Open | News & Events

Podcast: Blood clots and you

13 Oct 2014, Surgery

A new podcast from Southern Cross Hospitals presents information on venous thromboembolism (VTE), as part of the Reducing Perioperative Harm focus of the Health Quality & Safety Commission’s Open for better care campaign.

Southern Cross Brightside win competition with surgical safety checklist video

8 Oct 2014, Surgery

Southern Cross Brightside are the winners of a competition to create an entertaining, educational-style safety video, with a focus on reducing perioperative harm. The competition was run by the Health Quality & Safety Commission’s Open for better care campaign (and in partnership with First, Do No Harm in the Northern region).

Blood clots can kill

1 Oct 2014, Surgery

Preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) is part of the Health Quality & Safety Commission’s ongoing Reducing Perioperative Harm programme. The Open for better care campaign promoted VTE risk assessments and appropriate intervention for all patients having surgery.

Perioperative harm prevention in the media

1 Oct 2014, Surgery

The perioperative harm focus of Open for better care has had a great amount of exposure in the media during the focus period from April–September 2014.

Perioperative harm grand rounds

1 Oct 2014, Surgery

The chair of the Health Quality & Safety Commission’s Perioperative Harm Advisory Group, Mr Ian Civil, with support from other advisory group members, has presented at hospital grand rounds throughout the country during the campaign.

Promoting teamwork and communication in theatre

1 Oct 2014, Surgery

The perioperative harm focus of Open for better care has told the stories of district health boards leading change and promoting teamwork and communication in theatre.

Improving patient safety in the operating theatre

30 Sep 2014, Surgery

Approximately half of hospital adverse events relate to theatre procedures. Surgical complications and adverse outcomes have been linked to a lack of communication and coordination among surgical teams. These communication breakdowns may lead to team members being or feeling uninformed or misinformed. [1]

Simple interventions increase pre-surgery briefings in Gisborne

28 Aug 2014, Surgery

A simple sticker-based auditing system has succeeded in making pre-surgical briefings the norm at Gisborne Hospital.