Statement from Betsy Ryan, President and CEO, New Jersey Hospital Association, on New Federal Data and N.J. Hospitals' Efforts to Improve Patient Safety

PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "New Jersey hospitals are very proud to be part of the national success story in making hospital care safer for patients. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today a 17 percent decline in hospital-associated conditions, which translates into 50,000 fewer deaths and healthcare savings of $12 billion between 2010 and 2013, thanks to the work of hospitals under the Partnership for Patients initiative.

"Each of New Jersey's acute care hospitals have been part of that national initiative to improve care, reduce medical errors and make healthcare safer and more efficient for the 18 million patients they serve each year. Our results here in New Jersey show 9,306 cases of harm averted and between $102 million and $125 million in healthcare costs avoided under Partnership for Patients-New Jersey, led by the NJHA Institute for Quality and Patient Safety. New Jersey's findings reflect efforts in a single year, from 2012 through 2013. (Today's federal report covers data from 2010-2013.)

"Our Partnership for Patients-New Jersey motto is 'working together to make healthcare better,' and that is very true in this initiative. By working collaboratively, learning from national experts and implementing industry-proven best practices, New Jersey hospitals are providing care that is better for patients, with fewer complications and faster recoveries. We've made tremendous strides in our state, but when it comes to quality improvement, there's no such thing as good enough. The federal Partnership for Patients effort officially ends in 2014, but the lessons learned and constant focus on quality care and patient safety will continue here in the Garden State."

NJHA's participating hospitals achieved the following results between 2012 and 2013:

• Adverse drug events declined from 9.8 percent to 4.0 percent, a reduction of 58.7 percent.
• Catheter-associated urinary tract infections declined from a rate of 1.61 per thousand catheter days to 1.11, a reduction of 30.9 percent.
• Central line-associated bloodstream infections declined from a rate of 1.39 infections per 1,000 central line days to 1.10, a reduction of 20.3 percent.
• Patient falls declined from 0.59 per 1,000 patients to 0.49, a reduction of 18.1 percent.
• Early elective deliveries declined from 4.9 percent to 3.0 percent, a reduction of 38.7 percent.
• Birth trauma injuries declined from a rate of 2.3 per 1,000 live births to 1.61, a 30.3 percent reduction.
• Obstetric trauma declined from a rate of 143 per 1,000 to 128.4 per 1,000 (with a medical instrument) and from 24.2 per 1,000 to 20.6 percent (without instrument.) The rate reduction is 10.3 percent and 14.9 percent, respectively.
• Pressure ulcers declined from 3.8 percent to 2.4 percent, a reduction of 37.1 percent.
• Surgical site infections following colon surgery declined from 4.39 percent to 2.82 percent, a reduction of 35.8 percent.
• Surgical site infections following hysterectomy declined from 1.48 percent to 1.04 percent, a reduction of 29.9 percent.
• Surgical site infections following total knee replacement declined from 1.03 percent to 0.17 percent, a reduction of 83.8 percent.
• Venous thromboembolism (blood clots) declined from 0.75 percent to 0.67 percent, a reduction of 10.1 percent.
• Hospital readmissions within 30 days declined from 21.6 percent to 19.8 percent, an 8.7 percent reduction.

View the full Year Two Progress Report for Partnership for Patients-New Jersey at http://www.njha.com/media/71343/pfpannualreport.pdf. Final data reflecting the entire scope of the Partnership for Patients-New Jersey initiative is not yet available. The Department of Health and Human Services announcement can be found at http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2014pres/12/20141202a.html.

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SOURCE New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA)

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