Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital recognized for innovations in care
The Look Before You LEAPP TM initiative at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital received an honorable mention in the Second Annual Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Readiness for Reform Healthcare Innovation Challenge. LEAPP represents an approach that improves patient satisfaction and reduces procedural anxiety for the patient and their family.
“Our staff wanted to address the problem of ‘drive by’ procedures and create a standardized approach to pediatric procedures that was better coordinated and patient-centric,” explains Ann Botash, MD, FAAP, who co-authored the award submission with Elizabeth K. Nelson, MD, FAAP; Michelle Jeski, MSN, RN, PSNS-BC; and Colleen Baish Cameron, Med, CCLS. “LEAPP implementation led to improved coordination inter-professional among staff and caregivers, which fosters a better patient experience.”
LEAPP stands for Listen, Evaluate, Anticipate, Plan and Proceed. This method resulted from real-time, third party observation that surveyed the nurse, caregiver, physician and child life specialist to ensure that anxiety was properly addressed, staffing was adequate and that the patient was satisfied overall. It has been put into practice through efforts of nursing services and an education module that includes a video and post-instruction exam. A task force created at the time of the opening of the Upstate Golisano Children’s hospital invented the process while identifying needs to systematically coordinate a child-friendly approach across disciplines.
The Readiness for Reform initiative uses a series of activities and resources to assist AAMC members in assessing their organizations and implementing key elements of healthcare reform, including care delivery redesign, quality reporting and new payment models. Innovation Challenge Award recipients were honored at the AAMC annual meeting in San Francisco at the Council of Teaching of Hospitals Luncheon attended by Botash and Lynn Cleary, MD, Upstate vice president for academic affairs and professor of medicine.
Caption: Ann Botash, MD, of the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital.