Quality Healthcare Network/ Safer Healthcare Now, Ontario Node eLetter, May, 2009
 

NEWS

This Month's Centre Stage goes to: Marla Fryers, Vice President Programs & Chief Nursing Officer, Toronto East General Hospital & QHN Board Co-Chair. Read more >

“...my leadership style comes from a core belief around distributed leadership. I believe that people who have their hands on the processes are actually the ones who should really be defining how the process works.”

As part of our membership benefit package and our ongoing commitment to collaboration, we give impassioned improvers within the Network centre stage. We would like to get to know the faces of your organization. If you have a member that should get centre stage, let us know.

Celebrating Our Members

Congratulations to QHN member organization Bridgepoint Health for receiving IPAC/ Deloitte Public Sector Leadership Award. Read more >

Final Reminder to Register for QHN's Spring Symposium on Innovation in Healthcare

For more information about this Symposium, Click here >
Or read an Axiom News' story on the upcoming Symposium, "Healthcare professionals invited to join the innovation conversation QHN’s annual spring symposium scheduled for May 27 - 29." To read Click here >

Last Call for Innovations!

All submissions will be accepted at this year's Spring Symposium. Member innovations will be presented in a special “Innovation Gallery.” Deadline to submit an abstract is May 20, 2009. For more information, Click here >

Safety Mixer a Huge Success

To acknowledge the work of SHN Teams, QHN in partnership with ISMP Canada and CPSI hosted a Safety Mixer to bring SHN teams together at Canada's Forum on Patient Safety and Quality Improvement 2009 held on April 29 in Toronto, Ontario. Thanks to all those QHN/ SHN Teams that attended. Click here to see our QHN postcard >

Photo Credits: Clara Ballantine

QHN announces its third round of Ontario Trailblazers with the generous support of 3M Canada

Deadline for registering a Trailblazer is May 30, 2009.
To learn more about this exclusive QHN member invitation Click here >
To download Ontario Trailblazer testimonials Click here >
An information teleconference has been set for May 20, 2009, 12:00 pm-1:00 pm.
To request details contact Clara, Click here >

Are you a former Trailblazer? The long awaited Trailblazer Alumni Program has hit the trail!

In order to support this critical mass, we are offering a new program, with new content and new networking benefits and opportunities that will continue to garner the shared knowledge and energy experienced as a Trailblazer.
To learn more about the Trailblazer Alumni program Click Here >
To request details contact Clara, Click here >

QHN Membership Renewal Deadline Approaching

Thank you for continuing to participate in the Quality Healthcare Network. We value your membership. Just a reminder for those that have not renewed, the deadline for renewal is July 1, 2009. Online QHN membership renewal has been sent to your organization. If you have not received it, please contact our office to ensure that your membership is in good standing. If you have any questions about your membership status, please contact Sean, Click here >

National Safer Healthcare Now! Accomplishment Report Released

In only three years, Safer Healthcare Now! has made dramatic improvements in reducing patient harm across Canada. This first-ever Safer Healthcare Now! accomplishment report highlights the strengths of the national initiative, outlines the success of the interventions and captures some good stories from Ontario.
To download the report Click here >

Here's a quote from the report from one of our own QHN member organizations: “Safer Healthcare Now! is an initiative that stands on its own. It’s proven, positive, and clinically driven and that’s huge to physicians and nurses on the frontline. It’s not an audit mechanism aimed at budgeting and funding. It’s aimed at clinical outcomes. Doctors and nurses totally understand that.”
—Gary Sims, Ross Memorial Hospital, Lindsay, Ontario

Have you taken the Canadian Healthcare Innovation Readiness Survey for QHN Members Only?

The deadline to complete this important survey is May 20, 2009. To take the survey now, Click here >

QHN Gets Tweeting on Quality Improvement

Follow us at http://twitter.com/QHN

Quality Healthcare Network Member Directory Gets Innovative!

In keeping with our commitment to be your trusted source to elevate system improvement performance through collaborative and innovative ways we have created an interactive, virtual member directory online. The new format for the directory will improve your access to other members in the network using a Google map application. This new product will not only give you a comprehensive listing of all QHN Member organizations and their key quality improvement contacts, it indicates the geographical location of each member organization, the distance between them and their respective LHIN coordinates. Member websites, emails, mailing addresses and telephone numbers are also included. To learn more, look for your membership renewal package in the mail. For more information contact Sean, Click here >

Come Join the QHN/ SHN Spring Thaw

This June QHN and SHN staff will be traveling across the province, spending time with organizations and their Safer Healthcare Now! teams. The Ontario Health Quality Council has funded a project to assist your organization to overcome barriers to data submission and improve your results. We welcome the opportunity to visit to your region. If you would like to learn more about the Spring Thaw and where we will be in June, contact Doris, Click here >

Call for Presenters: QHN Open House on Public Reporting
June 11, 2009, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario
We are seeking QHN members that would like to present their work on public reporting and its link with improvement. With the Province recently moving to reporting on patient safety indicators, we are seeking to highlight, share and learn from each other on how reporting has been used or leveraged to affect your improvement processes. If your organization has a story that you would like to highlight we would love to hear from you. For more information or to reserve your seat, contact Sean, Click here >

Interested in sitting on the QHN Fall Forum Planning Committee on Reliability?
To learn how volunteering can enhance your network, Click here >
To express your interest contact Clara, Click here >

Ontario Reports Four New Patient Safety Indicators, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, CNW - April 30, 2009
To read the full press release, Click here >
For more information, go to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s Patient Safety webpage, Click here >

Does your Safer Healthcare Now! Team Need Help?
If you are having difficulty implementing your Safer Healthcare Now! interventions or collecting data for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact our help line at ontarionode@saferhealthcarenow.ca.

QHN EVENTS

May 20, 2009, 12:00 pm-1:00 pm., Ontario Trailblazers Information Call
To request details contact Clara, Click here >

May 27-29, 2009, QHN Spring Symposium, Innovate or Die - Catch the Innovation Epidemic
Kingbridge Centre, King City, Ontario.
To download the program, Click here >
To download Call for Innovations - All submissions will be accepted, Click here >
To learn what Dr. Ian Fraser thinks about Innovation in Healthcare, Click here >

2009/10 Improvement Fundamentals Series
(Including Improvement Fundamentals, Facilitation Fundamentals & Data Fundamentals)
To download program and registration form, Click here >

July 7, 2009, So Why Are We Measuring? Savvy Leadership Tactics for Using
Data for Improvement
Kingbridge Centre, King City, Ontario
To download the program and registration form, Click here >
This action oriented 1-day workshop is geared toward leaders and their quality improvement and data support teams who seek to optimally use their data for decision making and improvement. The course is being run by Sandra Murray, a seasoned faculty of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Sandra is also the director and faculty for IHI's Improvement Advisor Professional Development Program.

QHN Calendar of Events Now Online!
Be sure to take full advantage of your 2009-2010 QHN membership.
To find out what's scheduled go to our website, Click here >
Or see our events postcard, Click here >
Or go to our virtual Google event calendar, Click here >

RESPONDING TO QHN MEMBER NEEDS: Moving Beyond the Water Cooler: Innovations in Networking

Over the past few months we have been interviewing our members about the value of the Quality Healthcare Network. We have listened to our member’s interest in and appreciation of the networking opportunities that we provide. Take a look at our new Member Testimonial Page, Click here >

In light of this and the upcoming Spring Symposium, we thought we would offer up some networking advice to our members. We want to make sure that you not only get the most out of networking events like the upcoming Spring Symposium on Innovation in Healthcare on May 27-29, 2009, but also that you take advantage of all the networking opportunities that membership offers.

QHN NETWORKING INTERVIEWS:

What is the Value of Networking in Healthcare?
QHN sits down with Marla Fryers to find out. Click here to watch video >

QHN NETWORKING TIPS:

Ten Things You Can Do to Improve Your Networking Skills Today. Click here to view PDF >

Ten Things You Can Do to Be Better Networked in the Network: Get the most out of your QHN Membership. Click here to view PDF >

Networking Tips from Marla Fryers. Click here to watch video >

VIRTUAL NETWORKING RESOURCES:

www.facebook.com
www.ning.com
www.twitter.ca
www.youtube.com
www.linkedin.com
www.blogger.com

NETWORKING READING/ WATCHING:

Twitter for health and healthcare. Click here to watch presentation >

Never Eat Alone And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time.
Keith Ferrazzi & Tahl Raz

How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships By
Leil Lowndes

Web 2.0: A Strategy Guide: Business thinking and strategies behind successful Web 2.0 implementations Amy Shuen

In Pursuit of Critical Mass: Past, Present and Future in Our Shared Efforts to Improve Quality and Safety Joe McCannon, Vice President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) NRHA Quality and Clinical Conference July 16, 2008. Click here to watch presentation >

THE QHN VALUE

“QHN membership has a lot to offer the long term care sector. For example, we are currently trying to create a CQI program for the Region of Peel’s five long term care homes and we have sought advice from QHN on many of its tools, educational resources, information on qualifications to hire someone with a quality background, and sent staff to workshops on the Rapid Cycle Improvement process.” - Wendy Beattie, Administrator, Region of Peel, QHN Member Since 2006

To read more of what Wendy has to say about the QHN value, Click here >

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There can be no greater champion for health system performance improvement in Ontario than you, quality improvement professionals working in patient safety, risk and quality improvement. And there is no greater champion for you than the Quality Healthcare Network. This is another good example of the value of membership - working for you to reduce the burden of reporting so you can focus on care.

Be part of an organization committed to providing quality improvement professionals like you with the tools you need to excel. Be part of Canada’s largest voluntary healthcare improvement network.

ABOUT US

The Quality Healthcare Network (QHN) is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering the development and adoption of best practices by its members through education and shared improvement projects. Established in 1992 as the CQI Network, the network grew into the Quality Healthcare Network in 2003, a member-based organization, which now exceeds over 70 healthcare organizations that share the courage to move beyond status quo, inspired towards excellence in care and service. In 2005, the network became the Ontario lead of the Safer Healthcare Now! campaign, an ambitious pan-Canadian effort aimed at reducing the number of injuries and deaths related to adverse events, such as infections and medication incidents. For more information about QHN, visit the network website at www.qhn.ca.