One of the nation’s largest hospital engagement networks (HENs) is the more than 1,500-member HEN operated by the American Hospital Association (AHA) and its Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET). In its first 28 months of operation, it says it saved more than $1.3 billion by reducing the incidence of preventable harm, readmissions and infections, as well as the incidence of early elective deliveries.

The formation of HENs is encouraged by the federal Partnership for Patients initiative. Goals for the AHA/HRET network are to reduce patient harm by 40 percent and preventable readmissions by 20 percent.

According to the AHA and HRET, its HEN members include hospitals from 31 participating states and U.S. Territories. Some of the achievements in the first 28 months included the prevention of 143,000 incidents that would have resulted in patient harm, nearly 19,000 early-elective deliveries, an estimated more than 110,000 hospital readmissions and more than 8,500 hospital-acquired infections.

The AHA and HRET plan to release the full results at the AHA’s second annual Quality & Safety Roadmap meeting, held July 19-21 in San Diego.

“The latest results from the HEN effort are outstanding and highlight the success that quality improvement professionals can make within their hospitals and health systems,” said Maulik Joshi, president of HRET and senior vice president for AHA, in the press release. “Our efforts to provide only the safest, highest- quality care are just beginning, and the HEN, through its hospital participants and state hospital partners, is making incredible strides forward.”