Dubai Setting up e-system to Improve Safety of Patients.

Summary: DUBAI u As part of a new unified programme to improve patient safety in public healthcare facilities in the emirate, the Dubai Health Authority is building an electronic risk-management system and has set up a rapid response team to quickly deal with potential health risks among patients.

New guidelines are also in the offing to minimise the risks of patients catching infections, falling down, developing morbidities and other complications linked to hospital stay.

Director of Quality and Performance Department, Hospital Services Sector at DHA, Zakaria Al Attal said the authority is also upgrading the risk assessment team in hospitals by appointing qualified and experienced risk managers. He was speaking to Khaleej Times on Wednesday after a seminar organised as part of the authority's celebrations to mark healthcare quality week under the theme "Patient Safety - Our Priority."

Dr Mohammad Al Olama, CEO of the Hospital Services Sector who has initiated new patient safety programmes, said risk management and performance management are integral aspects which helped the authority ensure that patient safety remains its priority.

"We are in the process of developing a unified risk management process for all the DHA hospitals."

Al Attal said a hospital-wide e-system is being launched to have tools that identify, assess and categorise risks and develop an action plan to either completely avoid risks or minimise their impact. "The e-system will help in promptly reporting and C preventing risks."

In compliance with the guidelines of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Dubai hospitals will also follow structured ways of improving the process of care and patient outcomes in different stages of care, referred to as "bundles". "We will identify bundles relevant to our risk profile and introduce them. In the case of a patient receiving mechanical ventilation, bundles will focus on appropriate positions for the patient, the frequency of removing secretion from the patient, taking the oral care of the patient etc. to avoid risks of infection," said Al Attal.

Initiating a proactive role of staff in eliminating potential risks, he said, nurses are being empowered to identify even minor changes in the patient that will cause deterioration in his/her condition, requiring immediate medical attention. "If any such signs are noticed, the nurse will alert the rapid response team which will quickly intervene and offer needed assistance.

The team comprising doctors and nurses of different specialties and other healthcare staff will offer comprehensive care.

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