Case Studies
A team was created to ensure that all patients regardless of race, ethnicity, language, disability and sexual orientation received the same level of care. A gap analysis identified additional translation resources were needed for sign language as well as infrequently used languages, race and…
In late January 2012, pharmacists began reviewing potential pneumonia patients using a screening tool developed by the quality management team. A list of patients with diagnosis codes that had previously been identified as possible pneumonia patients prints twice daily. Pharmacists review each…
The medical center's mission was to reduce the C. difficile rate from 26.7 cases per 10,000 patient days to a rate below 12.1. A multidisciplinary team was formed that utilized the PDSA cycle to evaluate and implement a plan of action.
The PICC team was created in March 2010 after the facility had documented an increase in PICC-associated DVTs. The team's goal was to review how PICC lines were inserted and maintained. After comparing the process to evidence based medicine, a number of steps were changed including the manner of…
Following a high rate of central line-associated blood stream infections in the fourth quarter of 2008, a performance improvement project was initiated with the goal of eliminating all CLABSIs while providing safe, effective, efficient and patient-centered care to patients with central lines. A…
Infants born to mothers electively at a gestational age of 37-39 weeks are more likely to develop respiratory distress requiring mechanical ventilation. These children are more likely to have lifelong problems with asthma and other respiratory ailments. In central Illinois, there has been an…
Development of a Norwood Clinic allowed the quality improvement team to create goals to decrease morbidity and mortality and improve the long-term quality of lifefor patients with HLHS. Over the past year, the hospital focused on innovative operative and post-operative care, effective care…
The goal was to improve turnaround times of troponin and EKGs within the cardiac patient population in the emergency department. The chief nursing officer led this initiative, utilizing Lean methodology with an interdisciplinary approach, focusing on streamlining patient flow. Strategies for…
The glycemic collaborative is an ongoing, multidisciplinary initiative developed to improve blood glucose management for adult hyperglycemic patients during acute inpatient hospitalization. The goals are to develop improvement strategies that will manage blood glucoses to prevent hypoglycemia (…
OverviewMedStar National Rehabilitation Network (MedStar NRH) is working through a grant with the U.S. Paralympics and Department of Veterans Affairs to provide the Integrated Adapted Sports Program for Veterans. This program facilitates opportunities to enable disabled veterans to return to a…