Quality Improvement Opportunities

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services awarded the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) a two-year HIIN contract (with an optional third year based on performance), to continue efforts to reduce all-cause inpatient harm by 20 percent and readmissions by 12 percent by 2018. An American Journal of Medical Quality article, written by HRET staff, explores the relationship between engagement in improvement activities and affected quality measures.

According to AHRQ, an estimated 125,000 fewer patients died in the hospital and approximately $28 billion in health care costs were saved as a result of reductions in Hospital Acquired Conditions.

Although the precise causes of the decline in patient harm are not fully understood, the increase in safety occurred during a period of concerted attention by hospitals throughout the country to reduce adverse events, including the work of hospitals that participated the Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) and HEN 2.0.

To learn more, visit www.hret-hiin.org.