Supporting vulnerable families: towards a better perinatal experience within the Groupe Santé CHC
Winner of the ‘Patient Experience in Health and Social-Related Services’ category at the 4th SPX European Awards, Groupe Santé CHC (Belgium) was rewarded for its initiative ‘Supporting Vulnerable Families: Towards a Better Perinatal Experience ’, which aims to improve the perinatal care experience of patients by providing ongoing support during the first 1,000 days of life to reduce the risk of complications and foster an environment conducive to the child’s healthy development during this critical period.
The team tells us how the project came about, how it has developed and how it has evolved since receiving the award last April.
What led you to launch a programme based on patient experience?
Several observations were made: on the one hand, several departments within the hospital were looking after these families but were not yet coordinated and sometimes worked in parallel. Secondly, there was a concern to take care of all the mothers/families who needed it, so that they didn’t fall through the cracks. Finally, there was a prevention dimension: anticipating the discovery of situations at the end of the process when action could have been taken earlier, which is always better.
What difficulties did you encounter in developing it and how did you overcome them?
The main thing is to get all the teams involved around the table and learn to work together in real synergy.
How has your project evolved since its launch to date?
There was a real explosion in the number of cases, proving that not all families were being taken into care. The links between services have become well established and operations are generally satisfactory. We are making steady progress in implementing care protocols.
What impact has this initiative had on the quality of your services?
Collaboration is much better. Everyone finds their place and there is less duplication of care, which means that a greater number of families can be helped. The energy developed is put to better use for the benefit of more people.
How did patients assess it?
We don’t have any measurement tools as such, but the feedback from the families is very positive. We hope, although it will be very difficult to prove, that the future of these families will be better in the long term.
What changes have you seen as a result?
In addition to an increasing number of referrals from professionals (midwives, NEBs, gynaecologists, paediatricians), information is also being passed on to GPs and even to patients themselves, who spontaneously phone us, proof that trust is being built up and advice to call us is being passed on among patients.
What conclusions have you drawn from this project to date and what future do you envisage for your programme?
It was a necessity! We feel that we are working better and that we are better able to help families. The trend will be towards more care. The [Belgian] Ministry of Health has also understood the scale of the problem and is setting up a screening programme that will soon be linked to ours (both will be strengthened).
How do you think your win at the SPX European Awards will influence your initiative over the coming months?
Visibility, first and foremost. For the time being, the money received is being kept pending specific projects (training, equipment support, etc.).
With its project ‘Supporting vulnerable families: Towards a better perinatal experience’, the Groupe Santé CHC is paving the way for innovative, holistic care for families during the perinatal period. The recognition received at the SPX European Awards further enhances the visibility of this initiative and marks an encouraging step in its development.
Have you also worked on an initiative that significantly improves the patient experience? Don’t forget that you have until 15 December 2024 to submit your entry for the SPX European Awards 2025!
