APHA National Congress
Angela Hook, Member Services Manager
Despite the global financial crisis and a smaller trade expo venue, the 2009 National Congress surpassed recent benchmarks in terms of delegate numbers, sponsorship sales, and gross and net income generated. We saw the highest delegate numbers in 10 years attend this year’s National Congress in Melbourne and a jump of almost 17% from 2008. Marketing and promoting this event to delegates, exhibitors and sponsors was facilitated by the development of an excellent program and speakers list. The Congress Taskforce chaired by Christine Gee and comprised of Carmel Monaghan, George Toemoe, Philip Currie, Peter Freeleagus, Lisa Ramshaw, and I worked over the last several months via regular teleconferences to develop discussion topics and identify appropriate Australian and international speakers. The goal of the Congress Taskforce was to generate an excellent speakers list that would provide our private hospital members with vital information to lead their hospitals in “Maximising the Opportunities”.
Jane Halton, Secretary of the Department of Health and Ageing opened the Congress as the inaugural speaker, and keynote speaker and demographer, Bernard Salt, spoke to the Congress theme by revealing what hospital administrators should focus on in the decade beyond the Global Financial Crisis. Brad Kappalman, of Washington Hospital Centre in the United States, spoke about IT and E-health in his keynote address and also joined one of the 3 concurrent session panel discussions on E-health trends. Sir Neil McKay of England’s NHS examined “Choice and Contestability in Healthcare Reform in England”. These keynote speakers were joined by many others who participated in the various panel discussions on topics ranging from Customer Service to Safety and Quality, from E-health to an expert discussion on Politics, Policy and Health Reform. The positive feedback from delegates and exhibitors indicates that the entire event was both engaging and constructive.
At the National Congress we also celebrated the efforts of the winners of the APHA / Baxter Awards for Quality and Excellence at the Congress Awards Night Gala Dinner. The number of entries received this year exceeded last years’ total and the quality of entries made for some difficult decisions for the judging panel. The APHA / Baxter Awards recognise achievement in 3 categories: 1) Clinical Excellence – quality of care and patient outcomes, 2) Ambulatory Care Award – acute, day surgery, psychiatric or rehabilitation, and 3) Community Involvement Award – work with the local broader community. This awards programme was instituted in 1988 to recognise private hospitals and individuals that have made an outstanding contribution to patient treatment and care, as well as the management of hospital facilities. They are a part of the tradition of APHA, as is Baxter Healthcare’s longstanding support of the awards. Recognition under the Awards places the recipient at the forefront of Australian healthcare – a position to which every APHA member aspires.
The winners of the 2009 APHA / Baxter Awards are:
Epworth Eastern Hospital, Melbourne, VIC – Award for Clinical Excellence
Epworth Eastern Hospital was recognised for excelling in the provision of clinical treatment and for demonstrating excellence in patient care across the entire hospital operation through their new programme called “Epworth Excellence – Accountability, Outcomes, Passion – We Can Make a Difference”. This whole hospital initiative aimed to improve patient safety through a reduction in patient falls, pressure ulcers and medication errors, and improve staff and patient satisfaction. To achieve these goals a system of “Manager Rounding” and “Hourly Patient Rounding” was implemented. Epworth Eastern is now recording the lowest rate of falls, pressure ulcers and medication errors in the past year.
Belmont Private Hospital, Carina, QLD – Ambulatory Care Award
Belmont Private Hospital was recognised for excelling in the provision of clinical treatment and for demonstrating excellence in patient care in an ambulatory care setting through their “General Practice Liaison and Assessment Service (GLAS)”. The GLAS program provides consultation liaison support services for General Practitioners and their patients and is a unique use of the Medicare Benefit Scheme Better Access Items 291 and 293 whereby GPs are able to refer their patients with chronic mental health issues for a one-off psychiatric assessment and management plan. The average waiting time in Australia for an initial private psychiatric appointment is between 3 and 5 months; through the GLAS program, a less than two week waiting period is maintained.
The Marian Centre, Wembly, WA and Kareena Private Hospital, Caringbah, NSW – Community Involvement Award
The aim of the Community Involvement Award is to recognise the contribution of a private hospital to the broader local community; this year we had 2 winners tie for the Award. In 2008 the Marian Centre began a Supporters Group Programme to encourage healthy connections between patients with mental illness and their pre- and post- admission community supporters. The programme works to help supporters who feel overwhelmed by the responsibility to support or cope with their loved one’s illness. The psychological gains reported by patients included increased confidence, communication skills and self esteem and more successful discharge outcomes.
Kareena Private Hospital introduced an Events and Happenings Calendar to engage the community directly with the hospital. The hospital staff support health and well being initiatives through awareness campaigns and screening and education programs for the prevention and early detection of diseases that most commonly affect Australians. Their strategic plan includes a community strategy which extends to involve the community in health care.
Congratulations to all 2009 winners! Your achievements have raised the bar.
