Quality improvement initiative auditing patient referral delay and followup

The National Health Strategy “Quality and Fairness” states the national standards and protocols for quality are delivered and the patient is at the centre in the delivery of care. As Nurses come to terms with being accountable practitioners, it is more important than ever that we have reliable and valid measures or quality of care, as nursing has been singled out as the most important predictor of patients overall satisfaction with their hospital care. Prior to undergoing surgery, early referral to a Stomacare nurse Specialist should be offered to enable adequate support, physical preparation and education (Pearson 2004)

Aims         

• To evaluate that patients are seen within 2 working days following date of referral
• To evaluate that patients are followed up by appointment or telephone by a given date a\s arranged by the stomacare nurse specialist thus providing a seamless service.

Outcomes

• This quality driven user friendly database will show the exact time in any given period the length of time patients are seen following dater of referral, 100% of patients are seen within 2 working days with 98% seen  within 1

day of referral. Patients who are referred by letter are telephoned and appointment arranged within the above time frame. This is in accordance with the Irish Stomacare and Colorectal Nurses Association standards of care.

• Followup appointments are audited 1-2 weekly and patients seen are telephoned to assess, plan and evaluate care, thus ensuring patients are not missed to followup.  This will reduce skin and stoma problem complications and provide patients with ongoing care as needed.
• Poster will also demonstrate recent audit/patient satisfaction survey.