The month of May was National Health Information Management (HIM) Awareness Month, where we acknowledge what is at the heart of our healthcare system.

Health Information Managers are responsible for the collection, storage, analysis and distribution of healthcare information. They contribute to both the healthcare system and to people’s health by providing the information systems and data central for medical decision making and patient care planning. They also coordinate many kinds of healthcare information, from a variety of sources.

Northern Health HIMs work across the following departments – Client Data Management, Decision Support Unit, Legal Counsel, Information Technology and Mental Health.

Director of Health Information Services, Terri Fiorenza says, “Health Information Managers have a broad skillset that enables them to work in a range of areas within the health industry. For me personally, the HIM profession has provided me with the opportunity to manage and lead a team of dedicated professionals and make a difference to the way in which health information is managed and used to make informed decisions on financial planning, casemix and quality of care.”

In 2011, Northern Health received acknowledgement for the excellence in our semi-electronic scanned medical record system at the Sir Rupert Hamer Records Management Awards. Named after the former Premier of Victoria and public records advocate, the award acknowledges the importance of records management.

In celebrating HIM Awareness Month, a morning tea was held to celebrate the HIM profession as a whole, and acknowledge the different and wide variety of roles held by Health Information Managers across Northern Health.

David Mangano said, “I decided to become a Health Information Manager as I liked the idea of contributing to the healthcare system through the combination of data and technology. It also allows me to partake in multiple projects across the organisation, collaborating with a broad range of disciplines.”

Vali Youkhana said, “I decided to become a Health Information Manager as I wanted to work in the health industry but did not want any patient contact. The HIM profession has been a very rewarding career choice for me. Our skills and expertise in the field of health information are highly sought after, and this enables us to work in a variety of different roles within the health industry.”

To find out more about Health Information Services at Northern Health, please click here.

The ‘Reliable Operating Room Research Project’ kicked off at Northern Hospital Epping in November last year, in partnership with the University of Melbourne – School of Computing and Information Systems, with the aim to enable Northern Health to study the activities of our staff in the operating room.

Gabriele Marini, PhD candidate from the University of Melbourne, who runs this project, explained the system is designed to help understand how people are moving within the building, and provide crucial information on the entire flow. Our staff were carrying Bluetooth beacons to help the researchers track their movement.

This year, the project is expanding to encompass patients as well.

Gabriele explained the first stage of the project involved the initial deployment of the devices and the beacons. During this time, the system was monitored and refined when necessary to ensure it was working as expected. The placement of the devices was also frequently reviewed to ensure the indoor location was able to detect signals accurately enough to be used to compute aggregate statistics over a long-term study. The project is now ready to enter the next phase.

“The purpose of the next phase is to track the location and movement of both staff and patients. The resulting data will be used to identify metrics and correlations between patient and staff movements. This set of metrics will then allow us to generate a statistical model to define and potentially predict how well the theatre schedule is going to function in the future,” Gabriele explained.

Collecting this information will enable researchers to potentially identify drawbacks and possible improvements in surgery scheduling.

“In order for this data collection phase to be successful, it is important that beacons are carried during movements around the hospital and devices remain plugged in when possible as they can only last half a day without power. This will ensure the data collected is clean and constant, which will provide the best outcome for the analysis,” Gabriele explained.

All data collected is anonymous and only the identification number of the beacon and the role covered by its holder will be recorded for the purpose of the analysis.

Clare McCarthy, Project Manager, said this research reflects our work towards becoming a highly reliable organisation.

“It’s about creating an awareness and looking at our systems and practices from another perspective. This project will get people talking about improvements, safety and technology, while creating learning opportunities and building resilience. That’s the hallmark of high reliability,” she said.

“We understand that giving out beacons to patients or even remembering to attach it to the badge might be another one of the many things to remember every day, however it would be greatly appreciated if it is done in support of the study,” Gabriele added.

Featured Image (Left to Right): Professor Vassilis Kostakos, Chapman Wang, PhD candidate, Gabriele Marini, PhD candidate, Ajimon Joy, Nursing Unit Manager, Clare McCarthy, Project Manager

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

Tayla Andrews, Administrator (Student), Aboriginal Support Unit at Northern Health, says, “Being a proud young Gunditjmara and Yorta-Yorta Women, Reconciliation Week means bringing all Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Australian people together for peace and harmony.”

“To educate and raise awareness of Aboriginal Australia’s true history, and provide further development, to achieve a better future for all.”

Today, 80 percent of Australians believe it is important to undertake formal truth telling processes, according to the 2018 Australian Reconciliation Barometer. Australians are ready to come to terms with our history as a crucial step towards a unified future, in which we understand, value and respect each other.

National Reconciliation Week is held between two significant milestones in Australia’s history, 27 May and 3 June.

May is the anniversary of the 1967 referendum in which more than 90 percent of Australians voted ‘Yes’ to count Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the census and give the Australian Government the power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

3 June marks the historic 1992 Mabo decision in which the High Court of Australia recognised native title – the recognition that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights over their lands did survive British colonisation.

Toni Gabelish works as an Aboriginal Liaison Officer for Northern Health. Her day starts with checking the daily inpatient report, indicating where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients are in the hospital. This allows her to plan her patient visits, both here and at the other sub-acute sites. Toni also carries a pager for new patient referrals from all wards including Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit.

In between patient contacts and meetings, she keeps her focus on providing culturally safe, social and emotional care, which often includes repeat visits to her patients. This includes encouraging patients to stay in hospital to complete their medical treatment as well as supporting patients to attend outpatient clinics.

We asked Toni what Reconciliation Week means to her. Here’s what she says:

“Reconciliation means bringing all people together peacefully; irrelevant of race, religion and colour, and making the effort to realise we aren’t that different to one another and that we could actually all learn a lot from each other. Respect.”

Northern Health recognises the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Diversity in their cultures, traditional and contemporary ways, lifestyles, geographic location and status.

We also support the model of addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health with coordination and collaboration between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and Northern Health.

Northern Health is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through ensuring equity in access to high quality, culturally sensitive health services.

“This lifter is the best thing in the world for patients who are not able to step or shift their weight,” starts Julius Quiring, Nurse Unit Manager in the Palliative Care Unit.

“It is ideal for patients that can stand, but don’t wish to be lifted up with a sling hoist, as the patients can hold to the new chair now and lift themselves up,” he adds.

The Northern Health Palliative Care Unit at Epping Gardens is a 16-bed unit supporting patients who are approaching end of life. Before the Northern Health Foundation grant was approved, the unit only had access to a sling hoist which is used for non-weight bearing patients and required two staff members to assist when moving and caring for patients.

With the new lifter, only one nurse or a family member is required to help the patient up and move across the floor.

“It makes life so much easier for the nurses. There is no manual handling or lifting any more. Manual handling does take its toll on staff, as they had to help with moving patients from bed to the chair. With this device, lifting stops and the machine transfers them from point A to point B,” explains Julius.

He added the chair is perfect for patients who still have some arm and leg strength, and can stand up on their own. Nurses in the ward can now easily move patients around, and since the chair has strong wheels, it doesn’t feel like pushing at all.

Julius and his team are grateful for the Northern Health Foundation grant, as they see every day how both staff and patients benefit from the new equipment.

This morning, Northern Health held the third Quarterly Staff Recognition Awards ceremony.

These awards have been designed to formally recognise outstanding contributions by our employees and celebrate staff excellence in a wide range of areas across our organisation.

Staff who exemplify a strong and positive workplace culture and commitment to our patients are nominated across six categories – Clinical Excellence, Patient Experience, Excellence in Safety, Innovation, Above and Beyond and Rising Star.

Chief Executive, Siva Sivarajah presented the awards to recipients and said, “the executive judging panel had a difficult task in deciding on the winners – because of the high standard of entries.”

“So really, all of you are winners!”

The winners of the third Quarterly Staff Recognition Awards represent different disciplines and centres, from the orthoptists at Broadmeadows Hospital, nurses from Kath Atkinson Wing to Pharmacy:

1. Clinical Excellence – Orthoptics Team, Broadmeadows Hospital
2. Patient Experience – Kath Atkinson Wing (KAW) Team, Bundoora Centre
3. Excellence in Safety – Min Chu, Pharmacy
4. Innovation – Alison Bannan, Specialist Clinics – Wound Clinic
5. Above and Beyond – Kathryn Bartho, Finance
6. Rising Star – Lauren Scott, Allied Health

“It’s great to see so many staff nominate their colleagues for their achievements at Northern Health,” Siva added.

Northern Health would like to thank our sponsors, Maxxia and BankVic, for their support with these awards.

The next Quarterly Staff Recognition Awards will be held in July, so if you know a staff member who deserves a Staff Award, we encourage you to nominate them!

The busy and creative fingers of ladies in Northern Health’s Knitting Guild have now introduced something new for babies – footy beanies.

These dedicated ladies have been knitting jackets, beanies, booties, soft toys and similar for more than 30 years, supporting the Northern Health Foundation and helping our patients have a positive hospital experience.

Bina Connelly is a former Northern Health employee who started at PANCH and that is where she began knitting with one of the local volunteers.

“I started knitting in 1991 and after I moved to Northern to work in the Social Work Department, I still continued to knit,” she said.

After retiring, she found it difficult to be away from Northern Health, so she decided to come back as a volunteer.

“I’m now volunteering on the tea trolley and I love it – and I get to see the people who I used to work with. It’s a social thing for me.”

Bina and the ladies from the Knitting Guild are using their talent to help the Northern Health Foundation. The items they make are sold in the Rainbow Shop at Northern Hospital and in the Busy Fingers Shop at Bundoora Centre. All the funds go to the Northern Health Foundation.

“Over the years, we’ve raised more than $100,000 for the Foundation and this has gone towards buying some wonderful equipment,” Bina adds.

The footy beanies are the newest addition and Bina is excited to share that she has knitted the beanies in different team colours.

Henni Wade, Manager Volunteer Services, added that the volunteering team is hoping to raise awareness of the new goods offered and the amazing work the volunteers do.

“Having the stall in the foyer this week fits in with National Volunteer Week, and we are celebrating all the wonderful things volunteers do at the hospital – the Knitting Guild is just one of the many activities,” she said.

“Hospitals can sometimes be a place where people can be stressed or anxious, and that’s when the volunteers come in to have a chat, bring positive energy and offer compassion,” Henni added.

Sandra Gillatt started at PANCH on 5 November 1986, and was part of the team that moved over to Northern Hospital Epping in 1998. That same year, Joan Sinclair started at Northern Hospital.

After collectively and faithfully serving Northern Health for 54 years, they retired this month and were given a touching farewell today by their colleagues and workmates. They were joined by senior executives, Michell Fenwick, Basil Ireland, Greg Warman and Chief Operating Officer, Jane Poxon.

Reminiscing over her time here, Sandra says:

“In 1998 when we moved from PANCH to here, the train station was a long way from the hospital – public transport was nothing like it is today. The same patients we knew at PANCH would walk to the hospital – elderly people would walk 10, 15 minutes from the train station to get to their new hospital.”

“I’ve seen patients who came to PANCH to have their babies, now in their old age at Northern, coming in for the birth of their grandchildren. We’ve seen happy and sad times.”

Joan adds, “So much has changed. Even with the hospital – it is unbelievable. So many changes, so many memories.”

“There was this gentleman who would ring us at all hours of the night and day. He wanted someone to talk to. He was in a nursing home with his wife who was sick and couldn’t communicate with him. He felt completely isolated.”

“He would call and say, Hello, I don’t want to bother you, I just want to speak to someone.”

“All the staff knew him and would talk to him. We rang him back often. Somebody took chocolates for him to his nursing home,” she adds.

Sue Lisle, Communications Supervisor (who joined the same year as Sandra did), says:

“Both Joan and Sandra have been fantastic team members and have so much knowledge of Northern Health. They both have great customer service skills, are reliable and knowledgeable.”

“They have been an asset to Northern Health and they will be missed by staff and visitors alike.”

Jane Poxon conveyed the best wishes from the Chief Executive and the executive team and said, “Joan and Sandra have served Northern Hospital in a very vital and challenging role – the front office of our hospital. They have been the face and voice of Northern Health. We will dearly miss them in this role and wish them the very best in their retirement.”

There’s a lot happening at Northern Health during May, as we are prepare for winter, launching the annual People Matter Survey, and planning for the new financial year.

People Matter Survey

The survey is your once-a-year opportunity to tell us about your experience working at Northern Health. It’s an opportunity to tell us what makes you excited to come to work every day, what can be improved in your working environment and how we, as an organisation, can support you.

And we promise not just to listen to what you say, but also act upon it to make real changes. Your answers will show us the opportunities for growth, improvement and ways to make Northern Health a safe and welcoming place to work for everyone.

I encourage everyone to complete the survey by clicking here.

Flu Campaign

The flu has come early this year and this flu season is developing as a serious one.  There’s been an unprecedented rise in flu cases across the country, with Victoria seeing 26 deaths and 10,683 diagnosed cases of influenza, compared with 2,197 at the same time last year.

After launching the flu campaign in the beginning of the month, we have been dedicated to vaccinating both our staff and our community. Our diligent staff have been working extended hours to provide vaccinations from 8 am to 8 pm every day in the Northern Hospital foyer. Thank you for all the hard work you do.

In addition, we’ve arranged for appointments at Craigieburn Centre during May and June, to accommodate the needs of our community.

So far, we have vaccinated around 57.5% of staff, and we need 1,215 more to reach our target of 85%! I would strongly recommend all of our staff get their vaccinations, to keep themselves, their families and their Northern family protected.

Our community has responded to our message to vaccinate on time and stay well. Up to this date, we have vaccinated between 6,000-7,000 community members and our flu clinic will continue to support our community in staying well and protected.

This week, I have two important messages for all: Don’t forget your flu shot and don’t forget to complete the People Matter Survey.

Have a great week everyone.

Siva Sivarajah

Chief Executive