14 HEAltH MAttErS
Hospital
reconfIgUratIon
the concept of reconfiguration is not
about down-grading hospitals, it is
about altering and changing the role
of hospitals, writes
ColM qUIgley, Consultant,
Clinical Adviser to the North
East transformation
Leadership Group.
H
ospital reform and reconfiguration
are both necessary and are inevitable
if we are to ensure that patients in
Ireland receive the best care, and the safest
care. We must concentrate on safety for
our patients built on high quality care with
sufficient volume of patients and staff to
maintain excellent skills. All the services
needed by very ill patients must be in the
right place.
reconfiguration of services brought about
by the National Cancer Control Program
is aimed at achieving the best possible
outcomes for patients. We must focus
on best survival, best outcome, and best
results to achieve the best quality of care for
patients. President Obama is struggling with
healthcare costs in the still richest country on team of medical colleagues, nursing and there are other factors that we cannot
the planet. We also will struggle with the cost other colleagues and other needed support ignore. Roads like the M1 that allow us
of healthcare in the coming difficult years. services to ensure that patients get the best to drive from Dundalk A&E front-door to
Hospital roles are changing, because times care. As a society, we will have to make Drogheda A&E front-door in 25 minutes.
are changing, and we must not be trapped choices based on what is best for patients the so-called ‘golden hour’, which was
by our history. Hospitals that developed in now and in the future. In truth, the choices defined for battlefield casualties and acute
the past gave great service. the explosion of must be about best outcome for patients trauma, does not apply to most illness. But I
medical knowledge has meant that hospital not about buildings or institutions. We need believe we must be able to transfer patients
consultants, like myself, know a lot more to focus on the best care for all patients and rapidly to wherever they need to go for the
about a smaller area of medicine. this is a we need to focus on where we should go best care.
tribute to the great advances that have been to improve care. We need the critical mass Furthermore, there is a duty on us all
made in medicine, but also underlines the of patients and staff to meet regulatory, to spend wisely, to get the best value and
fact that no hospital doctor can really practice accreditation and training standards and to quality in patient care. A Euro wasted is a
alone nowadays, without the help of a large achieve the best standards of care. Euro denied to the ill. there has to be a future
health matters is 4.indd 14 27/11/2009 20:35:03
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