Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) has been recognised with the inaugural Most Improved Performance Award in relation to the Irish Hip Fracture Standards, presented by the National Office of Clinical Audit (NOCA).
This award acknowledges the significant progress made by TUH in improving the care journey for hip fracture patients. The hospital’s multidisciplinary hip fracture team, spanning the Emergency Department team, orthopaedic surgeons, orthogeriatric specialists, nurses, physiotherapists, patient flow, occupational therapists, dietitians and anaesthetist colleagues have worked together to refine processes and deliver better outcomes for patients.
Among the key initiatives driving improvement are a Hip Bleep system to alert trauma ward staff of incoming hip fracture patients. They have also streamlined the admission pathway prioritising early assessment, bed allocation, and pain management. They have further introduced a seven-day physiotherapy service ensuring compliance with national standards. They also have an orthogeriatric service providing comprehensive geriatric assessments, including falls, bone health, and delirium screening.
Commenting on the award Barbara Keogh Dunne, CEO of the hospital said it was a “testament to our hospital strategy in action, teamwork, innovation and compassionate care. It reflects our commitment to continuous improvement and to ensuring every patient receives the highest standard of treatment. Congratulations to everyone involved in this collective effort.”
Professor Coughlan, Consultant Orthogeriatritian at TUH who leads the hip fracture team, added that the success was the result of
"sustained collaboration across disciplines. By refining our processes and focusing on the patient journey, we have made meaningful improvements that directly benefit patients".
This overall development is in line with the HSE Corporate Plan priority of Right Care –
"delivering value in health and social care and implementing clinical pathways and models of care that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services in areas such as cancer, trauma, older persons, dementia, mental health, disability and paediatrics".