[Process management in the hospital pharmacy for the improvement of the patient safety]. / La gestión por procesos en la farmacia hospitalaria para la mejora de la seguridad del paciente.

OBJECTIVES: To define a process management model for a hospital pharmacy in order to measure, analyse and make continuous improvements in patient safety and healthcare quality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In order to implement process management, Igualada Hospital was divided into different processes, one of which was the Hospital Pharmacy. A multidisciplinary management team was given responsibility for each process. For each sub-process one person was identified to be responsible, and a working group was formed under his/her leadership. With the help of each working group, a risk analysis using failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) was performed, and the corresponding improvement actions were implemented. Sub-process indicators were also identified, and different process management mechanisms were introduced. RESULTS: The first risk analysis with FMEA produced more than thirty preventive actions to improve patient safety. Later, the weekly analysis of errors, as well as the monthly analysis of key process indicators, permitted us to monitor process results and, as each sub-process manager participated in these meetings, also to assume accountability and responsibility, thus consolidating the culture of excellence. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of different process management mechanisms, with the participation of people responsible for each sub-process, introduces a participative management tool for the continuous improvement of patient safety and healthcare quality.

[Home enteral nutrition. Annual report 1999. NADYA-SENPE Group]. / Nutrición enteral domiciliaria. Informe anual 1999. Grupo NADYA-SENPE.

GOAL: During 1999, as in previous years, the NADYA-SENPE Group has maintained an annual register of patients with Artificial Nutrition at Home in order to keep up to date our available knowledge of this therapy. The present paper analyzes the results of the sixth National Register of patients under treatment with Enteral Nutrition at Home corresponding to 1999, produced with the co-operation of twenty-three centres in the Spanish national health network. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data were collected through a closed questionnaire included on our web site (www.nadya-senpe.com). Apart from epidemiological information, the form includes the indication that led to the prescription of nutrition, nutritional treatment, access path, complications and admissions to hospital, follow-up of the treatment, patients' quality of life and progress. All of the data are processed by the co-ordinating team. The Nutrition Unit at La Paz Teaching Hospital in Madrid has acted as the group co-ordinator. RESULTS: During 1999, a total of 2,262 patients at the twenty-three collaborating centres followed treatment with Home Enteral Nutrition (NED in its Spanish acronym). The mean age was 63.6 (19.67 years (males: 57.6%; females: 42.3%). The mean time with nutritional treatment is 5.89 (4.25 months. The neurological alterations (37.5%) and neoplasias (36.8%) were the most frequent indications for NED. Most patients used oral administration (50.7%), the use of artificial routes is less frequent, with 5NG being used on 27.9% and PEG on 12.7%. The polymeric formulas are the ones most commonly used (87.7%). The number of complications recorded amounted to 1,403 episodes, representing 0.62 complications per patient per year, of which 40.8% were gastro-intestinal (0.26 complications per patient per year) and 18.7% were mechanical complications, with only 9 recorded cases of bronchoaspiration. It was necessary to admit patients to hospital on 836 occasions (0.38 admissions per patient), albeit generally for causes not associated with nutrition (86.1%). At year-end, 51.4% of patients continued to receive nutritional support. CONCLUSIONS: Enteral nutrition at home is a safe technique whose use is growing in Spain. It requires the existence of appropriately equipped nutrition teams as well as the collaboration of the Primary Health Care services and the suitable training of patients and relatives. It is essential to progress more deeply into the development and application of clinical routes that provide a clear and concise methodology covering all nutrition-related aspects. In itself, nutrition is a therapeutic alternative regardless of whether access is obtained through a natural or an artificial route. It is necessary for the persons responsible for health-care administration to realize that the appropriate nutrition of patients leads to an improvement in their general health, a shorter course for their illness and, therefore, a reduction in costs.