A number of new and innovative ideas will soon be realized at the hospitals in Chatham and Wallaceburg.
The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) announced the recipients of its Innovation Grants on Friday, which will result in upgrades at both of its facilities.
Last year the CKHA board of directors challenged its staff, volunteers and patient advisors to come up with ideas on how to improve patient and staff experience at the hospital. They allotted $50,000 and awarded four $10,000 grants larger scale projects and split the remainder into 10 $1,000 grants for smaller ideas.
Submissions were due by the end of November and according to CKHA President and CEO Lori Marshall they received over 100 entries.
"I have to say I was overwhelmed but not surprised by the quality and quantity of the entries," Marshall said.
Earlier this week, the board had the six finalists, who were in the $10,000 grant category, and the 16 finalists, who were in the $1,000 grant category, make presentations in a Dragons Den type scenario.
Marshall listed off the winners starting with investing in virtual reality training for stroke patients. Right now patients are rehabilitated by doing a general range of motion training. With virtual reality technology, patients are put into more realistic situations.
"The example we saw was going grocery shopping," Marshall said. "The person moves their arm and is virtually taking things off the shelf and putting them into their basket... Now all of the sudden we are moving rehabilitation into the kind of activities someone actually wants to do versus just sitting in a room and working on motions."
Another winning idea was the enhancement of the current nurse call touch screens. The upgrades will allow the screens to have two setup options, one for staff that is password protected and another for patients and family members. According to Marshall, an important feature will include the ability to set reminders for checking on patients that are at high risk for falling.
Patients will also be able to use the touch screen to make specific requests like wanting to speak to a nurse, bring a glass of water, or get pain medication. Marshall said adding those options will enhance staff efficiency.
The Wallaceburg facility got some love as well with one of the $10,000 grants going towards improving the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN) capabilities for ambulatory care, medicine and the emergency department. According to the CKHA, this will improve access to services for patients in the rural communities of Wallaceburg, Walpole Island and the surrounding areas.
The last recipient was an idea to improve the aesthetics of the CKHA's mental health ward. The board said warm and inviting colours combined new furnishings will promote a more positive and comfortable feel to patients. The hospital also plans to add equipment to promote creativity and enhance motivation to help in recovery.
Highlights from the $1,000 grants included music for patients in the critical care unit to prevent delirium and a way to acknowledge and honour patients who died in the hospital. Marshall said research has proven that delirium can be decreased with soft background music because it provides comfort to the very ill and their loved ones.
When it comes to acknowledging deaths at the hospital the board assured it won't be like in the Hunger Games where they shoot a cannon to signify death. The board said it will be something subtle like turning on a battery operated candle on the floor of the death. The candle will be lit for 24 hours as a small gesture to mark the beginning of grief support for families and bring closure for staff who invested themselves in that patient's care.
Marshall added the CKHA had such a hard time deciding on the winners from the finalists that the board will figure out a way to implement the ideas that didn't win. She added the Innovations Grants will become an annual event.