In 2014, the HUG defined five major ambitions for quality improvement and presented them in a brochure entitled La qualité – 5 ambitions, 1 socle d’engagements (Quality - 5 ambitions, 1 key set of commitments). Following on from these planned "quality targets", the HUG now want to complete the process, by laying down a clear framework relating to priority objectives for clinical excellence, and by implementing measurement tools. They also want to encourage, support and promote quality improvement measures and approaches among the teams.
Action 03.1 : Pursuing clinical excellence
Geneva University Hospitals have committed to defining priority targets in the field of clinical excellence, as well as establishing performance indicators and tools for comparison with benchmark hospitals.
Clinical indicators required for the evaluation of successful projects will be developed, using data from the HUG information system wherever possible. Tools for facilitating traceability and securing identities will be deployed.
Action 03.2 : Fostering a culture of quality
A culture of quality is acquired, taught and transmitted. It relies on a continuous effort to raise employee awareness. To this end, quality improvement initiatives will be promoted in HUG teams using two main methods:
- Issuing a call for clinical excellence or quality improvement projects, aimed at teams on the ground, to encourage everyone to identify and implement potential improvements by drawing on their professional practice. A committee will select the most promising ideas and help facilitate their implementation, as part of the Employees in Action strategic project in particular. The results will be assessed and communicated to all employees, with the aim of encouraging everyone to get involved.
- Linking employees' continuous training activities to quality improvement projects.
Action 03.3 : Reducing waiting times in A&E
The specific target of reducing A&E waiting times has actually already borne fruit, thanks to a number of measures such as admitting patients until 10pm at Trois-Chêne Hospital, providing 24-hour hospitalisation in GIM so that patients seen in A&E - even at night - can be admitted to a room on one of the floors, creating a proper reception desk, rolling out computerised patient records to A&E, extending opening hours for scanners and the operating room, and installing a radiology unit at Trois-Chêne Hospital to avoid transferring certain patients to A&E.
To continue this momentum, despite the increasing number of cases, the HUG pledge to halve the time it takes to be seen in A&E by implementing a series of ten detailed measures.