Quick Wins

4 Quick Wins 2013-2014 

• Enhancing patients’ waiting room experience

  In light of the long time patients have to spend waiting, this project aims to identify, implement and evaluate three projects that will positively enhance the patient experience, comfort and perceptions while waiting for a chemotherapy or a clinic visit at the JGH, MUHC and SMHC sites. The key factors to improve the waiting room experience include:

  • Provide information about wait times;
  • Create a comforting and serene environment;
  • Provide positive distractions such as entertainment or connectivity (WiFi);
  • Streamline education and productive time;
  • Offer privacy, respect and social support space;
  • Give sense of control and options.

  The three initiatives they implement will be evaluated to ensure they have achieved their objective of improving patient perception of wait times.  (contact Myriam Fernandez)

• Piloting Electronic Distress Screening

  It is very common for patients with cancer to feel shock, disbelief, fear, anxiety, guilt, sadness, grief, depression, anger, and more. Each patient is different and they will handle the stress of the illness in their own unique way. The aim of this project is to better enable the RCN partner hospitals to recognize and monitor patient distress levels so patients can be supported and referred to services to help them cope. The RCN is in the process of launching a pilot electronic distress screening system. The system will rely on ESAS, CPC and the Distress Thermometer tools already selected as the preferred screening method by the RCN hospitals. The pilot project will evaluate the feasibility and practicality of a computer-based distress screening system, based on the patients’ trialuse of the system. Once the results of the pilot have been validated, RCN will generate a recommendation of the electronic system specifications which will address the network’s system needs for  theImproving Patient Experience and Health Outcomes Collaborative (iPEHOC) project. (contact Myriam Fernandez)

• Pilot a patient self-check-in system

  The aim of this project is to pilot a patient self-check-in system within the Jewish General Hospital (JGH) chemotherapy registration unit and the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) radiation oncology registration unit. The primary objectives of the project are reduction in wait times for patient registration, facilitation of the overall patient flow and increase in patient satisfaction. Since St Mary's Hospital Canter (SMHC) already has a registration system offering automated aspects of patient check-in, SMHC will not directly participate in the pilot, but it will remain engaged in its development and implementation phases. The overall goal of the project is to examine the effectiveness of the system, and if proven effective, to implement it in a variety of oncology settings throughout the network. (contact Gligorka Raskovic)

• Provide patients with more information regarding radiotherapy treatment and its short and long-term side effects

  Within the RCN there are thousands of patients undergoing radiotherapy treatments at the JGH and MUHC. The SMHC does not offer this treatment; therefore, patients are transferred to the JGH or MUHC. The goals of this six-month project are to:
  • Improve and harmonize communication for patients and family members about radiotherapy treatments; 
  • Provide better information regarding radiotherapy side effects and how to manage them;
  • Enhance information to nursing staff in order to better respond to patients’ needs.

  The project will also look at developing common tools such as a patient booklet and video.

The patient booklet: Your Radiotherapy Journey is a guide for patients to prepare for their radiotherapy treatments that include the various steps involved. It serves as a reference tool and notebook patients can use during their radiotherapy journey.

The video gives patients a virtual tour of the radiotherapy clinic. It describes what they should expect during their first visit and subsequent treatment appointments. Both tools will be available to download on this website and RCN hospitals websites as per May 1st 2014. (contact Francine Lavoie)