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Reducing inpatient length of stay has a strong impact on value and organizational performance, and is linked with improving quality and access. Shorter stays decrease a patient's risk of acquiring an infection, having an adverse drug reaction and developing a pressure ulcer. Readmission rates…
The prevention of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) is a major focus for health care organizations. HAPUs are associated with increased costs and length of stay and considered a preventable condition by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Tracheostomies and other medical…
The medical center has made significant progress in improving physician-patient communication through a variety of initiatives and techniques. Key among them have been private and confidential physician 'shadowing' sessions. These sessions have benefitted virtually all participating physicians and…
For several years, the hospital has been focused on reducing 30-day readmissions. After learning about the University HealthSystem Consortium's Frequently Admitted Patient Improvement Collaborative, the hospital analyzed the patient population with five or more inpatient stays in the past 12 months…
The project includes a hard stop chain of command. When scheduling an induction or C-section, the registered nurse or designee must use the C-section scheduling form and have prenatal records ready at the time of scheduling induction, with the gestational age.
High rates of hospital readmissions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) indicate a problem with transitions of care in the outpatient management following an inpatient hospitalization. Data suggest that 22.6 percent of Medicare beneficiaries admitted to the hospital for…
The ultimate goal for patients who are mechanically ventilated is to promptly and safely discontinue their dependence on mechanical ventilation to promote recovery from illness. It is accepted practice to perform a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) with a patient connected to the ventilator to…
The hospital's venous thromboembolism (VTE) rate for total joint patients was 36.2 in 2011 and 37.70 in 2012. In January 2012, they created the interdisciplinary Orthopedic Co-Management Collaborative (OCMC) to improve quality outcomes and patient satisfaction. They set standards for pharmacologic…
Sepsis is a medical condition with high rates of morbidity, mortality and cost and it is the most frequent diagnosis on the medical-surgical units at the hospital. Despite the availability of evidence-based guidelines (Surviving Sepsis Campaign) and the hard work of many dedicated people, the…
Although episiotomy was once considered a routine part of childbirth, in recent years, there has been a shift away from this practice. Episiotomies have been linked to perinatal injury, loss of bladder or bowel control and other complications that can increase costs and endanger the mother's…