The safer clinical systems project in renal care.
BACKGROUND
Current systems in place in healthcare are designed to detect harm after it has happened (e.g critical incident reports) and make recommendations based on an assessment of that event. Safer Clinical Systems, a Health Foundation funded project, is designed to proactively search for risk within systems, rather than being reactive to harm.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the Safer Clinical Systems project in Renal Care was to reduce the risks associated with shared care for patients who are undergoing surgery but are looked after peri-operatively by nephrology teams on nephrology wards. This report details our findings of the diagnostic phase of Safer Clinical Systems: the proactive search for risk.


METHODS
We have evaluated the current system of care using a set of risk evaluation and process mapping tools (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Hierarchical Task Analysis HTA).


RESULTS
We have engaged staff with the process mapping and risk assessment tools. We now understand our system and understand where the highest risk tasks are undertaken during a renal in-patient stay during which a patient has an operation. These key tasks occur across the perioperaive period and are not confined to one aspect of care. A measurement strategy and intervention plan have been designed around these tasks.


CONCLUSIONS
Safer Clinical Systems has identified high risk, low reliability tasks in our system. We look forward to fully reporting these data in 2014.
North Bristol NHS Trust, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK. andy.weale@nbt.nhs.uk
Andy R
AR
Weale
D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D019990:Perioperative Care; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
Process Mapping; Quality Improvement; Renal; Risk; Safety