The COEfficient The COEfficient - Capital Health

BEST PRACTICES
From healthier vending machine products to Supported
Patient Employment in the community, Rosie Thornton
has seen her share of quality initiatives during her time
as Quality Improvement Coordinator at Alberta Hospital
Edmonton (AHE). That’s what makes AHE’s annual Quality
Improvement Week so special to her.
Left to right:
Christine North, Quality Improvement
Coordinator – Geriatric Psychiatry
Janice Godbout, Quality Improvement
Coordinator – Adult Psychiatry
Rosie Thornton, Quality Improvement
Coordinator, AHE Site
Susan Hample, Quality Improvement
Administrative Assistant
Alberta Hospital Edmonton
Celebrates its Fifth Annual
Quality Improvement Week
“This is a positive way to reinforce the
principles of quality improvement in
a positive and collaborative fashion,”
says Rosie, who has worked at the
hospital since 2001. “We wanted to
heighten staff’s awareness of quality
improvement initiatives in all areas of
the hospital and to show that everyone
from management to front line staff
are involved.”
2006 also marked the launch of
the Steps to a Healthier You site-wide
initiative, which looks at increasing a
patient’s physical activity and teaching
patients to make healthier nutritional
choices. Building on this initiative, a
committee looked at healthier vending
options at this site for both patients and
staff. Working with a clinical dietician,
the new project labels vending items
as green (healthy choice), yellow
(use in moderation) and red (choose
infrequently), with the intention of
increasing the number of green items
individuals choose. Accompanying
the changes will be in-services and
other nutritional teaching to ensure
ROBERT STRAND/CAPITAL HEALTH
18 CHQ ~ SUMMER 2006 www.capitalhealth.ca