Archive for December, 2015

NBRHC Province Leader in HSMR Rates

Data released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) this week shows the North Bay Regional Health Centre’s (NBRHC) hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR) rate is currently the lowest in the province. NBRHC’s average is 67; in contrast, the Canadian and Ontario averages are 96 and 95 respectively. HSMR is the calculation of actual deaths over expected deaths multiplied by 100.

NBRHC Chief of Staff Dr. Donald Fung explains HSMR is an important measure to improve patient safety and quality of care in Canadian hospitals. “Quality improvement is an integral part of what we do every day. Morbidity and mortality patterns are changing.  Over the past year, NBRHC implemented a range of initiatives to reduce mortality and improve patient care,” Dr. Fung says.

NBRHC President and CEO Paul Heinrich says the Health Centre’s quality improvement efforts have helped to significantly reduce the hospital mortality rate, positioning us as the provincial leader with the lowest number in Ontario. “Quality improvement is owned by everyone in our organization—from the medical leadership to the front line staff,” Heinrich says.

Heinrich explains there are a number of factors contributing to the reduction of HSMR rates, one of which is the hospital’s Critical Care Model. “We have internist oversight and continuity of care for our sickest patients,” he says. “We’ve also been very successful in recruiting the right types of specialists.”

Chair of the NBRHC Quality Committee Lauri Petz, who is also a volunteer Board Member with NBRHC, says they are very pleased with the HSMR rates. “While we are very proud of our rate, we never want to lose sight of the importance of quality improvement and the tracking and monitoring of patient safety,” Petz says.

The CIHI Data showed NBRHC’s rates for total time spent in Emergency Department for admitted patients (hours) at 11.7 is well below the Canadian and provincial averages (Canada average: 30.5; Ontario average: 29.9).

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Contact:
Lindsay Smylie Smith
NBRHC Communications Specialist
lindsay.smyliesmith@nbrhc.on.ca
705-495-7592

NBRHC Emergency Department Prepares for Increase in Holiday Visits

We know that the holidays are a busy time for everyone—and that includes our Emergency Department!

Each year, visits to the Emergency Department (ED) at the North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC) increase during the holidays. There are many factors that contribute to this increase,
including flu season and the fact many physician offices and walk in clinics have reduced hours for the holiday season.

Once again the Hospital has put processes in place to address the holiday surge. Dr. Erica Buck, Chief, Department of Emergency Medicine says with a little bit of planning, the community can
help reduce the pressure on the ED this holiday season. “This is a really busy time of year for people—buying gifts, baking and holiday parties. It’s easy to overlook things like medication renewal,” Dr. Buck says. “We would like to encourage people to take the time to check your prescriptions and make sure any medication renewals are done before your physician’s office or pharmacy closes,” she continues.

Also, familiarizing yourself with the options available for non-urgent care, like Telehealth Ontario or walk-in clinic availability, can also save you a non-urgent trip to the ED. A schedule of walk-in clinics available during the holidays can be viewed on the hospital’s website here.

“Of course, in the case of an Emergency, please do not hesitate, and go straight to the Emergency Department. Our team is here 24/7 and we have a dedicated team of staff who will be here right through the holidays,” Dr. Buck says.

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Contact:
Lindsay Smylie Smith
Communications Specialist
lindsay.smyliesmith@nbrhc.on.ca
705-495-7592
cell 705.492.1235