HAGERSVILLE — On October 2, 2024 the West Haldimand General Hospital (WHGH) hosted a special launch party to celebrate their journey to become a Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO), which underscores the hospital’s commitment to improving community health care.
BPSOs are healthcare and academic organizations selected by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) through an application process to implement and evaluate the RNAO’s best practice guidelines. The designation represents a commitment to adopting evidence-based practices and ensuring that healthcare delivery is continuously improved.
Central to this initiative is the introduction of “Best Practice Champions,” a role that encourages community members and hospital staff to take an active part in the transformation process. These champions will help facilitate understanding and readiness for change within the organization.
“It’s about making sure everyone understands the reasons behind changes and fostering a culture of collaboration,” explained Jennifer Edwards, Director of Quality at WHGH.
As part of the application process, WHGH is conducting surveys to gather feedback from patients, families, physicians, staff, and community partners regarding current best practices.
The results from this feedback will be instrumental in shaping the hospital’s approach as it works toward becoming a BPSO.
During the launch event, five interactive stations displayed best practice statements, marked with red, yellow, and green indicators to signify areas of improvement, sustainability, and successful initiatives. Attendees were invited to engage by using bingo dabbers to indicate which initiatives were most important to them or for the community.
“I feel that the event went extremely well. We had a lot of community members and staff come out and were engaged in the activities, providing much needed feedback into what we are trying to accomplish,” said Edwards. “(We) even had some of the high school students intrigued enough to come over and participate. Seeing community members of all ages engaged in the activity, providing feedback into what they want to see us focus on was part of our launch goal.”
The event also showcased collaborations with local support services focusing on transitions in care.
Partnerships with organizations such as the Six Nations Community Paramedic Program, Alzheimer’s Society – DREAM (Dementia, Resource, Education, Advocacy, Mentorship) program, Haldimand Paramedics, and Haldimand Norfolk Diabetes Program are integral to enhancing patient care and reducing emergency room admissions.Edwards noted, “There was a lot of knowledge exchange happening, even between the different healthcare providers/teams that were at the event.”
Feedback received suggested an interest in more events of this nature to have “that connection, being visible and accessible.”
The group’s next step is to use the information gathered to help “the steering committee decide on where to begin our focus”, along with continuing to engage the new champions, community members, and staff “to see how we can develop, implement, and evaluate the work to ensure sustainable changes to our practices.”
Edwards highlighted the community’s role in this journey: “This process is not just about the hospital; it’s about empowering the community to be involved. You have a voice and you can be champions and recognized through the organization. Community makes change together. We need to hear the concerns to make the changes. Please reach out.”
For more details on how to become a Best Practice Champion or if you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Edwards at jennifer.edwards@whgh.ca. Alternatively, visit whgh.ca to fill out the feedback form and help WHGH know how it can improve.
Looking ahead, WHGH plans to focus its next events on person-centered care and addressing issues related to delirium and dementia, furthering its commitment to enhancing healthcare through collaboration and best practices.
Edwards noted the process will take time, like any change, with their goal to ensure the changes made are strategic and sustainable: “We want to make sure each step in properly embedded into practice to improve patient outcomes and patient and staff satisfaction from the care they receive and provide.”
“I want to thank everyone for their continued support of West Haldimand General Hospital. I am always so humbled by the generosity and support that our community showers us with. Thank you for all of those who came out, and actively listened and participated in our launch,” Edwards concluded, “Together we can cultivate change.”
