AHA/HRET selected to continue Hospital Engagement Network

AHA’s Health Research & Educational Trust affiliate is one of 17 organizations selected to lead Hospital Engagement Networks for another year under the Partnership for Patients initiative, a public-private collaboration to reduce preventable hospital-acquired conditions and 30-day readmissions. “We are thrilled that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has decided to select us and believe our participation will allow us to build upon the important patient safety and engagement work we started under the original HEN contract,” said Maulik Joshi, HRET president and AHA associate executive vice president. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, hospital-acquired conditions declined 17% between 2010 and 2013, saving an estimated 50,000 lives and $12 billion. Hospital readmissions in Medicare also fell by nearly 8% (150,000) between January 2012 and December 2013, among other quality improvements. Under the new contracts, the HENs will continue to help hospitals make patient care safer through learning collaboratives, intensive training and other activities. “Hospitals and health systems have made incredible strides in patient safety and are eager to accelerate their quality improvement efforts,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack.