BRMC is Proud Partner in Improving Quality

Over the course of an intensive twelve-month effort, 2,950 patient harms were prevented in 48 Arkansas hospitals participating in a national hospital quality improvement effort, with associated cost savings of nearly $27 million. Baxter Regional Medical Center was a proud member of the hospital quality improvement team that resulted in:

• 100% Improvement/Reduction In Early Elective Infant Deliveries
• 75% Improvement/Reduction In Venous Thromboembolism
• 71% Improvement/Reduction In Adverse Drug Events

According to results released this week by the American Hospital Association Health Research and Educational Trust (HRET) Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) and the Arkansas Hospital Association HEN, these hospitals are making great progress on the journey to improve patient care. Arkansas was one of 33 states participating in the AHA/HRET HEN which overall has prevented 34,442 harms and resulted in over $288 million in cost savings.

HENs identify best practices proven to reduce hospital-acquired conditions and spread them to other hospitals and health care providers. These networks are a key element of the national Partnership for Patients campaign to improve the quality, safety and affordability of health care.

andldquo;The commitment and passion we have seen from our hospitals to their patients and their communities contributes to these results” according to Pam Brown, VP of Quality and Patient Safety at the Arkansas Hospital Association. Brown went on further to say, “We still have work to do and as healthcare becomes more complex, we have to create systems which result in the best outcomes”.

HEN 2.0 targeted care improvements in 11 areas, including prevention of hospital-acquired infections or conditions, falls, early elective infant deliveries and preventable readmissions. Hospitals associated with the Arkansas Hospital Associationandrsquo;s HEN received technical assistance, educational opportunities, training, resources and the ability to participate in learning collaboratives to make progress in the hospital quality of care arena.

For more information on the Arkansas HEN and proposed upcoming national quality improvement efforts, please contact Pam Brown, Vice President, Quality and Patient Safety, Arkansas Hospital Association, 501.224.7878, or pbrown@arkhospitals.org. For information on Baxter Regional Medical Centerandrsquo;s quality improvement efforts, you may contact Tammy Penka, Interim Director of Quality, 870-508-1456, tpenka@baxterregional.org.