The Department of Health & Human Services announced on Tuesday that it will award $218 million to 26 hospitals and hospital associations for the creation of learning collaboratives that will target preventable injuries and complications from hospital-acquired conditions.
Hospital Engagement Networks (HENs) will identify best practices that can be used to improve patient safety. HENs will work to share the best practices with other hospitals and healthcare providers to improve patient safety in 10 focus areas:
- Adverse drug events
- Catheter-associated urinary tract infections
- Central line–associated blood stream infections
- Injuries from falls and immobility
- Obstetrical adverse events
- Pressure ulcers
- Surgical site infections
- Venous thromboembolism
- Ventilator-associated pneumonia
- Preventable readmissions
The networks will be developed at the regional, state, national, or hospital system level. Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City will lead a HEN that includes a multi-state group of health systems: Mayo Clinic (Minnesota), Baylor Health Care System (Texas), Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (New Hampshire), Denver Health (Colorado), Providence Health & Services (Washington), and the Salt Lake City Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
Other organizations receiving awards include the American Hospital Association, Michigan Health & Hospital Association, Premier, VHA, and the Washington State Hospital Association.
"In just the past eight months we've seen an overwhelming response from doctors, employers, patient advocates, and other partners who believe the time is now to improve patient safety. As a former ICU nurse and hospital administrator, I'm proud to see hospitals stepping up to the plate," said Marilyn Tavenner, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the HHS agency sponsoring the program.
HEN participants were selected based on a competitive process that included an assessment of the applicant's technical capabilities, past experiences, and its key personnel and staff. The initial contracts are for two years but may be extended for one additional year.
Hospital Engagement Networks will be required to conduct training and technical assistance to help hospitals meet the quality measurement goals set by the Partnership for Patients, a public-private patient safety initiative whose goals include reducing the incidence of preventable hospital-acquired infections by 40% and reducing hospital readmissions by 20% over the next three years.
CMS will monitor HENs to ensure that patient safety is actually being improved. The networks will be required to provide reports to CMS that describe their activities and the progress of their quality improvement efforts.
Margaret Dick Tocknell is a reporter/editor with HealthLeaders Media.
