'BC Patient Safety & Quality Council professional development program to build advanced improvement capability for BC'

EDMONTON, June 29 /CNW/ - The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) applauds the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council (BCPSQC) on the establishment of a new professional development program which aims to develop leaders in quality and safety initiatives, laying important groundwork for continuous quality improvement in healthcare in British Columbia.

"One of the biggest challenges in creating change in any organization is that it can be very difficult to maintain and sustain the gains made in safety and quality improvement," explains Hugh MacLeod, CEO of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. "The Quality Academy incorporates teaching strategies which can be applied by graduates in their organization to help overcome this challenge - this adds tremendous value."

Many of the skills and quality improvement tools taught as part of the curriculum complement and support work currently underway by the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. Topics such as the Model for Improvement, Spread and Sustainability, and the importance of Teamwork and Communication, play a large role in the work of Safer Healthcare Now! (SHN) teams. Positive deviance, another area of focus of the Quality Academy, is at the core of SHN's New Approach to Controlling Superbugs, and human factors is a key component of CPSI's Hand Hygiene Challenge.

CPSI has also recently released the Effective Governance for Quality and Patient Safety Toolkit detailing governance best practices and processes known to be effective in improving quality and safety. The toolkit and accompanying education program provides boards with the capacity to understand and support front-line patient safety related activities with a view to the development of a board quality and patient safety plan that builds on successes across the organization. It also develops board capacity and confidence to ask the tough questions of administrative and clinical leaders. System level strategies are needed to enhance the delivery of quality healthcare - Quality Academy graduates will be well positioned to work with healthcare board members who will be asking those questions.

"It is encouraging to see the complementary nature of our work - together this work will begin to lead to further advancements in patient safety and quality improvement in our healthcare system," adds MacLeod.

The Canadian Patient Safety Institute congratulates the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council on this important work and looks forward to seeing the first cohort further building and spreading quality improvement throughout their organizations.

About Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI)
The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) is an independent not-for-profit corporation, operating collaboratively with health professionals and organizations, regulatory bodies and governments to build and advance a safer healthcare system for Canadians. CPSI performs a coordinating and leadership role across health sectors and systems, promotes leading practices and raises awareness with stakeholders, patients and the general public about patient safety. www.patientsafetyinstitute.ca
About Safer Healthcare Now!

Launched in 2005, Safer Healthcare Now! is an initiative of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. Currently it has over 1150 teams in more than 330 healthcare organizations in Canada that are working to reduce adverse events and better protect patients by implementing the Safer Healthcare Now! interventions.
www.saferhealthcarenow.ca

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For further information: For media inquiries, please contact: Canadian Patient Safety Institute, Cecilia Bloxom, Director of Communications, 780.498.7255 or 780.700.8642