Ideas and Ideals
Fixing our sick hospital systemInstead of hospitals expecting and taking unlimited funds, make them earn bonuses above their base funding based upon their performance. Implement key targets hospitals must achieve for financial rewards using a star rating system, i.e. more targets reached, more stars, more rewards. Any hospital attaining 3 stars in all key targets could be awarded $1 million extra p.a. Those at the other end, attaining zero stars, can expect more stick than carrot. Then publicly list the hospital's performance in national tables. This would create another incentive for hospitals to shape up for no one wants the wooden spoon and no patient wants to be admitted to a dodgy hospital. See our report: "Australian Hospitals: Monitoring Their Performance". When all hospitals start performing, the bar can be raised to make them meet more targets. The really well-run hospitals will clear it. Underperforming hospitals will end up on their own critical list and their chief executives will be in the casualty department in search of intensive care. Furthermore, hospitals should implement anonymous reporting forms for clinicians, staff, patients, families. It's an ideal low-cost monitoring system. It has the potential to save lives. It works in aviation so why not in hospitals? In addition, implement "black box systems" into hospitals. When patient safety is everyone's priority, the trauma families suffer seeking the truth will reduce and so will the only option for recourse - litigation. Families should not have to suffer the drama and wasted effort of legal action and if medical practitioners told the truth they wouldn't either. Facing mistakes head on saves trauma, time, resources and reputations. Mistakes must be acknowledged and shared to prevent repeating. But when are hard lessons going to be learnt? Ideals to put ourselves out of business
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