BARI : Bariatric Assessment and Risk stratification for Inpatient Care
Felicity Prebble1, Michelle Grant1, Jennifer Murphy1 1Mater Hospital
Abstract
Obesity in Australians continues to be a significant public health concern with approximately 67% of all Australian adults being overweight or obese. Severe obesity rates have almost doubled in adults over the last 20 years and this trend is predicted to continue into the coming years. Subsequently, patients with bariatric concerns are increasingly entering the acute healthcare system; from emergency admissions to elective procedures. These patients require specialized assessment and care to cater for their unique presentations and have significant quality and safety implications for healthcare institutions.
Locally we have anecdotally identified significant opportunities for improvement in quality and safety processes which have the potential to impact on the efficiency and quality of the care bariatric patients receive. Identification, documentation and communication of patients with bariatric concerns and the subsequent timely sourcing of specialized equipment are among the areas identified for improvement.
Therefore, the aim of this quality improvement project was to improve the safety and efficiency of bariatric patient care from point of admission to discharge. A3 methodology was implemented in the initial stages of the project to review the current condition, complete a root cause analysis, and to provide proposed countermeasures and plan for action. This was achieved via Incident report, clinical record, and equipment audit to assess the current condition of bariatric care provision in Mater Health Services. Subsequently, audit outcomes were used in combination with benchmark activity data from nearby tertiary hospitals and consumer feedback to provide recommendations to improve patient care for this population.
Biography
Felicity Prebble is the advanced practice physiotherapist in cardio-respiratory, with a passion for critical care and respiratory physiotherapy. She has a keen interest in quality improvement projects to improve the multi-disciplinary approach to patient and staff safety within the ICU and organization wide. She completed the Mater’s first Allied Health simulation fellowship, receiving a Graduate Certificate in Health Professions Education through the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston. She continued her work in education as the Allied Health Education Coordinator, working to foster inter-professional education.