Fifteen newly designated Best Practice Spotlight Organizations (BPSO) now include Chile’s MINSAL (National Ministry of Health in Chile) program. MINSAL’s public hospitals have seen positive results in patient outcomes due to the successful implementation and consistent use of RNAO’s best practice guidelines (BPG). 

Dr. Fernando Araos, who is the deputy minister of health of MINSAL, shared during a 2022 AGM video presentation that they are excited and honoured to be a BPSO Host. 

What are BPSOs? 

Close to 1,500 organizations worldwide – more than 700 in Ontario – have a formal agreement with RNAO to become a BPSO or BPSO Host organization. When an organization – in any health sector – is designated as a BPSO, it agrees to implement multiple BPGs across their entire organization to improve the quality of care delivered, patient outcomes and organizational outcomes. BPGs also improve health system outcomes such as in the case of MINSAL, which is spreading BPGs nationwide. BPSOs use NQuIRE and MyBPSO as online evaluation tools, to collect, analyze and review quantitative and qualitative information. This helps ensure effective implementation of BPGs by tracking the results and engaging in rapid learning and continuous quality improvement. The BPSO designation is free of charge and so are all the training materials.  

The MINSAL program has increased efficiencies and improved the lives of patients by using standardized risk-assessment scales and the RNAO NQuIRE data system to evaluate progress. Understanding the data results allows change leaders and staff to gauge the program’s impact. This information enables team members and entire hospitals to focus their attention on areas needing improvement to achieve full success, says Roberto Garcia Jara who oversees the MINSAL BPSO Host program. The MINSAL BPSO Host has also triggered the updating of the system-wide hospital clinical records based on BPGs to establish consistency in the care provided by all of the nation’s public hospitals.

Staff at these hospitals can now also refer to helpful evidence-based posters, insightful infographics and colorful flowcharts that illustrate RNAO’s BPGs. This information, when it is made readily available to nurses and other health-care providers, creates an optimal environment for excellence in patient care. Nurses deliver care to patients more effectively. Staff also watch RNAO educational videos, which increases their knowledge base. This also contributes to improved patient care and better outcomes.

How it started

With the signing of an agreement between Chile’s Ministry of Health and RNAO, the implementation of the BPSO Host program began in Chilean public hospitals, initially with six hospitals selected as BPSO candidates: Hospital La Serena, Hospital Dr. Exequiel González Cortés, Hospital Clínico San Borja Arriarán, Hospital de Niños Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Hospital Herminda Martín-Chillan and Hospital de Linares.

Chile’s ministry of health signed an agreement to become a BPSO Host in December 2017. The agreement signed by that country’s national health minister Carmen Castillo Taucher (centre) and RNAO’s CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun (right) was broadcast live. Also on hand for the signing was deputy health minister Gisela Alarcon Rojas (left).