JCR Hospital Engagement Network Posts Impressive Results

Joint Commission Resources (JCR) announces the preliminary results of its Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) that is targeting the reduction of preventable injuries and complications from healthcare-associated conditions and infections. JCR's preliminary results included data submitted by 39 hospitals*. The project now includes nearly 50 hospitals that are participating in the HEN's work.

The JCR HEN is part of the federal Partnership for Patients (PFP), a nationwide public-private partnership working collaboratively – along with health care providers – to identify and spread leading practices and solutions to reduce hospital-acquired conditions and readmissions. The preliminary results for the JCR HEN, provided by a Department of Health and Human Services' PFP project evaluation contractor, indicate significant success for several of the targeted events:

• A 15.77 percent decrease in catheter-associated urinary tract infection device use
• A 20.89 percent decrease in aggregate of central line associated bloodstream infection
• A 71.87 percent decrease in early elective delivery
• An 86.22 percent decrease in aggregate for pressure ulcers
• A 42.85 percent decrease in surgical site infection for abdominal hysterectomy
• A 2.27 percent decrease in Medicare Fee-for-Service 30-day all-cause readmissions

"With the hospitals that joined us in this work, we have made important strides to improve clinical quality and patient safety. Joint Commission Resources is honored to have been a part of the Hospital Engagement Network and would like to thank the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for this opportunity, and congratulate our partnering hospitals and their staff for the tremendous success with improving patient safety. We remain enthusiastic about continuing this work throughout the remainder of the campaign and beyond," says Deborah Morris Nadzam, Ph.D., RN, BB, FAAN, project director, Joint Commission Resources Partnership for Patients Hospital Engagement Network.

Based on the HEN's work since 2012, JCR released two publications last year. "Beyond the Bundles: How to Implement Best Practices at the Bedside," a 27-page guide, is intended to motivate health care providers with known best practice bundles and operational tips for successful and consistent implementation to help reduce patient harm at the bedside. "Hospital Executive and Physician Leadership Execution Strategies" offers specific approaches that leaders and physicians can use to demonstrate their support and participation in reducing harm to patients.

Under JCR's leadership, several other organizations support the education, improvement and measurement activities of JCR's HEN, including The Joint Commission's Division of Healthcare Quality Evaluation, The Patient Safety Education Program housed at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, Synensis (formerly known as HealthCare Team Training, LLC), EnCompass LLC, and Social Interventions and Research, Inc.

To view the HHS report, please visit: http://innovation.cms.gov/Files/reports/patient-safety-results.pdf.  For more information on the JCR HEN, please visit jcrinc.com/CMS-Hospital-Engagement-Network/.

*The number of hospitals included on the HEN's April 2014 hospital list. The number of hospitals contributing data to each measure varies. Timeframes vary by measure from January 2010 to November 2013.

Joint Commission Resources (JCR), a not-for-profit affiliate of The Joint Commission, is the official publisher and educator of The Joint Commission. JCR is an expert resource for health care organizations, providing consulting services, educational services and publications to assist in improving quality and safety and to help in meeting the accreditation standards of The Joint Commission. JCR provides consulting services independently from The Joint Commission and in a fully confidential manner. Please visit our Web site at www.jcrinc.com.