Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)

Red Lake Hospital: IPC - Improving Patient Care

IPC - Improving Patient Care - 679-3912 ext. 269

Indian Health Service Announcement from the IHS Director:

We are working on clarifying how our Improving Patient Care (IPC) initiative will contribute to helping us improve the quality of and access to care in IHS. I have been working with IPC leadership to better define the IPC initiative by clarifying the purpose, simplifying the language, examining the impact of this initiative so far and developing a plan to develop internal IHS capacity to lead and conduct this initiative as we invite more sites to participate over the next three years. We are also working on developing a better evaluation framework for this initiative.

Yvette Roubideaux, M.D., M.P.H. Director

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

The term "Improving Patient Care" represents a set of activities that the Red Lake Service Unit (RLSU) has adopted as a new way of providing patient care. We began this journey in late 2008 and started our first Care Team in 2009. These activities have helped us find ways of enhancing the healthcare we provide for the patients in our community to be a more positive and rewarding experience. For the remaining year 2012 and next year 2013, we are expanding this concept to other Care Teams and departments within the hospital in order to improve on the services we provide to the patients who use the Red Lake Hospital. Our goal is to become a “Patient Centered Medical Home” for the patients who use the Red Lake Hospital.

As part of this initiative, the RLSU staff developed the following:

Organizational Aim

The aim of the Red Lake Health Care System and Hospital is to optimize the Medical Home of the Red Lake Ojibwe Nation through:

 Convenient Access

 Community Partnerships

 Empowering Self-Management for patients through Education

 Prevention and/or delay of Chronic Disease

 Utilizing the highest Standards of Care

 Analyzing Performance measure data and see where we can improve in providing services

 Integration of Behavioral Health and Pharmacy into Primary Care

 Optimizing the Care Teams and expanding this to other departments (i.e. Laboratory, Pharmacy, Radiology, Behavioral Health, and Contract Services, HIM /Medical Records etc.).

The following activities are taking place now:

1) Primary Care Providers- RLSU is staffed with clinic doctors and each doctor is ready to lead a Care Team to meet patient medical needs.

2) Cycle times- represents a way that we can evaluate the steps patients encounter so that we can explore ways of improving this process for greater efficiency.

3) Patient surveys- this allows patients to provide feedback and suggestions in regards to how they view the care they receive at the Red Lake Hospital, We are currently collecting monthly surveys in the Outpatient Clinic and Quarterly Patient Satisfaction surveys in Dental, Same Day Clinic, ER, Eye, Behavioral Health, Radiology, Laboratory and Pharmacy.

4) PDSA’s- (Stands for Plan, Do, Act, Study) these are small tests of change that will help us explore new ways of doing business; for example "What can we do to make patients’ healthcare experience more efficient given busy schedules?"

5) Advanced Access appointments system- this will allow patients to call the day they need an appointment for whatever reason and be able to get in on that same-day with their provider or in the Same Day Appointment Clinic. RN Care Managers and Nurses are available to speak with patients if they are not able to access an appointment. Some of our other departments have same day access such as the Same Day Clinic, Dental and Behavioral Health.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO PATIENTS?

YOU will have a doctor who is your primary care doctor. This doctor will be your choice. Having a primary care doctor will help you have consistency with how your health care is managed.

YOU will be at the center of YOUR healthcare. With your doctor comes the benefit of having a "Care Team", this will be a team of professionals ready to assist you with any health concern or issue that may occur. This team will help you HELP YOURSELF take control of your health!

The clinical leadership of IHS recognizes that a fundamental change from a provider-oriented to a patient/family/community-oriented system of care is needed.

For further information you can contact the Red Lake Hospital IPC Coordinator at 218-679-3912 ext. 269

 

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