Posted on: June 18, 2024
In April Island Health was recognized as a Choosing Wisely Canada Hospital (CWC) at the Quality Improvement Status level. This achievement is a recognition of work by all medical, clinical and support staff across all sites at Island Health. We would like to acknowledge and celebrate the dedication to quality patient care shown by all those involved in Choosing Wisely at Island Health.
Choosing Wisely advocates for resource stewardship through avoiding unnecessary medical tests, treatments, and procedures and aligns with climate conscious healthcare. Reducing overuse and ensuring the right test at the right time benefits both patients and our planet.
What does it mean to be designated as a Choosing Wisely Canada Hospital?
CWC’s Hospital Designation Program recognizes hospitals and health organization that take deliberate action to reduce overuse and demonstrate organizational commitment to minimizing waste and harm. Earning this designation is a significant accomplishment requiring active engagement from medical and clinical staff to identify processes or areas to make improvements within their hospitals in service of good patient care.
How did we get here? Our Island Health Journey to Quality Improvement Status
Our Choosing Wisely at Island Health efforts are guided by a physician-led Oversight Committee. The initiative involves subject matter experts from multiple specialties, with particular involvement from lab, imaging, pharmacy, clinical analytics, and medical affairs. Our focus is on implementing best practice recommendations in acute care settings using quality improvement methods and increasing awareness of Choosing Wisely, with multidisciplinary teams working collaboratively across many areas of practice.
To achieve CWC Hospital Designation the Choosing Wisely at Island Health Oversight Committee focused on three key quality improvement initiatives:
- Becoming a Using Blood Wisely Hospital;
- Participating in Using Labs Wisely; and
- Taking on a self-directed Choosing Wisely quality improvement project, namely Reducing antipsychotic prescribing in seniors with dementia in acute care.
Monitor progress on key Choosing Wisely Initiatives using our new Interactive Report
To support continued quality improvement, the Oversight Committee are excited to announce the launch of our new Choosing Wisely at Island Health Interactive Report. *Island Health login required*
This interactive report is available on the Report PORTAL and is accessible to medical staff and Island Health employees to monitor our progress against targets associated with our three Choosing Wisely at Island Health initiatives.
As we engage in new projects working towards Leadership Status we will work together with our Island Health partners in Clinical Analytics and Decision Support to add additional measures related to our future initiatives.
The report will be refreshed monthly.
Understanding our impact – a new tool for Planetary Health
The Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) has launched a new tool in collaboration with CWC and the Using Labs Wisely Collaborative to calculate the triple bottom line for lab tests and gain a better understanding the cost, blood, and waste associated with lab tests.
The Lab Wisely Calculator can be used to review specific tests, including all of our key Using Labs Wisely targets, and has been developed to provide medical professionals with evidence to aid in decision making. Understanding the impact lab tests have on our greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the impact on patients and the labour associated with extra testing, is a valuable step in ensuring we are focused on ordering the right test at the right time.
We invite you to try out the CSMLS Lab Wisely Calculator by visiting this link: https://labwisely.ca/calculator.html
We are currently exploring ways to use this tool to add planetary health metrics to our Island Health data.
How can you become involved with Choosing Wisely at Island Health?
Quality improvement is a team sport and collaboration is key to change! The Oversight Committee are always on the lookout for Choosing Wisely Champions to help create awareness of our initiatives at Island Health and to engage others in efforts to reduce overuse.
Are you involved in Choosing Wisely work? We are excited to hear about your work and engage with physician or project-led Choosing Wisely initiatives to share how we can Choose Wisely together.
We invite you to explore our Choosing Wisely project pages to learn more or reach out to MedStaffQI@islandhealth.ca to discuss opportunities for involvement.
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Choosing Wisely at Island Health Interactive Report The Choosing Wisely Interactive Report is located |
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CSMLS Lab Wisely Calculator Explore the triple bottom line for specific lab |
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Visit our Choosing Wisely at Island Health webpages to learn more about our current work and opportunities for involvement |