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Posted April 16, 2009
Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare: News
HRET, Hospital Associations Announce Participants in National Efforts to Reduce Bloodstream Infections
"On the CUSP: Stop BSI" will help hospitals improve patient safety.
Chicago, March 19 — Twenty-four state hospital associations have joined two major initiatives to successfully reduce infections and save lives in America's hospitals. Collectively known as "On the CUSP: Stop Bloodstream Infections," the initiatives focus on eliminating central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in hospital intensive care units (ICU). Both initiatives also involve patient safety partners working closely with state hospital associations.
First, the "National Implementation of the Comprehensive Unit-Based Safety Program (CUSP) to reduce Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in the ICU," funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), continues the work originated at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore and later implemented statewide in Michigan by the Johns Hopkins Quality and Safety Research Group and the Michigan Health & Hospital Association. The project will implement a comprehensive unit-based, patient safety program across 10 states to help prevent infections related to the use of central line catheters. The project, which began on September 30, 2008, and continues through September 29, 2011, is based on a system developed by Peter J. Pronovost, M.D., Ph.D, of the Johns Hopkins University Quality and Safety Research Group for eliminating these types of infections. Dr. Pronovost is co-investigator of both initiatives under "On the CUSP: Stop Bloodstream Infections." Pronovost also was the lead investigator on an earlier project in Michigan hospitals that formed the basis for "On the CUSP."
The following 10 state hospital associations and patient safety groups have recently been selected to participate in the infection reduction program:
- California Hospital Association in collaboration with the California Hospital Patient Safety Organization
- Colorado Hospital Association
- Florida Hospital Association
- Massachusetts Hospital Association
- Nebraska Hospital Association
- The North Carolina Center for Hospital Quality and Patient Safety
- Ohio Patient Safety Institute in collaboration with the Ohio Hospital Association
- Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania
- Texas Hospital Association
- Washington State Hospital Association
"This project has enormous potential to eliminate bloodstream infections that clinicians at one time believed were inevitable," said John R. Combes, M.D., senior fellow at the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) and co-investigator of the AHRQ-funded project. "We are enthusiastic about working with these state associations and their partners to build an infrastructure that will support the widespread dissemination and adoption of this and other patient safety innovations."
This project is a collaborative effort among HRET, the Johns Hopkins University Quality and Safety Research Group, and the Michigan Health & Hospital Association's Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality.
HRET and its partners at the Johns Hopkins University and the MHA will work with the above organizations to select at least 10 participating hospitals from each state. In addition, they will develop an educational toolkit and other resources to encourage adoption of the CUSP and specific, evidence-based steps hospitals can take to reduce CLABSI in ICUs.
The second project is spearheaded by the Johns Hopkins Quality and Safety Research Group in partnership with the MHA Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality and is funded by donations and the Sandler Foundation of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund. The following organizations have been selected to participate in the Hopkins-led project:
- Arkansas Hospital Association
- Connecticut Hospital Association
- Georgia Hospital Association
- Coordinating Agencies of Hawaii
- Illinois Hospital Association
- Indiana Hospital Association
- Minnesota Hospital Association
- Missouri Hospital Association
- New Hampshire Foundation for Healthy Communities
- New Jersey Hospital Association
- New Mexico Hospital Association
- Healthcare Association of New York State
- Oklahoma Hospital Association
- Oregon Hospital Association
- South Carolina Hospital Association
- Tennessee Hospital Association
- West Virginia Hospital Association
- Wisconsin Hospital Association
"Together these two efforts greatly expand the important and unprecedented opportunity to reduce these infections across the U.S.," said Pronovost. "We're grateful to the Sandler Foundation and other donors for providing support that will allow us to triple the reach of our original project."
"The MHA Keystone Center has found success bringing together large numbers of hospitals in a single improvement initiative by providing a noncompetitive environment for collaboration among hospitals," said Spencer Johnson, president of the MHA. "These endeavors hold great opportunity for positive improvement in protecting patients and enhancing health care quality."
For more information on the HRET project, visit http://www.hret.org/hret/programs/cusp.html.
About the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET)
Founded in 1944, the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) is a private, not-for-profit organization involved in research, education, and demonstration programs addressing health management and policy issues. An affiliate of the American Hospital Association (AHA), HRET collaborates with health care, government, academic, business, and community organizations across the United States to conduct research and disseminate findings that shape the future of health care. For more information about HRET, visit www.hret.org.
About the Johns Hopkins University Quality and Safety Research Group
The Quality and Safety Research Group is a multi-disciplinary team of individuals committed to improving quality and safety in health care, without borders or limits in making health care better for patients. Each person shares their skills and experience to form a team of experts in research and clinical investigation, financial and statistical design and analysis, social and behavioral psychology, administration, management, writing, editing and web programming. Its mission is to serve the healthcare community by applying science that enhances knowledge and ultimately improves patient outcomes. It applies health services research to develop tools, educate stakeholders, engage providers, execute interventions, share knowledge, and perform rigorous measurement. Its strength lies in its ability to balance scientific measurement with real world practicality.
About the Michigan Health & Hospital Association Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality
The MHA Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality was created by Michigan hospitals in March 2003 and brings together hospitals, state and national patient safety experts, and evidence-based best practices to improve patient safety and reduce costs by improving the quality of care delivered at the bedside. Through the MHA Keystone Center, Michigan hospitals have voluntarily improved the safety and quality of health care through the application of the scientific method and the implementation of evidence-based best practices that are saving lives and reducing health care costs. Headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, the MHA Keystone Center has been funded to date by MHA-member hospitals, federal and state grants, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
About the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
AHRQ's mission is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. The research sponsored, conducted, and disseminated by AHRQ provides information that helps people make better decisions about health care. AHRQ sponsors and conducts research that provides evidence-based information on health care outcomes; quality; and cost, use, and access. The information helps health care decisionmakers — patients and clinicians, health system leaders, purchasers, and policymakers — make more informed decisions and improve the quality of health care services.
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