NSW Health WSLHD Safety & Quality Account 2020-21

Our Hospitals

Reducing Hypoglycemia, Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Blacktown Hospital The Hospital Acquired Complication (HAC) reporting process indicated that there was a higher than expected rate of hypoglycaemia in Blacktown Hospital. A review of all the admissions with hypoglycaemia over one year at Blacktown Hospital allowed us to identify the reasons for this. Based on this information we co-developed an audio-visual package together with Healthily (the company behind the GoShare Healthcare platform). This tool is suitable for most clinical staff and aims to provide education around the physiology of hypoglycaemia, the medications that may cause hypoglycaemia and the reasons why hypoglycaemia might occur in the hospital setting. The package also included 6 questions designed to assess end-user understanding of the information delivered and to provide feedback on responses to the questions. An explanation is provided for incorrect answers to ensure that the educational aims are met. The roll out of this package commenced in March 2022, and initially targeted nursing staff across BMDH. Recently, it has also been rolled out to the admitting specialities identified to have the highest rates of hypoglycaemia, as indicated by the HAC reports. To date, 195 staff members have viewed the package with 60% viewed by nursing.

Blacktown Hospital - Hospital Aquired Complications Endocrine July 2021-June 2022

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SOURCE: QIDS July 2022

Implementation of Physitrack, Department of Physiotherapy, Blacktown Hospital During COVID-19, many patients were unable to attend face to face physiotherapy sessions in person. WSLHD was involved in the Physitrack Pilot run by the ACI from April 2021 to June 2022. Physitrack is a software and application system that provides patients with videos, verbal and visual cures on how to perform exercises safely. The program allows for prescription of exercise programs and allows patients to track progress. The use of this program to support telehealth not only allowed patients to continue to receive care even if in isolation. During the pilot there were 29 separate accounts across the district encompassing Westmead, Blacktown, Mt Druitt and Auburn Hospitals along with Community and Aged Care Services. This included Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Exercise Physiologists.

A patient survey was conducted to coincide with the conclusion of the trial. WSLHD results were as follows: 85% of respondents found the application easy to use 83% of respondents found the videos in the program useful 82% of respondents found the exercise handouts in the program useful 78% of respondents found that the application motivated them to do their exercises 74% of respondents found were keen to use the program again Following the completion of this project the Digital Health Solutions (DHS) service has agreed to fund the ongoing costs of licenses for the 2022/23 financial year.

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