Getting it Right the First Time

At EMHS we want to get it right the first time and ensure the patients and consumers we care for are back to being healthy people as soon as possible. 

To help us do this, we are committed to listening to the patient voice when looking at ways to improve our services. 

Unplanned Readmissions for Selected Surgical Procedures 

‘Readmissions to hospital within 28 days of discharge’ is an indicator of how well we are achieving our objective to provide universal access to services that are coordinated and provide continuity of care. 

By measuring and monitoring this indicator, the level of potentially avoidable hospital readmissions can be assessed in order to identify key areas for improvement. This in turn can facilitate the development and delivery of targeted care pathways and interventions, which can help to ensure effective restoration to health and improve the quality of life of Western Australians. 

Unplanned and unexpected hospital readmissions within 28 days rates are provided for the following surgical procedures: 

• tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy 
• hysterectomy 
• cataract surgery. 

Measuring unplanned readmissions for selected surgical procedures 

Readmission rate is considered a global performance measure, as it potentially points to deficiencies in the functioning of the overall healthcare system. Good intervention, appropriate treatment together with good discharge planning will decrease the likelihood of unplanned hospital readmissions. A low unplanned readmission rate suggests that good clinical practice is in operation. These readmissions necessitate patients spending additional periods of time in hospital as well as utilising additional hospital resources. 

Measuring complaint numbers and actions taken 

The Health and Disability Services (Complaints) Act 1995 and Part 6 of the Disability Services Act 1993 (DS Act) are the legislative frameworks for offering complaint resolution services to health and disability services consumers in Western Australia and Indian Ocean Territories 
The key issues associated with a complaint about our health service are determined by EMHS staff in discussion with the person making the complaint. Identifying the issues in the complaint provides for effective resolution and allows all parties to have an understanding of the issues raised. Each complaint received must have at least one complaint issue identified, with the possibility for multiple issues to be identified in one complaint. Similarly each complaint will have at least one resolution achieved, with the possibility of multiple resolutions being achieved for one complaint.