Quality & Patient Safety

Hospitals are making “substantial progress in improving safety,” according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that found a 17% decline in hospital-acquired conditions from 2010 to 2014. That translates to 87,000 lives saved and nearly $20 billion in health care…
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Nov. 20 issued an omnibus proposed rule for standards that govern health insurance issuers as well as the Health Insurance Marketplaces for 2017.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality today released a toolkit to help hospitals prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections, which is based on an AHRQ program administered by the AHA’s Health Research & Educational Trust, among others. More than 1,200 hospitals…
Read the HPOE guide on TeamSTEPPS for more information on this program.
Antibiotics are one of the great discoveries in medicine and the most important weapon in fighting bacterial diseases. Infections that were once deadly can now be cured, and antibiotics have made many life-saving treatments possible. However, when it comes to antibiotics, more is not always better.
Unplanned hospital readmissions following elective hip and knee replacements fell 20% and 23%, respectively, between 2009 and 2013 among adults aged 50-84 enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans provided by a large U.S. insurance carrier, according to a new study by the AARP Public Policy…
America’s hospitals honor the service of our nation’s veterans and work to provide high-quality care for those who have served in the armed forces.  Working closely with our partners in the Veterans Administration (VA) health system, hospitals strive to address any unique needs veterans may have…
The AHA’s Health Research & Educational Trust affiliate and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today announced a three-year initiative to improve the implementation of infection prevention and control efforts in U.S. hospitals.
Saving an estimated 50,000 lives and $12 billion in health care costs is something to celebrate.  Congratulations to the 3,700 acute-care hospitals that have participated in one of the Hospital Engagement Networks (HENs) that are part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Partnership…