In this series, we are exploring 5 key metrics that both drive a hospital towards high reliability but will also give an ROI on performance improvement initiatives beyond the initial financial investments.
Today, we are talking about HAC scores, read the first installment of the series here:
The Hospital Acquired Conditions Reduction Program penalizes hospitals approximately $350 million every year. Obviously, taking money away from hospitals makes it harder for them to function. CMS currently lists the following categories of HACs:
source: CMS.gov
There are several ways hospitals can reduce HACs to improve patient care and to minimize HAC penalties.
Using a single digital high reliability platform to collect quality observations offers numerous benefits:
TIP: Implement consistent system-wide safety protocols, then proactively round on them. Routine digital rounding helps to prevent events from occuring, but will also build a database of information from which you can find actual systematic issues upon which you can build performance improvement efforts against.
Ideally, these measures will include:
TIP: Reduction of HACs is not just a nursing responsibility. It is a hospital-wide responsibility.
Ideally, these measures will include:
TIP: Regular and consistent rounding and reporting on safety protocols with a tool that aggregates data and measures effectiveness of safety measures is a necessity. The volume of essential checks will overwhelm any manual system.
This is best implemented when using a solution that sends real-time issues to appropriate contacts. This type of follow-up process ensures that no issues fall through the cracks.
TIP: Everyone in the hospital must know their responsibility as it pertains to patient safety. Teach and remind regularly.
We will continue to explore the ways in which each of these metrics can offer return on investments in upcoming blog posts...
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