Ohio childrens hospital network homes in on patient safety
Ohio’s eight children’s hospitals are spearheading a national effort to improve quality of care and patient safety in pediatric hospitals.
In March, the group hosted leaders from 34 U.S. children’s hospitals at Cardinal Health in Columbus to launch their initiative. The work is being funded through Partnership for Patients, a public-private collaboration set up and led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Ohio Children’s Hospitals’ Solutions for Patient Safety (OCHSPS), the nonprofit formed by the “Ohio eight,” is one of 26 Hospital Engagement Networks (HENs) funded under the HHS-led initiative. OCHSPS said it is the only effort in the U.S. focused on reducing Medicaid costs associated with care for children.
Hospitals participating in the OCHSPS National Children’s Network will work together to achieve specific goals by Dec. 31, 2013. These include reducing serious harm in participating institutions by 40 percent, reducing readmissions by 20 percent and reducing serious safety events by 25 percent.
To hit these targets, participating hospitals will draw from “high reliability industries” such as nuclear power and aviation that “achieve high levels of safety in the face of considerable hazards and operational complexity,” the group said. In addition, participants will focus on transparent sharing of data, development and use of standardized pediatric measures and process bundles and the use of common tools and techniques to address organizational culture.
The network will work to reduce harm in 11 healthcare-acquired conditions, including adverse drug events, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated blood stream infections and ventilator-associated pneumonia.
The group tipped its cap to the Cardinal Health Foundation, which has provided $3 million in support of these efforts so far, and said the national network plans to add an additional 50 children’s hospitals in 2013.
In March, the group hosted leaders from 34 U.S. children’s hospitals at Cardinal Health in Columbus to launch their initiative. The work is being funded through Partnership for Patients, a public-private collaboration set up and led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Ohio Children’s Hospitals’ Solutions for Patient Safety (OCHSPS), the nonprofit formed by the “Ohio eight,” is one of 26 Hospital Engagement Networks (HENs) funded under the HHS-led initiative. OCHSPS said it is the only effort in the U.S. focused on reducing Medicaid costs associated with care for children.
Hospitals participating in the OCHSPS National Children’s Network will work together to achieve specific goals by Dec. 31, 2013. These include reducing serious harm in participating institutions by 40 percent, reducing readmissions by 20 percent and reducing serious safety events by 25 percent.
To hit these targets, participating hospitals will draw from “high reliability industries” such as nuclear power and aviation that “achieve high levels of safety in the face of considerable hazards and operational complexity,” the group said. In addition, participants will focus on transparent sharing of data, development and use of standardized pediatric measures and process bundles and the use of common tools and techniques to address organizational culture.
The network will work to reduce harm in 11 healthcare-acquired conditions, including adverse drug events, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated blood stream infections and ventilator-associated pneumonia.
The group tipped its cap to the Cardinal Health Foundation, which has provided $3 million in support of these efforts so far, and said the national network plans to add an additional 50 children’s hospitals in 2013.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.