HHS plans to invest up to $1 billion in federal funding in a new patient safety initiative called Partnership for Patients, according to an HHS news release.
More than 500 hospitals, physicians, nurse groups, consumer groups and employers have announced support for the initiative, which aims to save 60,000 lives in three years by reducing preventable hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent and readmissions by 20 percent. In addition to saving lives, in three years the program could save up to $35 billion in healthcare costs, including $10 billion for Medicare. Estimates set a 10-year savings for Medicare at $50 billion.
HHS will invest $500 million from the Community-based Care Transitions Program in community-based organizations partnering with eligible hospitals to improve safety during transitions between care. HHS' additional $500 million investment will come from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Innovation Center, and will support tests of different models for improving patient care, engagement and collaboration to reduce hospital-acquired conditions.
The Partnership will initially focus of nine types of medical errors and complications that have the potential to dramatically reduce harm rates: adverse drug events, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated blood stream infections, injuries from falls and immobility, obstetrical adverse events, pressure ulcers, surgical site infections, venous thromboembolism and ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Read the HHS release on Partnership for Patients.
Read more coverage on patient safety:
- Rockingham Memorial Hospital's Infection Prevention Efforts Serve as Model for Virginia Hospitals
- Johns Hopkins Patient Safety Expert: Current Outcomes Measure 'Unreliable'
- Use of Cardiac CT Significantly Reduces Number of Unnecessary Hospital Admissions
More than 500 hospitals, physicians, nurse groups, consumer groups and employers have announced support for the initiative, which aims to save 60,000 lives in three years by reducing preventable hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent and readmissions by 20 percent. In addition to saving lives, in three years the program could save up to $35 billion in healthcare costs, including $10 billion for Medicare. Estimates set a 10-year savings for Medicare at $50 billion.
HHS will invest $500 million from the Community-based Care Transitions Program in community-based organizations partnering with eligible hospitals to improve safety during transitions between care. HHS' additional $500 million investment will come from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Innovation Center, and will support tests of different models for improving patient care, engagement and collaboration to reduce hospital-acquired conditions.
The Partnership will initially focus of nine types of medical errors and complications that have the potential to dramatically reduce harm rates: adverse drug events, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated blood stream infections, injuries from falls and immobility, obstetrical adverse events, pressure ulcers, surgical site infections, venous thromboembolism and ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Read the HHS release on Partnership for Patients.
Read more coverage on patient safety:
- Rockingham Memorial Hospital's Infection Prevention Efforts Serve as Model for Virginia Hospitals
- Johns Hopkins Patient Safety Expert: Current Outcomes Measure 'Unreliable'
- Use of Cardiac CT Significantly Reduces Number of Unnecessary Hospital Admissions