Safety First

Health Care Quality Measures Take on the Big Picture

Health care quality measures are evolving beyond traditional assessments of clinical processes to evaluate a much broader picture of care, encompassing everything from patient satisfaction to out-of-pocket health care costs. Learn more from Haydn Bush in Hospitals & Health Networks magazine here.

HRET receives contract to help hospitals reduce catheter-associated infections

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality on Nov. 2 awarded the American Hospital Association’s Health Research & Educational Trust a $4 million contract to help hospitals across the country implement protocols to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections, the most common type of healthcare-associated infection. Twelve states currently participate in the AHRQ-funded program, which seeks to reduce CAUTI rates by at least 25%.

State hospital associations and patient safety leaders will help hospitals participating in the national expansion implement effective prevention strategies and unit-based safety programs. “HRET is honored and pleased that AHRQ has awarded this important project to us and our partners,” said HRET President Maulik Joshi.

For more on the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program, visit www.onthecuspstophai.org and http://www.hret.org/quality/projects/stop-uti.shtml.

HRET to support AHRQ program to strengthen caregiver teamwork

The American Hospital Association’s Health Research & Educational Trust affiliate has received a $3.4 million, three-year contract from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to promote Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS). Developed by AHRQ and the Department of Defense, the evidence-based program helps hospital caregivers and others strengthen teamwork to improve patient safety.

HRET will coordinate the national network of TeamSTEPPS training centers, facilitate an annual meeting and a learning network that will equip master trainers to improve teamwork within their facilities, and update and expand free TeamSTEPPS materials for provider use.

“We believe that improved teamwork is vital to improving patient care and creating the efficient, high quality health care system that the United States wants and needs,” said HRET President Maulik Joshi. “With two strong organizational partners –Booz Allen and IMPAQ – as well as the support and input of health care providers, we are confident that we can achieve AHRQ’s ambitious goals for this contract.”