Minnesota hospitals make care safer

Annual report shows pressure ulcer prevention, drastic reduction of early elective deliveries and reduced readmissions

ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In its annual patient safety report, Minnesota hospitals participating in the federal Partnership for Patients Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) recorded the prevention of more than 6,200 readmissions; 682 fewer patients developed a pressure ulcer; 512 fewer patients experienced a fall; and 300 early elective deliveries were avoided.

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The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) HEN is one of 26 HENs across the U.S. working to reduce 10 hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) by 40 percent and readmissions by 20 percent. Hospitals are identifying solutions already working to reduce health care-acquired conditions and are working to spread the information to other hospitals and health care providers.

"Minnesota has been recognized by other states as a leader in patient safety and quality care," said Lawrence Massa, president and CEO of MHA. "Our hospitals have made tremendous strides toward the Partnership's goals, but even more there is a greater emphasis on reducing all causes of harm, not just individual conditions."

The 113 participating hospitals in the MHA HEN are focused on the top 10 hospital-acquired conditions: adverse drug events; health care-associated infections (catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections, surgical site infections and ventilator-associated events); injuries from falls; obstetrical adverse events including elective deliveries prior to 39 weeks gestation; pressure ulcers; preventable readmissions; and venous thromboembolism. Key accomplishments include:

• An 83 percent reduction in pressure ulcers since 2010; Minnesota's pressure ulcer rate is far below the national average
• Elective deliveries prior to 39 weeks gestation have declined by almost 90 percent and nearly all hospitals have implemented a hard stop policy restricting inductions before 39 weeks
• 6,211 fewer readmissions since 2009
• 512 falls have been prevented, a decline of 27 percent
• 23 percent reduction in catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI)
• 28 percent decrease in central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSI)
• 12 percent reduction in surgical site infections related to abdominal hysterectomy and 6.5 percent reduction in surgical site infections related to colon surgery
• 43 percent reduction in adverse drug events resulting in an INR>5, a measure of the time it takes for blood to clot
• The MHA HEN was one of six hospital engagement networks selected for Leading Edge Advanced Practice Topics (LEAPT) to further expand patient safety and quality efforts to hospitals nationwide.

The MHA HEN has helped hospitals prevent adverse events by promoting the implementation of evidence-based strategies through the Call to Action framework to reduce health care-acquired conditions. This innovative approach prevents patient harm and provides the clinical best practices as well as the infrastructure necessary to help hospitals achieve quality measurement goals and embed sustainable best practices. This systemic approach also ensures consistency among organizations and across the state.

The MHA HEN contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) was recently extended for an additional year. The option year one funding will allow Minnesota hospitals to continue the advances to reduce hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent and readmissions by 20 percent.

The Minnesota Hospital Association helps 144 hospitals and health systems provide quality care for their patients and communities.

SOURCE Minnesota Hospital Association