Following the 2011 launch of CMS' Partnership for Patients initiative, hospital acquired-infection rates fell 40 percent and 30-day readmissions dropped 20 percent. To continue these efforts, CMS secured $110 million in a second round of funding under its Hospital Engagement Networks program, established by the Affordable Care Act.
"We have made significant progress in keeping patients safe and we are focused on accelerating improvement efforts through collaboration and reliable implementation of best practices," Patrick Conway, MD, CMS acting principal deputy administrator and CMO, said in a statement. "This second round of Hospital Engagement Networks funding will allow us to continue to improve healthcare safety across the nation."
The $110 million in funding will be distributed across the following 17 organizations and health systems:
• American Hospital Association (Chicago)
• Ascension Health (Edmundson, Mo.)
• Carolinas Health System (Charlotte, N.C.)
• Dignity Health (San Francisco)
• Healthcare Association of (Rensselaer) New York State
• Health Research Education Trust of (Princeton) New Jersey
• Hospital & Healthsystem Association of (Harrisburg) Pennsylvania
• (Des Moines) Iowa Healthcare Collaborative
• LifePoint Health (Brentwood, Tenn.)
• (Okemos) Michigan Health & Hospital Association Health Foundation
• (St. Paul) Minnesota Hospital Association
• (Columbus) Ohio Children's Hospital Solutions for Patient Safety
• (Columbus) Ohio Hospital Association
• Premier, Inc. (Charlotte, N.C.)
• (Brentwood) Tennessee Hospital Association
• VHA-UHC Alliance NewCo Inc. (Irving, Texas)
• (Seattle) Washington State Hospital Association