healthcare experience, which can then be viewed by all visitors to the site. The patient story may reflect a positive experience or highlight areas of concern.

Health services have the opportunity to address the patient or carer’s thoughts directly and use the feedback to improve services. Eastern Health is the first Victorian health service to officially “sign up”.

Patient Opinion Australia CEO Associate Professor Michael Greco said what made the website different was that the feedback was sent directly to the health service for a response.

“Patients want to see that their health service is listening,” Prof Greco said. “They are looking for a place where they will be heard, acknowledged and see that their comments have made a difference to how the health service will do things in the future.”

Patients and their families can also provide feedback by speaking directly to staff involved in their care, contacting a patient relations adviser, writing to the Centre for Patient Experience or through the Eastern Health website.

To find out more about Patient Opinion, visit www.patientopinion.org.au

Chief Executive Alan Lilly said Eastern Health was genuinely interested in hearing what patients and their families and carers had to say.

“Patient stories are important to us. We are very keen to hear feedback from patients and their families," Mr Lilly said.

“Eastern Health values the opinion of our patients, consumers and families, and uses it to continuously improve our services.

By partnering with Patient Opinion, we are providing another mechanism for feedback, which complements our existing channels.”

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Laura Oliver and Sharon Deeker are Patient Relations Advisers at Eastern Health.

E

astern Health values feedback and is committed to listening.

While striving to provide great healthcare, listening to consumers, their relatives and carers is a valuable way to identify areas that need further improvements.

A consumer who has not had a great experience is our greatest source of learning.

Consumers do not always expect everything to be perfect but they do expect things to be fixed when they go wrong. By listening, Eastern Health staff can hear the consumer’s experience first-hand rather than make assumptions. The Centre for Patient Experience offers a number of ways for the consumer voice to be heard. Eastern Health staff are supported and coached in managing and responding to feedback.

In 2014-15, Eastern Health received 1109 formal compliments and 1262 formal complaints.

LISTENING AND USING FEEDBACK 38

How to provide your feedback Fill in our online feedback form at www.easternhealth.org.au

Contact one of our Patient Relations Advisers on 1800 327 837.

Patient Relations Advisers are available Monday to Friday from 9am – 5pm

Send an email to feedback@easternhealth.org.au

Write to us at: The Centre for Patient Experience Wantirna Health 251 Mountain Highway Wantirna South VIC 3152

What you told us and what we did What you told us

What we did

“I sometimes find it hard to come in to pay my bill at Yarra Valley Community Health.”

We have new payment options that can be used from the client’s home, including an automated telephone payment system.

“There is no organised process for emergency patients to be seen in turn.”

We reviewed the queuing system and have considered introducing new communication tools to provide more information about the triage process for patients waiting in our emergency departments.

“The nursing staff do a fabulous job but did not have time to do everything mum needed.”

There are now Health Assistants in Nursing on some wards to help nursing staff provide care to patients including assistance with meals.

Read more about this on page 11.

“The staff didn’t check my husband’s cannula when they should have which caused him unnecessary pain.”

We have established a regular intravenous cannula audit to ensure compliance with the Eastern Health practice guideline. A program of staff education and training has been completed.

Eastern Health Quality of Care Report 2015

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CONTACT US Eastern Health 1300 342 255 www.easternhealth.org.au 5 Arnold St, Box Hill VIC 3128

Telephone Interpreter Service Servizi Interpreti

PO Box 94, Box Hill VIC 3128 ABN 68 223 819 017

Eastern Health includes: Angliss Hospital Albert St, Upper Ferntree Gully VIC 3156

131 450

Box Hill Hospital 8 Arnold St, Box Hill VIC 3128 Healesville & District Hospital 377 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville VIC 3777 Maroondah Hospital Davey Dr, Ringwood East VIC 3135 Peter James Centre Mahoneys Rd, Burwood East VIC 3135 Spectrum 4 Bona Street, Ringwood VIC 3134 Turning Point 54-62 Gertrude St, Fitzroy VIC 3065 Wantirna Health 251 Mountain Hwy, Wantirna VIC 3152 Yarra Ranges Health 25 Market St, Lilydale VIC 3140 Yarra Valley Community Health 377 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville VIC 3777 2471-2475 Warburton Hwy, Yarra Junction VIC 3797

Eastern Health Foundation Eastern Health Foundation is the fundraising arm of Eastern Health. The Foundation raises additional funds that enable Eastern Health to better understand our patients and their health needs, and to improve and advance their care and treatment.

Ways to donate www.easternhealth.org.au Directly at any Cashiers 03 9895 4608 PO Box 94, Box Hill VIC 3128

Š Eastern Health 2015

For more information about Eastern Health visit www.easternhealth.org.au or follow us on Twitter @easternhealth.au and Facebook