Case Studies
Improving patient flow throughout the Bon Secours Charity Health System is critical to patient safety, employee and patient satisfaction, and financial well being. Bon Secours is committed to clinical transformation and improving clinical and financial measures in performance improvement projects.…
St. Vincent's Hospital Westchester, division of Saint Joseph's Medical Center began this initiative to address unacceptably high adult 15-day readmission rates to this 3,000-discharges-peryear psychiatric hospital. A multidisciplinary team was convened with the initial (and narrow)…
Experience the calming influence of Coney Island Hospital's "Code Grey" crisis prevention team in psychiatric units.
Anticoagulants have been identified as one of the top five medication classes associated with patient safety incidents in the United States. Continuum Health Partners' anticoagulation safety taskforce established a comprehensive anticoagulation safety program with the goal of reducing harm…
A temporary reduction in pharmacy hours at Clifton Springs Hospital and Clinic contributed to medication error rates in 2010 that were the highest in three years. The hospital leadership thought it had 'human-proofed' its process by requiring a double-check for overrides and medication…
With hand hygiene compliance at 37.3 percent, Syosset Hospital implemented a comprehensive approach to increase compliance: 1)'Secret shoppers' were trained to observe hand-washing practice. 2)Hand-washing signage was posted prominently throughout the facility. 3)Computer screensavers with hand…
St. Joseph's Hospital of Elmira implemented a comprehensive antibiotic usage program beginning March 2010 to enhance patient safety and improve patient outcomes. A multidisciplinary team, also known as the 'Bugs & Drugs Committee,' completed a gap analysis and formulated an action plan.…
In 2009, St. James Mercy Hospital implemented a new quality and patient safety initiative, Achieving Clinical Transformation. This initiative focused on five hospital-acquired clinical conditions: catheter-associated urinary tract infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, pressure ulcers, falls…
Preventing health care-associated infections is a critical step in reducing morbidity and mortality in intensive care units. To increase awareness of prevention strategies, in August 2010, St. Elizabeth Medical Center established an Infection Prevention Awareness Month for the ICU. Buttons were…
Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It is spread from person to person by coughing or sneezing. More than 80 percent of infants who contract pertussis are infected by parents or caregivers. Pertussis can cause serious complications in…