NCAL Partners with NJHA to Form Patient Safety Organization

First national effort to collect quality data on assisted living

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) announced today it is joining forces with the New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA) to form the National Patient Safety Organization (PSO) for Assisted Living. The PSO will electronically collect data from NCAL's participating assisted living members on a range of clinical performance outcomes and processes. The effort is the first of the profession's kind to be carried out at a national level and will develop insightful reports highlighting the causes of patient safety events in assisted living settings.

"Assisted living communities have always been committed to high quality care, but this PSO changes the ballgame. Having the data that demonstrates this commitment is paramount in today's health care world," said Dave Kyllo, executive director of NCAL. "NCAL members will be able to identify where they can improve, partner with other area providers and demonstrate their dedication to their residents."

PSOs were created under federal law and serve as a group of independent external experts who can collect, analyze and aggregate Patient Safety Work Product locally, regionally and nationally to develop insights into the underlying causes of patient safety events. Communications with PSOs also are designed to protect participants from increased liability regarding the data they submit.

NJHA's Institute for Quality and Patient Safety is a federally designated PSO with certification from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Earlier this year, the NCAL Board of Directors voted to collaborate with NJHA's PSO to collect important clinical performance data. This data included hospital readmissions, the off-label use of antipsychotics, medication errors, falls and fall assessments, pressure ulcers, and pain management, among other quality metrics. By participating in the initiative, individual assisted living communities potentially could reduce their liability costs and exposures while contributing to national safety and quality efforts.

"We're very excited to be working with the National Center for Assisted Living to form this new relationship," said President and CEO of NJHA Betsy Ryan. "It is another excellent opportunity to improve the quality of care delivered to this unique population."

NCAL members may begin signing up for the PSO now through the effort's Web site: www.ncalpso.org. NCAL aims for data collection to begin on Jan. 1, 2014.

ABOUT AHCA/NCAL
The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) represent more than 12,000 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers and homes for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities. By delivering solutions for quality care, AHCA/NCAL aims to improve the lives of the millions of frail, elderly and individuals with disabilities who receive long term or post-acute care in our member facilities each day. For more information, please visit www.ahca.org or www.ncal.org.

ABOUT NJHA
The New Jersey Hospital Association is a not-for-profit trade organization committed to delivering support and services to the state's hospitals and other healthcare providers. We share a collective goal of providing quality, affordable and accessible healthcare to the people of the Garden State. For more information, please visit www.njha.com. 

SOURCE New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA)