VANCOUVER - Health professionals from across the province came together today to share a wide range of innovative ideas and best practices that improve the delivery of safe, high quality patient care.

More than 150 participants, including doctors, nurses and other clinicians, attended the province's first Innovations in Health Care Best Practices Forum at the Wosk Centre in Vancouver.

"Today we saw leading-edge examples of innovation that show how health professionals in B.C. are improving patient care," said Abbott. "New and innovative health-care practices will ensure both our children and grandchildren have access to sustainable, comprehensive and innovative health services in the future."

Innovations in Health Care Best Practices showcased presentations from health professionals working in the province's regional health authorities and promoted exemplary service initiatives in the areas of emergency department decongestion, patient safety and primary health care.

"Sharing innovative projects and best practices in health care can provide insight into how to address health care challenges," said Lynda Cranston, president and CEO of the Provincial Health Services Authority. "I look forward to learning new ideas today and taking them back to our facilities."

Presentations encouraged health professionals to promote new initiatives that deliver more effective services so that health authority staff can learn and implement each other's best practices.

"Sharing ideas that work with health-care colleagues from across the province is a great way to build innovative best practices," said Dr. Kirk Hollohan, physician leader from Providence Health, who presented at today's forum. "In our presentation today, team members will outline process for early identification and treatment of septic patients. The dramatic decrease in patient mortality exceeded our team's original goal of a 20 per cent reduction, and the new process reduced the risk of death for sepsis patients."

In January 2007, the Province announced the Health Innovation Fund, a $100-million investment to encourage and assist health authorities in moving forward with new ideas to improve patient care. The Health Innovation Fund is the first of its kind in the province and illustrates a provincial commitment to provide British Columbians the best health system available. Announcements of the allocations for the funding will be announced in the coming weeks.