Excellence in innovation
This award recognises the achievement of a productive, innovative and environmentally sustainable team/project.
2024 winner
Conscious sedation in endoscopy – Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group
This innovative change to the endoscopy patient sedation model enabled the redirection of anaesthesia staff to additional theatre sessions, reducing over-boundary cases from 1,500 to 300 without compromising patient safety.
Previously, Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group anaesthetists provided sedation and basic airway management at each endoscopy case, with their availability impacting elective surgery activity.
Through the new model, sedation was delivered under the direction of the gastroenterologist or surgeon, with endoscopy nurses upskilled in patient monitoring, basic airway management and intravenous cannula insertion.
The multidisciplinary team embraced online collaboration to streamline process discussions and approvals. Momentum for change was established through a series of staff presentations, and education sessions for pre-assessment nurses and information sheets helped manage patient expectations.
Introducing this less resource intensive sedation model demonstrates that deeply embedded cultural practices can be changed to achieve more efficient use of workforce resources and timely patient care.
Congratulations to our other finalists
- Intensive care unit electronic notes – Rockingham Peel Group
- Rehabilitation in the home app and virtual whiteboard – South Metropolitan Health Service
See other 2024 Excellence Award winners.