Specialist Clinics access policy
Implementation Forum
-RCH update 22/5/14
Stephen Tucker, Manager Specialist Clinics
Britta Saunders, Nurse Unit Manager Specialist Clinics
The Baseline
• Target processes identified by RCH were:
• Referral Screening (6.1) – occur within 3 days
• Closure of referrals pending further information (6.3, 6.4)- occur within 30
days
• Referral acceptance/ rejection (6.6, 6.7)- occur within 5 days
• How were we performing in these areas?
• Receive approx 5,000 referrals per month
• Operating within a paper based/manual system did not provide capacity for
measurement / understanding of performance
• ‘Anecdotally estimate’ that RCH would have been managing within allocated
time frames for 20% of referrals
The Baseline (continued)
• Challenges identified in changing?
• Trying to provide evidence/ data around need for change/influence
practice
• Perception that all referrals should automatically be accepted
regardless of quality because paediatric specialist service
• Stakeholder engagement
• Centralizing referral intake
Action Plan
•Initiatives undertaken/ supported by implementation funding:
1. Referral Management System enhancement
•RCH had already undertaken the internal development of an
electronic referral management system (RMS)
•This system mimics the previous paper process in terms of referral
management flow however provides tracking & reporting at every
point
•Additional funding has allowed improved functionality and reporting
capabilities
Action Plan (continued)
2. Additional administrative staffing to support the movement of
all referrals into the PAS (ie ensuring that the backlog of
referrals that were previously sitting in the RMS have been
moved into IBA/ PAS)
3. Changes taking place in both Specialist Clinics and all
clinical departments
4. Involving all Specialist Clinics staff, Clinicians operating
within Specialist Clinics, IT
Action Plan (continued)
• Nominated Milestones:
Time
Milestone
Feb 2014
•Appoint required staffing
Mar 2014
•Progress backlog of referrals through RMS onto IBA/PAS
Apr 2014
•Current capacity & demand analysis completed
•Alignment of current data/ reporting against access policy KPIs
Jun 2014
•Benchmarking regarding capacity/ demand completed
•Literature review undertaken to inform evidence based practice re
outpatient service delivery models
Jul 2014
•Regular automated reporting against access policy KPIs commenced
•RMS enhancements made/ evaluated/ finalised
Oct 2014
•RCH framework for service delivery established (inclusive of business
rules)
Feb-Apr
2015
•Engagement with HODs to align with organisational framework/
principles
Apr-Jun 2015 •Evaluation (comparative results against KPI data from July 2014)
Progress to Date
Achievements:
• Staffing sourced
• Currently progressed 35% of backlog referrals into IBA/PAS (delays due to
unplanned staff leave)
• Capacity/ demand analysis performed and being translated into reportable
format
• Outline developed with Decision Support Unit/ Spec Clinics Management of
required data reporting in alignment with access policy KPIs-draft available by
end May
Challenges:
•
•
•
•
Unplanned staff leave
Prioritisation of work load within IT & Decision Support Units
Working within limitations of IBA/PAS
Managing day to day operational demands whilst progressing project
Finally......
Are we on track to align with Access Policy by 1/7/15?
• Yes (as of 22/5/14!!)
If our
outpatients
stays looking
like this we
will be fine......