Positive changes coming to a hospital near you? Check this out.

This month and next will be busy with seminars and conferences as well as my regular work but today I would like to share information with you regarding my second last conference a few weeks ago, Oct 5 at Sunnybrook Hospital. The speaker was Dr. Darcy Harris, regarding Spirituality and Health. Dr Harris is an Associate Professor and Thanatology Co-ordinator at Kings University, at the University of Western Ontario. She serves on the board of directors for St Joseph’s Health Care in London, where she is also current Chair of the Quality Committee of the Board. This is among her other credits. I found the day quite exciting and motivating because we are in for positive change and that I think you all want to hear. The following information is provided to you from handouts that Dr Harris supplied, the seminar and my notes. The topic The Sustaining Capacity of Compassionate Care. She reported what we already know and what the National Health Service Upheaval in the UK (Francis Report, 2013) divulged that the health care system was focused on doing the system’s business - not on patients. The standards and methods of measuring compliance did not focus on the effect of service on patients. There is disengagement, disinterest, and tolerance of poor standards and risk to patients. There is failure to address challenges that interfered with maintaining a positive work culture, in nursing and especially the medical profession. The findings of the Francis report - “”It should be patients-not numbers which count…””” “”””A fundamental culture change is needed…””(Francis Report, 2013) “Patients tolerate and even expect to endure some suffering with their illness;however, many describe a different kind of suffering that resulted from the way they were treated by their doctors and other professional staff in the health care setting”””(Ballatt & Campling, 2011). A movement began in Scotland as a way to re-humanize health care (www.whatmatterstoyou.scot) Multiple studies has depicted that compassionate care improves health outcomes, reduces expenses, increases patient satisfaction, better adherence to treatment recommendations, fewer medical errors and malpractice claim and more resilience in health care workers. Research found that kinder care and improved information sharing resulting from compassionate practices leads to a range of improved outcomes including, faster healing of wounds, reduced pain, reduced anxiety, reduced blood pressure, shorter hospitals stays and shorter duration and severity of the common cold (www.dignityhealth.org/about-us/press-center/press-releases/scientific-literature-review-with-standford). Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto is affiliating with Harvard University to incorporate empathy and compassion. (I had to stop jumping from my seat at the news). (Check out www.ccare.standord.edu) Sunnybrook hospital is affiliating with Harvard ““to make the unbearable bearable’’’’, the Swartz Rounds (Ken Schwartz). The mission, “”to support and advance compassionate healthcare in which caregivers, patients and their families relate to one another in a way that provides hope to the patients, support to caregivers, and sustenance to the healing process. Sponsor education, training, fostering rounds that focus on compassionate approaches and recognition of caregivers who embody the values of compassionate caregiving. The goal is for compassionate caring to rise above institutional rules and practices, encourage health workers to reconnect to the heart of their practice, to increase the happiness, well-being, and resilience of health care workers. Finally, to provide connections between health care workers across the globe in order to support compassionate care. You can also check out www.heartsinhealth.com) One movie clip we watched touched me as a patient talked about her hospital experience. She was on life support and doctors would come in with their interns and talk over the patient never acknowledging her. Of all the doctors and nurses only one would come into her room and touch her shoulder and talk to her. This nurse would talk about tidbits on the news, the weather outside, and anything else. She said that after 20 years she still remembers him and feels the gratitude. He talked to her. She heard everything on life support. One of the questions asked was if there are any other hospitals who have incorporated this method of empathic and compassionate care. I remembered being in Montreal at St Mary’s Hospital and I was so impressed with their cancer care. The chaplain told me that staff and doctors are informed to care for patients as if they are members of their own family. I was so impressed with the care and patience I saw there. I had never seen that quality of care before. However, it is Children’s hospital in Montreal which has implemented the care as mentioned in our lecture. Parking at Sunnybrook alone cost me $26.00 (ouch!) However, parking in Toronto is getting crazy along with everything else. But the day organized by Bill Ford was amazing with lunch to boot and another certificate for me, which I keep in my file drawers for counting educational hours, for my college). I have shared this with you and provided you with references because how we have been taking care of patients is changing and we are moving towards positive change. Any errors which I have typed, I hold myself and only myself responsible for. Have a nice day, balance your life with fun, work and play and do not forget to rest. What do you think?