Western Cape ‘Safety Dashboard’ launched for medical professionals to track rate of violent injuries
Type of article: In Brief
MedED Catalogue Reference: MOT006
Compiler: Linda Ravenhill
Sources: Daily Maverick
This week, the Western Cape launched a safety dashboard to track the incidence of violent injuries across the region. The project is an attempt to foster cross-departmental collaboration to improve service delivery.
According to our source article in the Daily Maverick, information is drawn from the Hospital and Emergency Centre Tracking Information System (Hectis), which contains data inputted in real-time by emergency department staff. The data will help shape future care strategies, identifying the required skills and where and when to more efficiently manage care in emergency departments.
To illustrate how the information could be used: the data shows that 52% of injuries of pregnant women were caused by assaults, nearly half of which (47%) occurred in the second trimester. In terms of preparedness in the emergency room in areas where this data holds true, having access to neonatal paediatricians on call and creating protocols to deal with this type of trauma would positively impact care outcomes..
And it is not only hospitals that will benefit; police departments too will benefit from the information which reflects what type of injuries are being reported in what areas. The article in the Daily Maverick indicates that the Hectis system can be used to shape policing strategies as has been done in other countries.
This a fantastic initiative that we’ll be keeping tabs on for you in the future.
Western Cape ‘Safety Dashboard’ launched for medical professionals to track rate of violent injuries
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