VHA Center for Applied Healthcare Studies Marks Inaugural Year with Significant Accomplishments Toward Improving Patient Safety and Quality
Industry experts and VHA member hospitals collaborate to improve care, cost and delivery
IRVING, Texas, Oct. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The VHA Center for Applied Healthcare Studies is pleased to announce its first year has yielded significant results through its Partnership for Patients Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) as well as milestones in other research projects. Launched in August 2012, the Center creates a collaborative forum where leading health care systems and industry experts can study new models of care delivery and payment, including environmental and policy factors that will influence the future of health care.
"As we celebrate our first anniversary of the Center's creation, we are excited at the progress that we and our members have made – notably meeting and exceeding quality measurements within our HEN hospitals and the support we have received from our expert advisory group," said Keith Kosel, PhD, MHSA, MBA, executive director of the Center. "We have also begun implementation of our Patient-Centered Medical Neighborhood Project, which will yield insights that can be replicated to improve care coordination and lower costs across the country."
VHA's HEN program aims to achieve the goals set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Partnership for Patients Initiative of reducing hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent and readmissions by 20 percent. Key achievements of VHA's HEN in 2012 and 2013 include:
- Meeting CMS' interim performance improvement targets in eight areas of focus and exceeding the 30 percent goal in areas such as early elective delivery, surgical site infections, falls, ventilator-associated pneumonia and pressure ulcers.
- Providing more than 125 educational events to 8,000 participants at the 200 enrolled hospitals
- Developing an Early Elective Delivery program with the March of Dimes, a not-for-profit agency focused on educating expecting mothers on the health benefits of full-term pregnancies.
"The changes in delivery and reimbursement that are occurring in this post-reform era are daunting for hospitals, which is why VHA is committed to testing new approaches that can be implemented quickly and with less risk," said Steve Miff, PhD, senior vice president of Clinical and Care Delivery Solutions for VHA. "The Center's work strengthens our ability to advise members by continuing to identify real-world solutions to bridge the gap between cost and quality."
About VHA:
VHA Inc., based in Irving, Texas, is a national network of not-for-profit health care organizations that work together to drive maximum savings in the supply chain arena, set new levels of clinical performance, and identify and implement best practices to improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. Since 1977, VHA has leveraged its expertise in analytics, contracting, consulting and networks to help members achieve their operational, clinical and financial objectives. In 2012, VHA delivered record savings and value of $1.9 billion to members. VHA serves more than 1,350 hospitals and more than 72,000 non-acute care providers nationwide, coordinating delivery of its programs and services through its 13 regional offices. VHA has been ranked as one of the best places to work in health care by Modern Healthcare since the publication introduced this list in 2008.
SOURCE VHA Inc.
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