APHA announces finalists in Awards for Excellence

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The Australian Private Hospitals Association has announced the finalists for its Awards for Excellence.

The awards, which will be presented at the gala dinner of the association's 39th National Congress, are presented in three categories - clinical excellence, comprehensive care and consumer partnerships.

According to CEO Michael Roff, "The diversity in the entries for each category highlights the scope of care private hospitals provide. These are all innovative programs designed to improve patients' experience and improve care or access to care.”

The finalists include a palliative care service offering patients support to die at home, a driving service that gets patients to and from their dialysis appointments, and a mental health support program.

Mr Roff said, “The Epworth Eastern’s program of volunteers driving renal dialysis patients to their appointments and home again has not only made it easier for patients to get care, but also created new friendships and broken the social isolation that often comes from having a serious illness and challenges in accessing transport.

“Another is South Australia’s St Andrew’s Hospital’s critical bleeding working group, a program set up to improve timely administration of blood for patients requiring massive transfusions. Not only has this led to reduced wastage of blood products but the group also developed a purpose-built Massive Transfusion Shipper now used by the South Australian Ambulance Service.

“These programs illustrate the patient-focus of our private hospitals, and it is important to celebrate those successes,” he said.

Finalists will present during a session at the Congress. A delegate vote will then account for five per cent of the final score.  Winners will be announced in Adelaide on Monday 16 March 2020.

Awards finalists

Clinical excellence – quality of care and patient outcomes

  • Sydney Adventist Hospital: San community palliative care service;
  • Ramsay Health Care: Ramsay national mental health programs; and,
  • St Andrews Hospital: Critical bleeding working group.

Comprehensive care

  • Epworth Eastern: Renal dialysis patient transport vehicle program; and,
  • Friendly Society Private Hospital: Culture of accountability.

Consumer partnerships

  • Bethesda Health Care: Consumer partnership committee; and,
  • Westmead Private Hospital: Luxury maternity unit.