St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital has been crowned International Healthcare Organisation of 2013, Quarter Two - only the second Australian hospital to win the prestigious Studer Group award.
The Brisbane hospital was selected for the award by the Studer Group, an international healthcare consultancy, for it’s achievements in improving patient safety, increasing patient satisfaction, improved staff satisfaction, low staff turnover, and improved clinical quality.
St Andrew’s General Manager Dr Ian England said: “This award is really exciting for the whole team at St Andrew’s and is recognition for what we are doing."
“It’s a really big achievement for us, probably the most internationally recognised award this hospital has won to date."
“There has been a great team effort and this award is due to everyone at St Andrew’s, in every ward and every department, pulling together to make this happen.
“It recognises that we’ve made long-term, continuing improvement. Over the past two years our patient satisfaction has continued to grow, the quality of patient care has improved, with patient falls, pressure injuries and infections continuing to be reduced.
“I’d like to congratulate all our staff for this wonderful and well deserved award.”
The Studer Group’s Healthcare Organisation Award of the Quarter, which started in 2010, has only been presented to one other Australian hospital, Epworth Eastern, which won the award in late 2012.
Lysanda Hollands, Director of Studer Group, Australia, presented the Crystal Flame trophy to Ian and the St Andrew’s staff. She said: “It’s an absolute massive effort by everyone at St Andrew’s to deliver such exemplary outcomes, not just for your staff in terms of this being an awesome place to work, but also in terms of the patient outcomes that you are delivering."
“These results in patient outcomes are not only standing up internationally, they are
actually some of the best outcomes we have seen across Australia and New
Zealand.”
One of the key initiatives introduced at St Andrew’s, which has helped improve
patient care and clinical outcomes, has been Patient Rounding.
As part of this initiative nurses visit every patient on an hourly basis to ensure their
needs are being met.
In the pilot unit, a 30 bed general medical unit, with an average of more than 50 per
cent of patients identified as high falls risk, there was a reduction of more than 35
per cent in falls, and the numbers of call bells fell by approximately 2000 per month.
Patient Rounding is now being rolled out in other areas across the hospital.
Other achievements at St Andrew’s include an increase in patient satisfaction levels
by five per cent, and a fall in staff turnover by more than six per cent.
In a recorded video message from founder of the Studer Group, Quint Studer, St
Andrew’s was also praised for its Living Values: Compassion, Respect, Justice,
Working Together and Leading Through Learning. Quint said: "It's really exciting as in 13 years or so I've been doing this I don't think I've felt better about an organisation winning our health organisation of the quarter than I do with St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital."
“When I was reading about the reasons they were nominated I thought, 'that's a
place I would like to go to'.
“Thank you for setting an example, not only in Australia but around the world in what
really living the values is all about. Thank you and congratulations."