QCH BERT Call initiative receives provincial recognition for their innovation and excellence in geriatric care

Our Behaviour Emergency Response Team (BERT) is an award-winning, person-centred approach to avoid Code White calls. It is used to de-escalate the behaviours of older persons with cognitive changes.

Since the launch in April 2017, there have been several outstanding moments of recognition:

• Earlier this month, our BERT was invited to present to the Central West Local Health Information Network (LHIN), to potentially introduce in their hospitals and adapt it their RH and LTC homes.

• In late 2022, the BERT presented their model to the entire Behaviour Support Ontario (BSO) Collaborative Acute Care Hospitals Network. QCH’s received kudos across the provincial acute-care hospital network for this innovative person-centered care initiative.

• In October 2022, the Royal Ottawa Hospital invited our BERT to present, as did Perley Health.

• In November 2020, the Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) and the American Board in Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation awarded QCH the Trailblazer Award which recognizes outstanding achievement in improving quality of care for older adults.

For 2023, our team has their sights set on adapting our successful BERT to a sub-acute model population for Park Place.