Improvement actions

Clinical care pathways

Clinical care pathways are structured, multidisciplinary plans for the treatment and care of patients with one specific condition or medical problem.

Developing care pathways is, for Sint-Trudo Hospital (STZH), a valuable strategy to improve quality of care while promoting collaboration, efficiency and patient engagement.

By 2023 the Pneumonia and Dementia care pathway have been developed at STZH. Within the Andreaz hospital network, of which the STZH is a part, the transmural care path Low Risk Pregnancy has been developed and implemented.

Appreciative auditing

Appreciative auditing is an evaluation method that focuses on identifying and reinforcing positive aspects within the team. Unlike traditional audits, which often focus on finding faults or shortcomings, an appreciative audit focuses on successes and strengths. People are actively questioned about what is going well and encouraged in what they can do well. Successes are used to improve. This makes the employee more involved in the quality event.

Department-driven operation of quality and patient safety

Through a department-driven operation of Quality and Patient Safety, we want quality of care to be carried not only by a Quality and Patient Safety department but also by the departments and teams.

This means that different healthcare providers, departments and teams within STZH are more involved in improving the quality of care.

Decentralization of quality of care has many advantages. Central guidelines and standards remain necessary to ensure a consistent and basic level of quality of care. Good communication and information exchange between departments and the Quality and Patient Safety Department are essential to ensure quality of care at both levels and at the organizational level.

EWS

An Early Warning System (EWS) in a hospital is a tool for identifying patients who may deteriorate rapidly.

Within the hospital, the use of the EWS was reviewed and improved. The system was evaluated and modified based on feedback and experience to improve accuracy and effectiveness. A well-designed and properly implemented early warning system can contribute significantly to improving patient safety and reducing unexpected clinical deterioration.

Pet Pavilion Animo

The pet project Animo we want to offer every admitted patient the opportunity to have his/her pet easily visit. The pet pavilion is a separate room connected to the hospital, yet easily accessible from outside. Thus, the pet does not have to pass through the hospital and the patient does not have to go outside. Pet visits have been proven to have a positive impact on patients' mental well-being. In addition, we think it is very important that palliative patients have the opportunity to be able to say goodbye to their pet from whom they have experienced a lot of support during difficult times.

In addition to a visit from their own pet, sessions will be offered with therapy dogs for the geriatrics and rehabilitation department. In this way, patients will receive additional motor challenges.

FLaQuM

Flanders Quality Model (FlaQuM) is a quality model for healthcare organizations developed by Leuven's Institute for Healthcare Policy (LIGB) in collaboration with 25 Flemish hospitals. Sint-Trudo Hospital participated in this through, among other things, a chair at the LIGB-KU Leuven.

With the FlaQuM model, hospitals develop a quality management system and ensure the continuous monitoring and improvement of quality of care. Over the past year and a half, the FlaQuM model has been tested, refined and operationalized through the active participation of patients, relatives, staff and administrators.

FlaQuM ensures that all attention continues to be paid to quality of care as the most important good. That is why we consciously choose FlaQuM and why it is something that we have already actively tinkered with at Sint-Trudo through the chair in recent years."