AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Some 141 Texas hospitals have joined the national 100K Lives Campaign, and at a news conference today, a coalition of heath care providers explained the program and reported on six interventions that already are producing results.
The 100K Lives Campaign, founded by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, is the first of its kind - a national campaign to implement changes that will extend or save the lives of potentially 100,000 patients through the consistent use of proven best clinical practices and methods.
"It's great that 141 hospitals have joined the campaign, and hopefully more will get on board after learning how implementing these specific, scientifically proven processes is making a positive difference for patients," said Dan Stultz, M.D., immediate past chairman of the Texas Hospital Association. "Hospital leaders attending THA's Leadership Conference today are hearing the success stories from hospitals that already have implemented one or more of the six interventions recommended by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement," he added.
Participating hospitals and their medical and clinical staffs are implementing some or all of six life-saving best practices that have been proven to significantly improve health care quality and safety. The interventions include:
-- Deploying rapid response teams at the first sign of patient decline; -- Delivering evidence-based care for patients with acute myocardial infarction (heart attack); -- Implementing medication reconciliation - listing and evaluating all of a patient's drugs to prevent adverse events; -- Preventing surgical site infection and related deaths by reliably implementing a set of recommended interventions in all surgical patients; -- Preventing central venous catheter-related blood stream infection and related deaths by implementing a set of recommended interventions in all patients requiring a central line; and -- Preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia and related deaths and other complications in patients on ventilators by reliably implementing a set of recommended interventions.
Participating hospitals agree to measure their results by submitting monthly mortality data reported on a quarterly basis.
"This campaign challenges the health care industry to make necessary improvements in the care provided to patients," said William Gamel, M.D., president of TMF Health Quality Institute. "TMF facilitates the sharing of success stories and offers technical assistance to hospitals, doctors, nurses and pharmacists working to transform patient care," he added.
About the Texas Network of the 100K Lives Campaign
In Texas, a broad group of health care organizations is collaborating with TMF to raise awareness of and participation in the campaign. "The campaign is a true partnership among health care professional organizations, hospital management and direct patient care providers," said Robert T. Gunby Jr., M.D., president of the Texas Medical Association.
The following organizations support the 100K Lives Campaign in Texas: Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Rural and Community Health Institute Texas Healthcare Trustees Texas Hospital Association Texas Medical Association Texas Nurses Association Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals Texas Pharmacy Congress TMF Health Quality Institute
"This 100,000 Lives Campaign is an attempt to get all hospitals focused on the same process issues and make system-wide changes that are guaranteed to improve patient care and outcomes," Dr. Stultz said. "Some of these interventions seem like common sense, but they aren't always part of the routine process of care," he added. "Working together, we can make positive changes in the processes we use to deliver patient care - and our patients will benefit."
National 100K Lives Campaign Sponsors
The campaign is endorsed by the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, and the Veterans Health Administration. The American Hospital Association also supports the campaign.
On the Web: Institute for Healthcare Improvement: www.ihi.org FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Amanda Engler, APR Texas Hospital Association 512/517-1133 (cell)
Texas Hospital AssociationCONTACT: Amanda Engler, APR of Texas Hospital Association, Cell,+1-512-517-1133
Web site: http://www.ihi.org//
