Watch above: Saskatoon’s Health Region recently implemented a patient ID system designed to make it easier to track progress through surgical procedures. Meaghan Craig takes a look at whether or not the system has been a help or a hindrance.
SASKATOON – Waiting for a loved one while they’re in surgery can be stressful, but now families throughout the province will be able to track their family member’s surgical journey. When a patient is admitted to hospital for a surgical procedure in the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR), they are given a Patient Identifier Code.
Essentially, it’s a unique code that will then scroll on a screen in areas throughout the hospital during the procedure and it’s colour will switch as you move into different phases of your surgery.
In other words, it is a visual tracking system that’s been introduced at our health region to help the families of patients track a loved one’s physical location during their surgical process.
“Now you can actually see on the tracking system if they’re in the operating room and when they’re in the recovery room. In our old system you had no idea where the patient was,” said Cindy Graham, director of surgical services with SHR.
It’s just one component that’s part of the provincial Surgical Information System, but an important one.
“In the past, we have definitely heard from our families that they are very concerned and quite anxious when they don’t know and now we’re hearing from families that they’re checking that board and can see exactly where they are and feeling much more comfortable and confident of the care that their family member is getting,” explained Graham.
“If you’re coming through the ER you will see that in a perspective of whether you’re in the operating room or not it will be on the tracking system but it’s a whole different process if it’s not scheduled surgery.”
In 2009, the Surgical Information System began to roll out.
In our health region, the patient tracker component launched in September after years of planning.
The tracker has helped improve information flow in a region where close to 39,000 surgeries are performed every year. It’s eliminating up to four or five back and forth phones calls per patient.
“It gives us time and that’s time we can use for other tasks because we definitely have things to do,” said Ian Dunville, a registered nurse with SHR.
“With working with that board we’re able to see what is coming and going or also we can see if care is needing to be provided in other areas within the operating rooms, if my patient is good or I’m no longer needed how can I step out and move, what other rooms are still working and where at we at with those patients,” added Lorelie Barsi, project manager for OR with the region.
“Time is money and it’s all about efficiencies right and in those efficiencies we can provide the best care possible with our staffing.”
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Health officials say while they’re already seeing the benefits of those efficiencies, communication is key. If your family member’s surgery is taking longer than anticipated, you can still ask a health care worker what’s going on.
The patient tracker again is part of the surgical information system, which is now operational in five different health regions.
- Prince Albert Parkland Health Region (Victoria Hospital, Prince Albert)
- Cypress Health Region (Cypress Regional Hospital, Swift Current)
- Prairie North Health Region (Battlefords Union Hospital and Lloydminster Hospital)
- Five Hills Health Region (Moose Jaw Union Hospital)
- Saskatoon Health Region (Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon City Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital and Prairieview Surgical Center).
Since 2009, the Ministry of Health has invested a total of $10.6 million to date.
Two more health regions to finish the scope of the project include Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region and Sunrise Health Region. When this will take place is undetermined at this time.
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