Ohio group leads children's hospitals safety improvements

Members of the Ohio Children's Hospitals' Solutions for Patient Safety have prevented serious harm in nearly 230 patients and eliminated nearly $6 million from the states healthcare system over the past three years.

The eight hospitals began working together in 2009 with a focus on surgical site infections (SSIs) and adverse drug events (ADEs). They reduced SSIs in designated cardiac, neurosurgery and orthopedic procedures by 40 percent and ADEs by 42 percent between 2009 and 2012.

In 2012, the hospitals broadened their scope to focus on eliminating serious safety events (SSEs) and reduced occurrences by more than 70 percent.

The group began leading a national effort to help more than 80 children's hospitals in more than 30 states achieve similar results by working to eliminate certain hospital-acquired conditions and enhancing a culture of safety. Since 2012, this effort has led to an estimated savings of more than $60 million and saved 2,500 children from serious harm.

"Since the formation of [Solutions for Patient Safety] in Ohio, we've said we won't compete when it comes to patient safety in our children's hospitals," said Michael Fisher, president and CEO of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and chair of the group. "Our shared goal is zero harm--putting patients and families first by embracing a culture of safety. That's how we have achieved meaningful change here in our state and have led the nation by sharing our experiences, strategies and tactics with children's hospitals throughout the country."