Safety & Quality Account 2020-21 | 2021-22 Future Priorities

Improving the Patient and Carer Experience WSLHD Safety & Quality Account

PATIENT EXPERIENCE COORDINATORS Patient experience is the number one priority for a new team of experts called the Patient Experience Coordinators who joined hospitals across WSLHD. The Patient Experience Coordinator role was introduced across all our emergency departments in 2020. WSLHD has seven Patient Experience Coordinators working across WSLHD emergency departments. Their primary function is to improve every aspect of interaction with our services and to create an environment that makes patients, carers and their families feel welcomed, safe, cared-for and empowered. They actively engage with patients in the emergency department to keep them updated, address concerns and follow up with anything they may be waiting for such as test results or discharge paperwork. The Patient Experience Coordinators have had a positive impact on the experiences of the patients, families and carers within the Emergency Department (ED) with a decrease

in patients who ‘did not wait’ (left the ED before medical assessment completed) and incidents of aggression within our facilities’ ED. The Patient Experience Coordinators also work closely with other staff in the department to understand any new or ongoing issues, and have de-escalation training in the event of any patient/ visitor agitation. From July 2020 when the program started to May 2021 over 7,000 patients have completed the My Experience Matters Survey in Emergency Departments providing valuable feedback about the program. Feedback about the service is overwhelmingly positive from both patients and staff. “Not all heroes wear capes. Some work in hospitals. Thanks a lot for taking care of me today. I spent eight hours in emergency including maximum time in waiting room. Special thanks to the Patient Experience Coordinator and Nurses. Comment from patient Westmead Emergency Department November 2020.”

A Patient encounter….. The following story is told in the words of Thavashanie Govender a Patient Experience Coordinator at Blacktown Hospital Emergency Department. ‘A patient presented with her partner having an active miscarriage while walking into the hospital. As I noticed the patient was bleeding while being screened to enter I brought a wheelchair to her, asked her to sit and took her straight into the triage area. I bypassed the administration process and took the patient directly to the triage nurse as I could see the patient was in active miscarriage. I took the partner to the admin desk and got the patient registered. While this was not the correct process for the admin team, I explained that the partner will provide the details and then took him back to be with the patient. The nurse immediately offered patient sanitary stock and got her comfortable. The patient thanked me for keeping her dignity and not leaving her to sit in a waiting room full of other people watching her going through a miscarriage. I only did my job. I see my role as an opportunity to assist our clinical team in providing that added layer of care to our patients for all their non-clinical needs, food, water, blankets, hygiene packs, quick aids such as gauze to cover a bleeding wound on a teenager who has tried to self-harm themselves. Providing access to information for a variety of services such as, access to an Aboriginal Health Worker, community drug and alcohol, women's health, social work, transport and taxi services to name a few. It is times like this coming to the aid of our patients and ensuring they are receiving dignified, timely care while in the care of our health system, I understand what an honourable position I hold with the patient and their journey in the health system. A little kindness goes a long way and sometimes just listening to a person, showing small acts of kindness, elevates their experience and demonstrates that our organisation cares for their wellbeing.’ Thavashanie Govender: ED Patient Experience Coordinator, Blacktown Mount Druitt Hospital.

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