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3 State Hospital Associations Form Safety Pact

News  |  By HealthLeaders Media News  
   October 21, 2016

Great Lakes Partners for Patients pools resources to improve patient safety and reduce HAIs and readmissions.

Hospital associations in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin have created a joint Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN) to reduce readmissions and hospital-acquired conditions, and improve patient safety.

More than 330 hospitals and health systems in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin are expected to participate in the Great Lakes Partners for Patients, according to a joint media release issued by the pact.

The partnership builds on the quality improvement work of the Michigan Hospital Association, Illinois Hospital Association, and Wisconsin Hospital Association through the federal Partnership for Patients Hospital Engagement Networks (HEN) 1.0 and 2.0.

The HIIN is a component of HEN, which has supported patient safety initiatives in 3,700 hospitals across the nation.


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"Our partnership with IHA and WHA builds upon the extensive learning network developed for Michigan hospitals over the past decade, including four years under HEN 1.0 and 2.0," said Sam R. Watson, MHA's senior vice president of patient safety and quality.

"Our multi-state partnership with IHA in HEN 2.0, which has now expanded with WHA in HIIN under the Great Lakes Partners for Patients, gives our organizations the opportunity to share solutions that have been successful in communities across Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

"The partnership allows us to continue implementing innovations necessary to achieve goals to prevent harm, save lives and lower healthcare costs."

Over the next three years, Great Lakes Partners hospitals will focus on 11 inpatient safety concerns:

  • Adverse drug events
  • Central line-associated blood stream infections
  • Catheter-associated urinary tract infections
  • Clostridium difficile bacterial infection, including antibiotic stewardship
  • Injury from falls and immobility
  • Pressure ulcers
  • Readmissions
  • Sepsis and septic shock
  • Surgical site infections
  • Venous thromboembolism
  • Ventilator-associated events

Through 2019, the goal is a 20% decrease in overall patient harm and a 12% reduction in 30-day hospital readmissions as a population-based measure from the 2014 baseline. CMS will monitor and evaluate the HIINs to ensure that they are working.


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