Hospitals in New Jersey saved $641 million by reducing the number of adverse medical events in the state by 77,342 from 2012 through 2016, according to a report released by the New Jersey Hospital Association Wednesday.
The efforts to reduce errors came under the Partnership for Patients-New Jersey program, an initiative backed by a $10.3 million federal investment under the ACA, according to a report from nj.com. The funds were used to support patient safety educational efforts for physicians, nurses and other medical staff.
The top three greatest reductions in adverse events over the five-year period included a 55 percent decline in adverse drug events, a 50 percent decline in blood clots and a 49 percent reduction in early elective deliveries before week 39 of pregnancy.
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"We spend a lot of time collecting and analyzing data in this initiative, but the bottom line is this: Patients in a New Jersey hospital today are much less likely to experience an adverse event like an infection after surgery, or a pressure ulcer, or an adverse reaction to medication," said NJHA President and CEO Betsy Ryan. "Good healthcare requires teamwork, and in this initiative we have hospitals and post-acute providers; physicians, nurses and other clinical professionals; and patients and their caregivers all working together as part of the team."
The quality improvement initiative is set to continue even if the ACA is repealed, according the NJHA report.
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