Case Studies
GOAL: Eliminate early elective deliveries This case study is part of the Illinois Hospital Association's annual quality awards. Each year, IHA recognizes and celebrates the achievements of Illinois hospitals in continually improving and transforming health care in the state.
Due to exponential expansion of a Lean Six Sigma program, an evolution of the project portfolio management structure was required to keep pace with anticipated future demands. Commissioned with the full support and sponsorship of the executive vice president and chief operating officer, the…
During FY2014, the surgical site infections rate at this academic medical center increased to 21.8 percent among colorectal patients. An internal audit revealed inconsistent practice among providers during preoperative clinic visits and perioperatively. The 2014 Surgical Care Improvement Project,…
This project is aimed at reduction of adverse outcomes experienced by patients as a result of CLABSI.
Central line-associated blood stream infections cause serious patient harm, leading to thousands of deaths each year. Patient safety is the medical center's highest priority in delivering excellent patient family centered care. This project focused on the critical-care units delivery of…
Reduction in the use of fluoroquinolones is an important intervention for antimicrobial stewardship programs to minimize untoward effects of these agents (increased risk of neuropathies, dysglycemia among diabetics, QTc prolongation, acute kidney injury - risk if on concomitant ACE-Is or ARBs),…
The hospital started working on Project Re-engineered Discharge (Project RED) in 2011. A patient navigator was hired to focus on Medicare patients with congestive heart failure. In 2013, the roles were realigned and the navigator, utilization manager and social worker started reporting directly to…
The pediatric team at this hospital recognized the need to improve processes surrounding care of the pediatric patient with asthma. A multidisciplinary group formed to develop strategies to increase compliance of the pediatric asthma core measures. At the same time, the team worked to revamp…
The medical center consistently missed internal quality targets, with a mean HAPU rate for 2007-2013 of 5.39 percent, median 5.33 percent. Although HAPU prevention measures had been put in place previously with some improvement, results were not significant or sustained. An analysis of current…
Parental satisfaction with pediatric emergency department visits has been argued to be best predicted 'by how well physicians and nurses work together, followed by wait time and pain management.' The primary aim of this initiative was to assess changes in parental satisfaction with communication…