Australia is one of the few places
in the world to attempt a nationwide audit of surgical deaths and this
shows that surgeons regard patient safety as paramount. What the latest
international research tells us is that when there is an adverse event,
it is rarely as a result of one person. It is usually a team
failure.
"This is not about finding scapegoats or blaming or
shaming, it is about how we can improve surgical performance to get
better results."
(Former President, Royal Australasian
College of Surgeons, Dr Andrew Sutherland)
Summary:
- Queensland Audit of Surgical Mortality (QASM) started in
2007.
- QASM is funded by Queensland Health.
- 19 Queensland public hospitals are currently
participating:
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- Bundaberg Hospital
- Caboolture Hospital
- Cairns Base Hospital
- Gold Coast Hospital
- Hervey Bay Hospital
- Ipswich Hospital
- Logan Hospital
- Mackay Hospital
- Mater Adult Hospital
- Mater Children's Hospital
- Nambour Hospital
- Princess Alexandra Hospital
- Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital
- Redcliffe Hospital
- Rockhampton Base Hospital
- Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital
- The Prince Charles Hospital
- The Townsville Hospital
- Toowoomba Hospital
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- Queensland Health provides members to a QASM Steering
Committee. The committee seeks de-identified, quantitative reports so it
can further improve and reform health provision in
Queensland.
- QASM-Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is gazetted as
an 'approved quality assurance committee' in accordance with section
31 of the Health Services Act 1991.
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- QASM follows methodology established and refined by
similar
projects which are concurrently running in South Australia
(SAAPM),
Tasmania (TASM), Victoria (VASM), and Western Australia
(WAASM). All audits function under the umbrella of the
Australian
and New Zealand Audits of Surgical Mortality (ANZASM).
ANZASM, as an audit process, fulfils the following
criteria:
- it is independent
- it is external
- it is peer-review
- it is systematic
- it is routine
- it is objective
- it is confidential (all audits are covered by qualified
privilege at a
Commonwealth level)
Conclusion:
Fellows of the College have always had accountability through
personal
audits and professional excellence. These qualities have been
included
in the College's Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Program.
However, it is acknowledged that while a high level of
qualitative
accountability exists at an individual level, there is a need
from health
service providers (Queensland Health is a significant provider)
for
quantitative accountability.
This quantitative accountability and the
qualitative measures are integral to their needs. It is also
integral to
reporting information to the general public. It is anticipated
that statewide
reporting and quality of care can be enhanced through QASM.
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(pdf 1.5Mb)