Familial Bowel Cancer Nurse Anna McMahon and her team used a Healthcare Redesign approach to improve bowel preparation for hospital patients before colonoscopy. The project identified key issues and developed solutions, aiming to standardise practices and improve communication.

Bowel preparation is crucial for a successful colonoscopy but is often suboptimal in hospital patients. Poor preparation can lead to repeat procedures, delayed treatments, longer hospital stays, and missed diagnoses. By addressing the variations in practice and inefficiencies, this project aimed to improve the overall quality of care, patient safety and experience during this critical procedure.

Since implementing project solutions, Anna McMahon's team has seen a significant improvement in bowel preparation quality. Pre-intervention, 70% of preparations were rated 'good' or 'excellent,' which increased to 86% post-intervention. Poor or fair preparations decreased from 29% to 13%. These improvements reduce the need for repeat procedures and enhance the overall colonoscopy process, potentially setting a new standard for gastroenterology practices beyond our hospital. Staff feedback has been very positive, and ongoing data collection will help ensure the sustainability of these improvements.