Perioperative Harm Prevention

Despite a focused effort on quality and safety in healthcare, one in every ten patients¹ admitted to an Australian hospital will suffer from an adverse patient safety event. At least half of these are preventable.

To help improve patient safety before, during and after surgery, VMIA partnered with experts in perioperative care to understand:

• why adverse patient safety events occur
• how we can help improve patient safety.

We analysed state-wide data, reviewed evidence-based best practice and worked closely with clinicians and consumers to identify patient safety improvement opportunities in the system.

You can read our research findings and planned next steps in the report, Improving patient safety in Victorian perioperative care [PDF, 8.38MB].

This report has been endorsed by the Victorian Perioperative Consultative Council, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons - Victorian State Committee, the Australian College of Perioperative Nurses and the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.

We’re currently working with our partners to deliver the next phase of this work across Victoria.

1. Duckett, S., Cuddihy, M. and Newnham, H., 2016. Targeting zero: supporting the Victorian hospital system to eliminate avoidable harm and strengthen quality of care. Department of Health and Human Services (Vic)