/ en Sat, 26 Apr 2025 20:07:54 -0500 Wed, 23 Apr 25 15:09:09 -0500 /news/headline/2025-04-23-whooping-cough-cases-surpass-8000-nationwide <p>There have been 8,064 reported cases of whooping cough in the U.S. so far this year, according to the <a href="https://data.cdc.gov/NNDSS/NNDSS-Weekly-Data/x9gk-5huc/data_preview">latest data</a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were 3,835 cases at the same time in 2024.</p> Wed, 23 Apr 2025 15:09:09 -0500 Infection Prevention and Control /news/headline/2025-04-22-study-finds-increase-drug-resistant-baumannii-infections <p>A <a href="https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-025-10749-1" title="infection study">study</a> published April 17 by BMC Infectious Diseases found increased incidents of <em>Acinetobacter baumannii</em> and carbapenem-resistant <em>A. baumannii</em> infections between 2018 to 2022. <em>A. baumannii </em>is<em> </em>a pathogen considered to be a major cause of health care-associated infections. The study found that <em>A. baumannii</em> cases per 100 hospitalization encounters grew from 1.15 in 2018 to 1.25 in 2021, before dropping to 1.11 in 2022. The CRAB incidence rate grew from 0.39 cases per 100 hospitalization encounters in 2018 to 0.53 cases in 2022. <br> <br>Researchers said the pathogen’s ability to survive in hospitals and in patients not showing any symptoms for extended periods of time contributed to increased outbreaks. </p> Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:50:03 -0500 Infection Prevention and Control /role-hospitals-arkansas-childrens-hospital-celebrates-30-years-nutrition-research-and-innovation <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-arkansas-childrens-nutrition-2-700x532.jpg" alt="Arkansas Children’s Hospital. A smiling young girl sits at a school dining table eating a nutritious meal" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>The Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC) is celebrating three decades of groundbreaking research that has significantly improved the health and development of children worldwide. Established in 1994, ACNC has become a leader in pediatric and maternal nutrition research through its large-scale studies exploring how maternal diet, physical activity and early feeding practices influence a child's growth and development. "The Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center plays a critical role in defining and delivering unprecedented care for children," said Dr. Pete Mourani, senior vice president and chief research officer of ACNC.</p><p>ACNC's research approach is translational, meaning their scientists oversee studies within traditional scientific labs as well as clinical studies and trials among children and mothers. This comprehensive approach expanded understanding of the impact of different feeding types on infants’ cognition, growth and development. Additionally, ACNC has explored how nutrition and physical activity influence maternal and child metabolism and brain function during critical periods of development, including pregnancy, early childhood and pre-adolescence.</p><p>"We are proud to host community-based studies that take the best evidence we know from the lab and the clinic to real-world settings where families live, learn and play," Mourani said.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.archildrens.org/news/releases/2024/acnc-celebrates-30-years-of-research" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/center/population-health">Improving Health and Wellness</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:54:45 -0500 Infection Prevention and Control /news/headline/2025-04-08-study-finds-increase-invasive-strep-infections <p>The incidence of invasive group A strep infections increased from 3.6 to 8.2 cases per 100,000 people from 2013 to 2022, according to a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2832277" target="_blank">study</a> authored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published April 7 by JAMA. The authors concluded that accelerated efforts to prevent and control these infections are needed, especially among groups at highest risk of infection, which includes individuals 65 years or older, American Indian or Alaska Native persons, residents of long-term care facilities, people experiencing homelessness, and people who inject drugs. </p> Tue, 08 Apr 2025 15:49:50 -0500 Infection Prevention and Control /news/headline/2025-03-28-measles-outbreak-kansas-cdc-reports-latest-national-numbers <p>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment this week <a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/2314/Measles-Data">reported</a> an outbreak of 23 measles cases in southwest Kansas, nearly all of which occurred in unvaccinated people. There are 483 confirmed cases of measles in 19 states across the country, according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/">latest data</a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency said 93% of the cases are outbreak-associated. The vaccination status of 97% of cases is classified as “unvaccinated or unknown.”</p> Fri, 28 Mar 2025 14:08:43 -0500 Infection Prevention and Control /news/headline/2025-03-24-usda-others-fund-projects-potential-bird-flu-vaccines-other-treatments <p>The Department of Agriculture March 20 <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/usda-announces-next-steps-effort-support-fight-against-avian-influenza" target="_blank">announced</a> it will fund up to $100 million for projects exploring prevention, therapeutics, research and potential vaccines to treat bird flu. The agency is partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration on the projects.</p> Mon, 24 Mar 2025 14:58:35 -0500 Infection Prevention and Control /aha-patient-safety-initiative/us-hospitals-and-health-systems-enhance-patient-safety <div class="row"><div class="col-md-10 col-md-offset-1"> .PSIStates { background-color:; float:left } .PSIStates{ overflow:auto; } .PSIStates h2 { text-align: center; text-transform:uppercase; border-bottom:solid 5px; /*margin-top:50px*/ } @media (min-width:700px){ .PSIStates img { float:right; width:40vw; min-width:400px; max-width:475px; margin-left:15px; margin-top: 15px; } } @media (max-width:699px){ .PSIStates img { width:auto; max-width: calc(100% - 150px); margin:auto; display:block } } .PSIStates .btn-primary{ margin-top:25px; } .PSI-StateList{ text-align:center; margin-bottom:15px; } <div class="PSI-StateList" id="StateList"><a href="#alabama" title="Jump to Alabama">AL</a> | <a href="#arizona" title="Jump to Arizona">AZ</a> | <a href="#arkansas" title="Jump to Arkansas">AR</a> | <a href="#california" title="Jump to California">CA</a> | <a href="#colorado" title="Jump to Colorado">CO</a> | <a href="#connecticut" title="Jump to Connecticut">CT</a> | <a href="#delaware" title="Jump to Delaware">DE</a> | <a href="#florida" title="Jump to Florida">FL</a> | <a href="#georgia" title="Jump to Georgia">GA</a> | <a href="#illinois" title="Jump to Illinois">IL</a> | <a href="#indiana" title="Jump to Indiana">IN</a> | <a href="#iowa" title="Jump to Iowa">IA</a> | <a href="#kansas" title="Jump to Kansas">KS</a> | <a href="#kentucky" title="Jump to Kentucky">KY</a> | <a href="#maryland" title="Jump to Maryland">MD</a> | <a href="#massachusetts" title="Jump to Massachusetts">MA</a> | <a href="#michigan" title="Jump to Michigan">MI</a> | <a href="#missouri" title="Jump to Missouri">MO</a> | <a href="#montana" title="Jump to Montana">MT</a> | <a href="#nevada" title="Jump to Nevada">NV</a> | <a href="#new-hampshire" title="Jump to New Hampshire">NH</a> | <a href="#new-jersey" title="Jump to New Jersey">NJ</a> | <a href="#north-carolina" title="Jump to North Carolina">NC</a> | <a href="#ohio" title="Jump to Ohio">OH</a> | <a href="#pennsylvania" title="Jump to Pennsylvania">PA</a> | <a href="#south-carolina" title="Jump to South Carolina">SC</a> | <a href="#south-dakota" title="Jump to South Dakota">SD</a> | <a href="#virginia" title="Jump to Virginia">VA</a> | <a href="#washington" title="Jump to Washington">WA</a> | <a href="#wisconsin" title="Jump to Wisconsin">WI</a> | <a href="#dc" title="Jump to District of Columbia">D.C.</a></div><div class="PSIStatesWrapper"><div class="PSIStates" id="alabama"><h2>Alabama</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Childrens-Hospital-Alabama-Birmingham-700x532.jpg" alt="Exterior view of the building for Children's of Alabama" id="ChildrensAlabama"><h3>Children's of Alabama</h3><h4>Quest for Zero/Solutions for Patient Safety Collaborative</h4><p>Through its own patient safety initiatives, Children’s of Alabama supports the national goals of the Solutions for Patient Safety Collaborative, a group of children’s hospitals working together to help each other reach zero harm. Children’s Quality Improvement Committee focuses on addressing hospital-acquired conditions through training videos and other tools. Their work helps strengthen safety by reducing surgical site infections, pressure injuries, falls, sepsis and adverse drug events among other things.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.childrensal.org/childrens-sps-initiative" title="Children’s of Alabama | Children's SPS Initiative">Learn More</a></p><hr><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Crestwood-Medical-Center-nurse-patient-700x532.jpg" alt="Crestwood Medical Center nurse holding a patients hand in bed" id="CrestwoodMedical"><h3>Crestwood Medical Center</h3><h4>Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE)</h4><p>To improve geriatric care, Crestwood Medical Center launched the Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) program, which addresses clinical issues such as falls, pain, skin breakdown and wounds, use of advance directives and family involvement in decision-making. Additionally, NICHE aims to make the physical and social environment friendlier to older adult patients. Crestwood Medical Center has implemented steps to recognize and address the unique needs of elderly patients with the support of a core group of geriatric resource nurses who have received additional education and training specific to geriatric nursing.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.crestwoodmedcenter.com/acute-care-for-the-elderly" title="Crestwood Acute Care | Acute Care for Elderly (ACE)">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="arizona"><h2>Arizona</h2><h3 id="ValleywiseHealth">Valleywise Health</h3><h4>Bicycle Helmet Screening and Distribution in the ER: An Injury Prevention Program</h4><p>Protecting children from serious injury is paramount. Through a state safety grant, Valleywise received funds to purchase bicycle helmets to distribute at community events focusing on health and safety. To protect young Arizonans, staff distributed helmets at no cost to families at community and school events and Valleywise Comprehensive Health Centers and Family Resource Centers. Through this program, Valleywise offers a proactive health measure aimed at preventing head injuries. In light of serious injuries from bicycle accidents, including a significant number of pediatric patients arriving in the emergency department, Valleywise educated children and their families about preventing injuries and riding safely.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://assets.nationbuilder.com/azhha/pages/902/attachments/original/1730745142/Valleywise_BicycleHelmetScreeningandDistroinED_POSTER.pdf?1730745142" title="Valleywise Health | Bicycle Helmet Screening and Distribution in the Emergency Department An Injury Prevention Program to engage the community during Emergency Department visits.">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="arkansas"><h2>Arkansas</h2><h3 id="NEABaptist">NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital</h3><h4>C-diff Task Force Committee</h4><p>NEA Baptist Memorial established the C-diff Task Force Committee aiming to eliminate the spread of C-diff, a common bacterial infection that can be acquired in a hospital. The committee developed and implemented various strategies to reduce C-diff, including reducing hospital-acquired infections, evaluating patient care processes and systems-based practices, and optimizing utilization of health care resources. For its efforts, the C-diff Task Force Committee was awarded the Baptist President’s Quality Award.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://bmme-imresidency-neabaptist.org/Quality_Improvement" title="NEA Baptist Residency | Quality Improvement & Patient Safety">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="california"><h2>California</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Childrens-Hospital-Los-Angeles-700x532.jpg" alt="Smiling baby boy with a trach" id="ChildrensHospital"><h3>Children's Hospital Los Angeles</h3><h4>Southern California’s First Aerodigestive Program</h4><p>Aerodigestive disorders affect the airways or upper and lower respiratory tracts. In response, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles launched a pediatric Aerodigestive Program specifically designed to address children’s ability to breathe, swallow and eat. As a subspecialty of its nationally ranked Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine and Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Hepatology services, the program developed effective ways to better serve pediatric patients. Successful strategies used in this program include a collaborative team approach, comprehensive diagnostic testing, specialized clinics and an expert care team including nutritionists as well as digestive, respiratory and breathing specialists.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.chla.org/aerodigestive-program" title="Children’s Hospital Los Angeles | Aerodigestive Program">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="colorado"><h2>Colorado</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Intermountain-Health-smmck9groupphoto2-700x532.jpg" alt="SMMC K-9 group with 4 handlers and their dogs" id="IntermountainHealth"><h3>Intermountain Health St. Mary's Regional Hospital</h3><h4>Culture of Care & K-9 Program</h4><p>Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital created a #CultureofCare campaign to combat a rise in verbal and physical workplace violence incidences directed against health care workers. The #CultureofCare campaign aims to make sure everyone knows abuse will not be permitted and staff will be supported when it does occur. The #CultureofCare programs seek to ensure health care workers’ safety through education, training and system enhancements, including an innovative K-9 program at St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Colorado. The dogs are trained to protect in life-threatening situations and to provide comfort and emotional support for employees, patients, family and visitors.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://cha.com/intermountain-health-st-marys-regional-hospital-culture-of-care-k-9-program/" title="Colorado Hospital Association | Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital – Culture of Care & K-9 Program">Learn More</a></p><p><br><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Denver-Health-CO-700x532.jpg" alt="Hand written sign that says: Welcome! This is your space for reflection, decompression & meaningful connection - to yourself and other in the community - HEART picture" id="DenverHealth"></p><h3>Denver Health</h3><h4>Resilience and Equity through Support and Training for Organizational Renewal (RESTORE) Program</h4><p>Employee well-being influences the quality of patient care and the ability of hospitals to recruit and retain high quality staff, so Denver Health dedicated resources toward improving employees’ mental well-being and reducing employee burnout. The Resilience and Equity through Support and Training for Organizational Renewal (RESTORE) program was designed to promote and sustain the mental well-being of the workforce; support individual, collective and organizational resilience through timely and confidential peer-delivered emotional support and psychological first aid; and provide trauma and resilience-informed education and training. Since the program launched in 2020, it has supported more than 519,000 touches and more than 16,500 encounters or activations for psychological first aid and emotional support. More than 4,500 individuals have participated in RESTORE.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://cha.com/denver-health-and-hospital-authority-resilience-and-equity-through-support-and-training-for-organizational-renewal/" title="Colorado Hospital Association | Denver Health – Resilience and Equity through Support and Training for Organizational Renewal">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="connecticut"><h2>Connecticut</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-UConn-Health-Safety-photo-for-UCT-700x532.jpg" alt="Scott Allen standing with the word SAFTEY in multiple languages" id="UConnHealth"><h3>UConn Health</h3><h4>Culture of Safety Where We Put the Patient First</h4><p>UConn Health has embraced a culture of safety to create a positive environment for patients and staff. The hospital encourages CHAMP behaviors: Communicate Clearly, Handoff Effectively, pay Attention to Detail, Mentor and Coach Others, and Practice and Accept a Questioning Attitude. UConn Health also encourages employees to embrace the STAR approach – Stop-Think-Act-Review – to take a short, mini-mental timeout before proceeding with a specific task to ensure it is the appropriate step. UConn also holds morning safety huddles designed to focus staff attention on safety in the hospital. It supports an error analysis program encouraging collaboration between the quality team and frontline staff to focus on ways to improve their system of care.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://today.uconn.edu/2024/04/uconn-healths-culture-of-safety-where-we-put-the-patient-first/" title="University of Connecticut | UConn Health’s Culture of Safety Where We Put the Patient First">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="delaware"><h2>Delaware</h2><h3 id="Bayhealth">Bayhealth</h3><h4>Mobile Care Clinic</h4><p>In 2023, Bayhealth launched a rolling clinic in a 38-foot medical recreational vehicle (RV) to help improve patient access to health care throughout central and southern Delaware. Bayhealth Mobile Care provides care to underserved and hard-to-reach communities throughout the state. The rolling clinic offers blood pressure checks, health education, health screenings and vaccinations. Bayhealth Mobile Care also enables Bayhealth to offer on-site occupational health services including hearing tests, physical exams, laboratory work and electrocardiograms.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.bayhealth.org/community-wellness/community-outreach/mobile-care" title="Bayhealth | Health on the Move">Learn More</a></p><hr><h3 id="ChristianaCare">ChristianaCare</h3><h4>School-Based Health Centers</h4><p>To encourage a lifelong path of wellness, ChristianaCare supports school-based health centers in Delaware’s elementary schools. Each school-based health center includes a health care team of medical, mental health, community health and nutrition experts. In addition to the School-Based Health Center, students are connected to the full ChristianaCare system of care. These wrap-around services are most effective in engaging students and creating positive health outcomes.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://christianacare.org/us/en/care/primary-care/pediatrics/high-school-wellness-centers" title="ChristianaCare | Pediatric Services: School-Based Health Centers">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="florida"><h2>Florida</h2><h3 id="AdventHealthLake">Advent Health Lake Placid</h3><h4>“Speak Up” Program</h4><p>Patients at Advent Health Lake Placid and throughout all of Advent Health’s 55 acute care hospitals are encouraged to play an active role in their safety through the “Speak Up” Program. This program gives patients the opportunity to share their comments, suggestions and concerns about safety and quality of care via SHARE cards available throughout each hospital. It offers patients other actionable tips such as paying attention to the care you receive, educating yourself about tests being conducted as well as your diagnosis and treatment plan, asking a trusted friend or family member to be your health care advocate, knowing your lab results and medications, and using medical centers that have met rigorous safety standards.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.adventhealth.com/legal/patient-safety" title="AdventHealth | Patient Safety: Committed to Your Safety">Learn More</a></p><hr><h3 id="BayCareHealth">BayCare Health System</h3><h4>FirstFocus</h4><p>BayCare prioritizes safety first across the health system. It implemented and standardized FirstFocus meetings in all divisions of all facilities to review reported patient safety events, identify risks, assign improvement activities, share lessons learned, and spread effective changes throughout the organization. By forming a multidisciplinary cross-divisional First Focus Sprint Group to develop optimization recommendations and then share those recommendations across the safety chain of committees, including senior and executive leadership, BayCare has achieved strong buy-in and awareness across its system.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://baycare.org/about-us/clinical-quality-at-baycare-health-system/our-quality-philosophy" title="BayCare | Our Quality Philosophy">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="georgia"><h2>Georgia</h2><h3 id="CoffeeRegional">Coffee Regional Medical Center</h3><h4>Electronic Medication Reconciliation Improvement Process</h4><p>An important part of patient safety is reducing the risk of medical errors – and Coffee Regional Medical Center is achieving that through its Electronic Medication Reconciliation Improvement Process. This 98-bed hospital has implemented an advanced medication distribution system which includes a robotic pharmacy where patient barcodes are matched to prescription barcodes. This confirms that the right medications are delivered to the right patient, helping to improve patient safety and medical outcomes.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.coffeeregional.org/technology-at-crmc/" title="Coffee Regional Medical Center | Innovations in Technology">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="illinois"><h2>Illinois</h2><h3 id="FHNMemorial">FHN Memorial Hospital</h3><h4>Post-birth Alert Orange Bracelet Program</h4><p>FHN Memorial Hospital is prioritizing postpartum patient safety. Women in the first six to twelve weeks after delivering a baby are at higher risk of dying from pregnancy and birth-related complications such as blood clots or sepsis. To address this, each postpartum patient is given an orange wristband at discharge to serve as an alert. The bands are worn until the mother’s postpartum appointment with their provider. Additionally, if a post-partum patient has a medical emergency and is not able to communicate, the bracelet informs providers and emergency personnel of her postpartum status. Thanks to these alerts, FHN has increased the percentage of time when patients are triaged by a nurse within 10 minutes from 39% to 58%.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.fhn.org/Post-Birth-Alert-Bracelet.asp" title="FHN | Post-Birth Alert Orange Bracelet Program">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="indiana"><h2>Indiana</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Hendricks-Regional-Health-483482354-700x532.jpg" alt="Group photo of Kim now that she is back to PT/OT with her therapists, Kayla and Laura." id="HendricksRegional"><h3>Hendricks Regional Health</h3><h4>Fall Prevention Program</h4><p>Falls are a leading cause of injury in hospitalized patients. Hendricks Regional Health has a patient-centric falls prevention program that provides all patients with the individual support they need to ambulate safely. The program assesses an individual’s fall risk, determines the safest way to assist a patient during ambulation and repositioning in bed, and offers an individualized patient safety tool sharing safe ambulation information among appropriate staff.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.hendricks.org/?id=1325&sid=1" title="Hendricks Regional Health | Health Equity and Fall Risk">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="iowa"><h2>Iowa</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Boone-medical-bed-700x532.jpg" alt="empty patients room with a medical bed" id="BooneCounty"><h3>Boone County Hospital</h3><h4>Safer Room</h4><p>Boone County Hospital opened a Safer Room in their Medical/Surgical Unit to keep patients in mental health crises safe. This room is specifically designed with specialized doors and secure medication storage to ensure the safety of both patients and staff while delivering essential medical and mental health care.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.boonehospital.com/about-us/news-library/safer-room-open-for-patients" title="Boone County Hospital | Safer Room Opens for Patients">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="kansas"><h2>Kansas</h2><h3 id="UniversityKansas">The University of Kansas Health System</h3><h4>Equitable Colorectal Screening</h4><p>The University of Kansas Health System is helping close gaps in colorectal cancer screening. Through a partnership with other local providers, KU helps provide low-cost to no-cost fecal immunochemical test kits, and when needed, follow-up CT colonography and colonoscopies. Through a public-private partnership, the Health Partnership Clinic has developed innovative strategies to increase access to care and increase screening rates in their underserved patient population.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.khconline.org/news/khc-news-releases/648-health-partnership-clinic-closes-gaps-in-colorectal-cancer-screening " title="Kansas Healthcare Collaborative | Health Partnership Clinic Closes Gaps in Colorectal Cancer Screening">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="kentucky"><h2>Kentucky</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Owensboro-Infection-Prevention-Team-700x532.jpg" alt="Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Wins Kentucky Hospital Association" id="OwensboroHealth"><h3>Owensboro Health Regional Hospital</h3><h4>Infection Prevention Initiative</h4><p>Owensboro’s Infection Prevention Initiative team implemented a “no flash rule” to ensure better sterilization of surgical tools and instruments throughout the hospital. The hospital’s electronic medical record system is included in the project to assist with the scheduling process and to optimize the use of sterile instruments needed for surgical procedures. In four years, they have seen a 50.76% reduction in Class 2 surgical site infections.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.owensborohealth.org/news-events/news-media/2023/owensboro-health-regional-hospital-wins-kentucky-hospital-association" title="Owensboro Health | Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Wins Kentucky Hospital Association Quality Award">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="maryland"><h2>Maryland</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Meritus-MD-patient-nurse-700x532.jpg" alt="Nusre checking on a patient with loved one nearby" id="#MeritusHealth"><h3>Meritus Health</h3><h4>Team STEPPS Program</h4><p>Meritus Health has created a patient safety environment built on trust, fairness, and community. Through the Team STEPPS program, Meritus Health focuses on Communication, Situation Monitoring, Leading Teams, and Mutual Support to create a culture of safety at every level – from patients and families to care members and support staff. The Team STEPPS program, which is strengthened by other Meritus safety culture programs including increased security and teamwork, has resulted in a 10.7% decrease in care quality concerns and 21% drop in preventable harm events.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.meritushealth.com/about/patients-visitors/zero-harm" title="Meritus Health | Zero Harm">Learn More</a></p><p><br> </p><h3 id="JohnsHopkins">Johns Hopkins Medical</h3><h4>Communication and Resolution Program</h4><p>The team at Johns Hopkins Medical understands the importance of communication in ensuring patient safety. They created a Communication and Resolution Program (CRP) which promises consistent, open and honest communication between health care providers, patients and patients’ family members.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/armstrong-institute/clinical-operations/communication-resolution" title="Johns Hopkins Medicine | Communication and Resolution Program (CRP)">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="massachusetts"><h2>Massachusetts</h2><h3 id="EmersonHealth">Emerson Health</h3><h4>Equity Informed High Reliability</h4><p>Emerson Health is invested in creating a culture of reliability and trains all members of the board, senior leaders, and heads of the medical staff on Equity Informed High Reliability. Front line staff and patient and family input is included in all event evaluations to enhance risk perception and build safer systems. Safety reporting tripled the first year of the program and grew by another 25% the second year.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="/advancing-health-podcast/2024-08-14-it-starts-culture-quality-and-safety-emerson-health" title="It Starts with Culture: Quality and Safety at Emerson Health">Learn More</a></p><hr><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Boston-Medical-Center-485305819-700x532.jpg" alt="People gathered togther" id="BostonMedical"><h3>Boston Medical Center</h3><h4>Daily Safety Huddle</h4><p>Boston Medical Center’s daily safety huddle is a cornerstone of our commitment to patient safety and operational excellence, bringing together leaders from 50 hospital areas to collaborate in real-time. With >95% consistent participation, this seven-day-a-week forum ensures rapid issue resolution, fosters teamwork, and enhances communication, with nearly 100 attendees on weekdays and daily email summaries reaching 400 leaders. By reviewing safety events from the past 24 hours and anticipating potential challenges for the next 24, our huddle drives continuous improvement and proactive problem-solving across the hospital. In 2024, more than 6,900 safety and operational issues were raised at the huddle and 87% were resolved within one day.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.bmc.org/quality-and-safety" title="Boston Medical Center | Quality and Patient Safety">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="michigan"><h2 id="michigan">Michigan</h2><h3 id="CorewellHealth">Corewell Health</h3><h4>Quality, Safety and Experience Department</h4><p>Corewell Health realizes the reality facing health care today - increasing complexity in operations and ever-higher targets for patient experience, safety and quality. They are pursuing a wide range of initiatives to improve the resilience of their systems and processes, with a special focus on patient care through their Quality, Safety and Experience Department. Corewell offers quality report cards for specific conditions and procedures to empower patients to make informed choices for the personalized care they seek.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.spectrumhealth.org/about-us/quality-safety-and-patient-experience/quality-reports" title="Corewell Health | Quality reports">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="missouri"><h2>Missouri</h2><h3 id="CoxNorth">Cox North Hospital</h3><h4>Safety and Injury Prevention</h4><p>Cox North offers innovative educational outreach programs focused on injury prevention in the community, school and workplace. These programs, which include safety measures related to poison, guns, biking, fires, water, driving and more, span from elementary school students to high schoolers and beyond and are available at no cost.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.coxhealth.com/services/trauma-services/safety-and-injury-prevention/." title="CoxHealth | Safety and Injury Prevention: Available Educational Outreach Programs">Learn More</a></p><hr><h3 id="ChildrensMercy">Children’s Mercy Hospital</h3><h4>Safety, Care & Nurturing (SCAN) program</h4><p>Mercy collaborates with social workers and government agencies to develop novel prevention and therapy programs. The Safety, Care & Nurturing (SCAN) program includes specially trained pediatric and adolescent sexual assault nurse examiners for expert forensic and medical care.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.childrensmercy.org/departments-and-clinics/child-adversity-and-resilience/safety-care-and-nurturing/" title="The Children's Mercy Hospital | Safety, Care & Nurturing Clinic">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="montana"><h2>Montana</h2><h3 id="ProvidenceStJoseph">Providence St. Joseph Medical Center</h3><h4>Certified Safe Sleep Center</h4><p>Providence St. Joseph Medical Center is committed to eliminating sleep-related deaths by helping prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). A specially designed program emphasizes the need to create a safe sleep environment by placing a baby on its back to sleep and following health care guidance for vaccines, breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.providence.org/locations/mt/st-joseph-medical-center/birthing-center/safe-sleep-hospital" title="Providence St. Joseph Medical Center | Certified Safe Sleep Hospital">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="nevada"><h2>Nevada</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Tahoe-Forest-Health-System-NV-700x532.jpg" alt="Medical personal making a little child happy" id="TahoeForest"><h3>Tahoe Forest Health System</h3><h4>STEEEP Framework</h4><p>Throughout the Tahoe Forest Hospital District, the system has adopted the Institute of Medicine’s ‘STEEEP’ framework to deliver quality care. Following the framework, staff and facilities are focused on providing care that is Safe, Timely, Effective, Efficient, Equitable, and Patient-centered. The Tahoe Forest team is focused on reducing surgical site infections and sepsis, improving Emergency Department Transfer Communication (EDTC), and more to strengthen patient safety.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.tfhd.com/about/quality-safety/" title="Tahoe Forest Health System | Quality & Safety">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="new-hampshire"><h2>New Hampshire</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Dartmouth-Hitchcock-Medical-Center_patient-safety-training-center-room-700x532.jpg" alt="Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center patient safety training center room" id="DartmouthHitchcock"><h3>Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center</h3><h4>Patient Safety Training Center Programs</h4><p>As part of the Patient Safety Training Center, Dartmouth Health’s Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center incorporates innovative Simulation-Based Education and Research (SBER) for clinical skills and task training, competency development and scenario-based training. In using these simulation education tools, health care professionals acquire technical proficiency, knowledge, confidence, appropriate attitudes and team skills to continue the journey to safer practice and excellence in patient care.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/patient-safety-center" title="Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center | The Patient Safety Training Center">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="new-jersey"><h2>New Jersey</h2><h3 id="TrinitasRegional">Trinitas Regional Medical Center</h3><h4>Operation SAFE Program</h4><p>Trinitas Regional Medical Center has rolled out a program addressing the potential anxiety children and families may face before a patient or loved one undergoes surgery. Trinitas provides a supportive and friendly environment through their Operation SAFE (Supportive and Friendly Environment) Program. The program allows for pre-op tours of the hospital, an operating room holding area for parents, and enables parents to play an active role in the operation prep process.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.rwjbh.org/trinitas-regional-medical-center/patients-visitors/operation-safe-at-trinitas/" title="Trinitas Regional Medical Center | Operation Safe At Trinitas">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="north-carolina"><h2>North Carolina</h2><h3 id="UNCHealth">UNC Health</h3><h4>Health Quality Expo</h4><p>UNC Health’s Annual Quality Expo showcases performance improvement initiatives across the organization, providing departments an opportunity to share their success stories. Over the past two years, each expo featured more than 100 poster presentations. In 2023, the Anesthesiology Department won the “Collaboration Is Key” award for its “Code OR Root Cause Analysis” project, which focused on improving communication between six separate teams including Carolina Air Care.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.uncmedicalcenter.org/uncmc/about/quality-and-safety/projects-and-programs/" title="UNC Medical Center | Projects and Programs">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="ohio"><h2>Ohio</h2><h3 id="SummaHealth">Summa Health</h3><h4>I'm 4 Safety</h4><p>With the aim of providing safe and reliable care to patients, Summa Health and its medical staff have partnered to implement the “I’m 4 Safety” training program, bringing successful practices from other highly complex industries like aviation into their everyday health care operations. In addition to an initial comprehensive course, most Summa Health staff members are required to participate in a renewal course every two years, ensuring that they remain up to date on the most sophisticated safety protocols.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.summahealth.org/medical-staff/orientation/im-4-safety-training-requirement" title="Summa Health System | “I’m 4 Safety” Training Requirement ">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="pennsylvania"><h2>Pennsylvania</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/PSI-UPMC-Presbyterian-Nursing-PA-700x532.jpg" alt="Medical Staff looking closley at something one is pointing to on a monitor" id="UniversityPittsburgh"><h3>University of Pittsburgh Medical Center</h3><h4>Infection Prevention CAUTI</h4><p>The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center launched a program to reduce or eliminate the number of infections acquired during a hospital stay. Infections caused by urinary catheters are among the most common infections caused by a medical device while a patient is in the hospital. UPMC takes many steps to prevent CAUTIs, including only using urinary catheters when necessary, allowing only nurses and well-trained staff who have been taught sterile techniques to insert and remove catheters, as well as having caregivers wash their hands and wear gloves when working with the catheter.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.upmc.com/about/why-upmc/quality/patient-safety/avoiding-injuries/infection-prevention/cauti" title="UPMC | Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI)">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="south-carolina"><h2>South Carolina</h2><h3 id="MUSCHealth">MUSC Health</h3><h4>Just Culture</h4><p>MUSC Health has achieved remarkable results since instituting a “Just Culture,” or an environment where open reporting of things that are wrong, unsafe or inefficient can be done without fear of major repercussions. Since MUSC put this culture into place a decade ago, they have seen remarkable results. In 2023, MUSC’s reported harm rate (such as medication errors, surgical mistakes and preventable patient falls) was 2.5%, meaning very few incidences resulted in actual harm. With this culture in place, MUSC can quickly identify problems and address issues quickly and efficiently resulting in a positive outcome.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://web.musc.edu/about/news-center/2023/11/01/just-culture" title="Medical University of South Carolina | Creating a culture of safety is what’s best for provider and patient">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="south-dakota"><h2>South Dakota</h2><h3 id="SanfordHealth">Sanford Health</h3><h4>Accountability for Excellence</h4><p>Sanford Health’s safety program aims to eliminate preventable harm. Everyone is responsible for ensuring safety, not just those who provide direct care to patients. By standardizing training for every single employee, there’s been a change in culture and practice where staff have a shared language and commitment to identifying, reporting, and addressing actual and potential safety events. Through this program, Sanford Health noted a 57% reduction in its serious safety event rate thus far.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://news.sanfordhealth.org/podcast/ep-14-sanfords-journey-to-zero-preventable-harm/" title="Sanford Health | Sanford’s journey to zero preventable harm">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="virginia"><h2>Virginia</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Carilion-Clinic_nonsurg3-700x532.jpg" alt="Carilion Clinic patient room" id="CarilionClinic"><h3>Carilion Clinic</h3><h4>Using Data to Drive Mortality Rate Improvements</h4><p>The Roanoke-based hospital saw an opportunity to address mortality outcomes in 2022 and created a real-time mortality review system. The hospital’s leadership gathers weekly to discuss current data, trends and patterns in outcomes to quickly identify areas for investment and improvement. Within two years of establishing this process, Carilion’s mortality rate has improved by more than 50% – remarkable progress over an already high benchmark. These significant achievements led to Carilion Clinic being named a finalist for AHA’s Quest for Quality Prize in 2024.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="/press-releases/2024-07-17-aha-honors-four-hospitals-health-systems-their-dedication-and-commitment-quality" title="AHA Honors Four Hospitals & Health Systems For Their Dedication and Commitment to Quality">Learn More</a></p><hr><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Mary-Washington-Healthcare-Safety-Team-Photo-700x532.jpg" alt="Mary Washington Healthcare Safety Team Photo" id="MaryWashington"><h3>Mary Washington Healthcare</h3><h4>Unified Quality Governance Drives Incredible Improvements</h4><p>When leaders at Mary Washington Healthcare realized it wasn’t scoring as high it would like on safety and quality measures, they instituted a unified Quality Governance structure to coordinate all efforts within the organization. Projects related to health care-associated infections, patient safety indicators, readmissions, mortality, and NTSV C-sections were integrated into the framework. Physicians were assigned to oversee or “own” the projects. This approach enabled Mary Washington Healthcare to formulate improvement plans with multidisciplinary input, streamline work requests and establish clear lines of accountability. As a result, it significantly improved its performance in preventing infections, mortality and readmissions.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.marywashingtonhealthcare.com/about-us/" title="Mary Washington Healthcare | About Mary Washington Healthcare">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="washington"><h2>Washington</h2><h3 id="VirginiaMason">Virginia Mason Franciscan Health System</h3><h4>Evidence-based practice improvements strengthen a culture of safety</h4><p>Virginia Mason Franciscan Health considers each of its 5,000 staff members to be "safety inspectors" responsible for detecting and preventing potential medical errors before they occur. Each employee completes mistake-proofing training, which empowers them to identify and raise any patient-safety related issues, including hospital-acquired infections. This culture empowers employees to call attention to potential mistakes, without fear of blame or retaliation. As part of its efforts to eliminate avoidable death and injury in its facilities, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health also implements evidence-based practice improvements in 12 clinical areas to continually up the bar on patient safety.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.vmfh.org/about-vmfh/research-care-quality/quality-patient-safety" title=" Virginia Mason Franciscan Health | Quality & Patient Safety">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="wisconsin"><h2>Wisconsin</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/PSI-Aurora-Health-Care-Org-700x532.jpg" alt="Aurora Health Care Org Exterior" id="AuroraMedical"><h3 id="">Aurora Medical Center - Manitowoc County, Two Rivers</h3><h4>Implementing a Visual Management Board System to Improve Patient Safety</h4><p>Located in a largely rural county that abuts Lake Michigan, Aurora Medical Center - Manitowoc County, Two Rivers is a cornerstone of the community. The hospital’s patient care units hold regular huddles to discuss ways to improve patient care, quality, and provide other necessary information. An organizational review of huddle practices showed opportunity for standardized huddle practices to consistently promote sensitivity to operations, situational awareness of current concerns and problem resolution. To improve, local hospital leadership standardized the process and implemented a visual management board. As a result, care teams now hold shorter, more efficient huddles at the start of every shift to discuss the unit’s daily goals with the opportunity to customize the discussion based on patient and department need.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://wha.org/data-publications/reports/quality/2024/aurora-medical-center-manitowoc-county,-two-rivers" title="Aurora Medical Center | Manitowoc County, Two Rivers, 2024 Quality">Learn More</a></p><hr><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Tomah-Health-IMG_8169-700x532.jpg" alt="Tomah resident Jackie Flock, left, walked with assistance from Tomah Health certified nursing assistant / Ambulation Aide Vicki Gonzales. Hospital officials say the WHA designed MOVIN program has made a difference for patients and staff." id="TomahHealth"><h3>Tomah Health</h3><h4>Preventing Falls Is Vital</h4><p>Preventing falls is vital to keeping hospitalized patients safe. To help avoid debilitating falls—which are more likely to occur after a period of prolonged bedrest––Tomah Health implemented the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s Mobilizing Older adults Via a systems-based Intervention (MOVIN)® program. By working with patients to set mobility goals and incorporating ambulation into each patient’s care plan, the MOVIN program helps individuals regain strength, prevent injuries, and ease the transition out of the hospital and back into the community.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide ext" href="https://www.tomahhealth.org/wha-movin-program-enhances-tomah-health-care/" target="_blank" title="Tomah Health | WHA MOVIN Program Enhances Tomah Health Care">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="dc"><h2>District of Columbia (D.C.)</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/PSI-Childrens-National-Hospital-NICU-baby-700x532.jpg" alt="NICU baby holding a finger" id="ChildrensNational"><h3>Children's National Hospital</h3><h4>Reducing Vancomycin Use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)</h4><p>Children’s National Hospital is pioneering a program to reduce the use of the antibiotic vancomycin in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The assembled multidisciplinary team decreased vancomycin use in the NICU by 60% and recorded no episodes of vancomycin-associated kidney injury in the NICU. The team developed and implemented several interventions, including standardizing the hospital’s approach to treating several types of infections, integrating pharmacists into the antibiotic review process and educating clinicians on antibiotic use. As an added benefit of the program, the use of other antibiotics in the NICU also declined by about 20%.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.childrensnational.org/about-us/quality-and-safety/for-our-families" title="Children’s National Hospital | For Our Families">Learn More</a></p></div></div></div></div> .ReturnTop { float: right; background-color:; position:relative; left:-0px; top:0px; } .ReturnTop a{ float: right; background-color: ; position: relative; left: -0px; top: 33px; padding: 5px 15px 5px 15px; border-radius: 5px; color: ; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; } .ReturnTop a:hover{ background-color: ; } // Finds all of the same Class with name... const elements = document.querySelectorAll('.PSIStates'); // Adds HTML Before each Class elements.forEach(element => { element.insertAdjacentHTML('beforebegin', '<div class="ReturnTop"><a href="#StateList" title="Jump back to the top of the state list">Top ↑</div>'); }); Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:10:46 -0500 Infection Prevention and Control /guidesreports/2025-03-11-improvement-safety-culture-linked-better-patient-and-staff-outcomes <div class="container"> .container h2{ color:#003087; } <div class="row"><div class="col-md-4"><h3>Insights Report</h3><p>Every day, in every hospital across America, care teams work to provide safe, high-quality care to each and every patient. Part of that work includes continually identifying what drives better outcomes, and then implementing changes to improve patient care.</p><p>AHA’s insights report series features learnings gained in collaboration with data partners to better analyze hospital and health system progress on patient safety. In September 2024, AHA partnered with Vizient to release a <a href="/guidesreports/2024-09-12-new-analysis-shows-hospitals-performance-key-patient-safety-measures-surpassing-pre-pandemic-levels" title="View the report: New Analysis Shows Hospitals Improving Performance on Key Patient Safety Measures Surpassing Pre-pandemic Levels">report</a> showing that numerous outcome measures of health care quality and patient safety — including mortality and healthcare-associated infections — are improving while hospitals care for more patients with significant health care needs.</p><p>The latest insights report, created in collaboration with Press Ganey, highlights progress on additional outcome measures of patient safety including some that reflect the ongoing work nurses lead to protect patients. In addition, Press Ganey’s comprehensive data shows clear improvement on the experience of both patients and the health care workforce. It also shows improvements in safety culture, which is a leading indicator of better safety outcomes and better experiences for patients and staff.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><div class="panel module-typeC"><div class="panel-heading"><h3 class="text-align-center panel-title">Key Insights</h3></div><div class="panel-body"><h4 class="text-align-center">Data in this report show that:</h4> ol.IRolNumBox li { counter-increment: list; list-style-type: none; position: relative; margin-bottom: 15px; } ol.IRolNumBox li:before { color: #fff; content: counter(list); left:-35px; position: absolute; text-align: center; width: 30px; height:30px; background-color:#69b3e7; padding:0px; border-radius: 5px; padding:0px 0px 0px 0px ; font-weight:700; font-size:20px; top:-5px; } <ol class="IRolNumBox"><li>Hospitals are performing at or better than pre-pandemic levels on multiple measures of quality and patient safety, including patient falls and pressure injuries (i.e., bed sores) that reflect work led by nurses to care for patients.</li><li>Millions of patients report that their overall care experience is improving.</li><li>Press Ganey data from more than 1 million members of the health care workforce show a rebound from pandemic lows in engagement, resilience and safety culture.</li><li>Patient safety, patient experience, workforce experience, and well-being are all tied together by a hospital or health system’s culture of safety. Across clinical settings — the single largest driver of a patient’s reported experience of care is how well their care team members work together. Better teamwork has long been shown to drive better outcomes.</li></ol></div></div></div><div class="col-md-4"><div><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/file/2025/03/AHA-Insights-Report-Improvement-in-Safety-Culture.pdf" target="_blank" title="Download the print version of the Insights Report: Improvement in Safety Culture Linked to Better Patient and Staff Outcomes">Download the Report PDF</a></div><div><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/press-releases/2025-03-12-report-reveals-link-between-health-care-workforce-well-being-patient-experience-and-safety-outcomes" title="View the Press Release: Report Reveals Link Between Health Care Workforce Well-being, Patient Experience and Safety Outcomes in Hospitals">View the Press Release</a></div><div><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/aha-patient-safety-initiative" target="_blank" title="Click here to visit the AHA Patient Safety Initiative landing page.">Learn More about the AHA Patient Safety Initiative</a></div><div><a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/03/AHA-Insights-Report-Improvement-in-Safety-Culture.pdf" target="_blank" title="Download the print version of the Insights Report: Improvement in Safety Culture Linked to Better Patient and Staff Outcomes"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSW-PG-Report-Cover-352x456.jpg" alt="Cover image of the Insights Report: Improvement in Safety Culture Linked to Better Patient and Staff Outcomes" width="352" height="456"></a></div></div></div><div class="row"><div class="col-md-12"><h2>Evidence in Key Areas Show Care is Getting Safer</h2><p>The Press Ganey National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) dataset reflects quality measures reported by 25,652 units across 2,430 inpatient acute care hospitals. Analysis of four key measures in NDNQI data includes catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), central lineassociated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), patient falls that result in harm, the number of patients who develop hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPI), also known as bed sores. The analysis shows the incidence of all measures have declined since their pandemic peaks, with nearly all measures across all units back to or better than pre-pandemic levels.</p><div class="col-md-12"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSW-Evidence-in-Key-Areas-img1-1120x372.jpg" alt="Medical-surgical / Critical care; Fall Rate: Rate of Patient Falls from 2019 to 2024 between both | CLABSI: Rate of Infections from 2019 to 2024 between both" width="1120" height="372"></div><div class="col-md-12"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSW-Evidence-in-Key-Areas-img2-1120x370.jpg" alt="Medical-surgical / Critical care; CAUTI Rate: Rate of Infections from 2019 to 2024 between both | HAPI: percentage of Patients from 2019 to 2024 between both" width="1120" height="370"></div><p><em><small><strong>Source:</strong> ©2025 Press Ganey. All rights reserved; a PG Forsta company.</small></em></p><p><em><small><strong>Note:</strong> Falls are measured as total patient falls per 1,000 patient days; CLASBI is measured as central line-associated bloodstream infections per 1,000 central line days; CAUTI is measured as catheter-associated urinary tract infections per 1,000 catheter days; and HAPI prevalence is measured as the percentage of surveyed patients with hospital-acquired pressure injuries.</small></em></p></div><div class="col-md-12"><h2>Patients Say Their Care Experience and Perception of Safety are Improving</h2><p>Press Ganey works on behalf of 75% of U.S. acute care hospitals and medical practices across the country to survey patients regarding their care experiences and gain insights into how hospitals are working to deliver safe and effective care. Included in the surveys are questions that explicitly ask patients about their perception of staff’s efforts to keep them safe, along with questions about other facets of care that contribute to greater safety, such as teamwork among staff, attention and responsiveness to patient needs, and communication between patients and members of the clinical care team. Importantly, the data for this report, based on responses from 13 million patients, show steady gains in their perceptions of both experience of care and safety of care after a drop due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results show hospitals and health systems are on the path to returning to pre-pandemic levels of safety.</p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSW-Patients-Say-img1-1120x486.jpg" alt="National trends in patient experience: Likelihood to Recommend | Ambulatory surgery, Medical Practice, Inpatient, Emergency department - data between 64.5 to 85.3 between 2019 and Q1 of 2024" width="1120" height="486"><p><em><small><strong>Source:</strong> ©2025 Press Ganey. All rights reserved; a PG Forsta company.</small></em></p><p>One of the key factors driving improvements in patients’ perceptions of care is the teamwork of their caregivers. Across clinical areas — inpatient and outpatient, surgical and medical, emergency and scheduled — the single largest driver of a patient’s likelihood to recommend a hospital, facility or provider is perception on how well their care team members work together. Better teamwork has long been shown to drive better outcomes.</p> .IRcallOut01 { border: solid 2px #003087; padding:0px; overflow: auto; } .IRcallOut01 h2, .IRcallOut01>p, .IRcallOut01 h3{ text-align:center; } .IRcallOut01 h3{ background-color: #003087; color:#fff; padding:15px; } .IRcallOut01Insert{ background-color:#f6f6f6; padding: 5px 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; } .IRcallOut01 h4{ border-radius: 5px; padding:10px 10px 5px 10px; color:#fff; display: inline-block; margin-top:5px; margin-left: 15px; } .IRcallOut01 h4.IRcallOut01Red{ background-color:#d50032; } .IRcallOut01 h4.IRcallOut01Blue{ background-color:#69b3e7; } .IRcallOut01 h4.IRcallOut01LBlue{ background-color:#307fe2; } .IRcallOut01 h4.IRcallOut01Green{ background-color:#005844; } .IRcallOut01 h4.IRcallOut01Yellow{ background-color:#eaaa00; } .IRcallOut01 h4.IRcallOut01DRed{ background-color:#651d32; } .IRcallOut01 ul li:nth-child(1){ font-weight:700; color:#003087; } <div class="col-md-12 IRcallOut01"><h2>What earns patients’ confidence and loyalty?</h2><p>Patients are attuned to team dynamics and interpersonal competencies.</p><h3>National analysis of key drivers of likely to recommend by setting</h3><div class="col-sm-6 col-md-4"><div class="IRcallOut01Insert"><h4 class="IRcallOut01Red">Emergency</h4><ul><li>Staff worked well together</li><li>Cared about you as a person</li><li>Attention to your needs</li><li>Treat with courtesy/respect</li></ul></div></div><div class="col-sm-6 col-md-4"><div class="IRcallOut01Insert"><h4 class="IRcallOut01LBlue">Inpatient</h4><ul><li>Staff worked well together</li><li>Response to concerns</li><li>Attention to your needs</li><li>Attitudes toward requests</li></ul></div></div><div class="col-sm-6 col-md-4"><div class="IRcallOut01Insert"><h4 class="IRcallOut01Blue">Med Practice</h4><ul><li>Staff worked well together</li><li>Concern for questions/worries</li><li>Explanation of condition/problem</li><li>Include in decisions</li></ul></div></div><div class="col-sm-6 col-md-4"><div class="IRcallOut01Insert"><h4 class="IRcallOut01Green">Clinic</h4><ul><li>Staff worked well together</li><li>Treat with respect/dignity</li><li>Response to concerns</li><li>Trust skill of staff</li></ul></div></div><div class="col-sm-6 col-md-4"><div class="IRcallOut01Insert"><h4 class="IRcallOut01Yellow">Amb. Surgery</h4><ul><li>Staff worked well together</li><li>Response to concerns</li><li>Nurses’ concern for comfort</li><li>Provider response to concerns/questions</li></ul></div></div><div class="col-sm-6 col-md-4"><div class="IRcallOut01Insert"><h4 class="IRcallOut01DRed">Urgent Care</h4><ul><li>Staff worked well together</li><li>Provider listened</li><li>Explanation of condition/problem</li><li>Include in decisions</li></ul></div></div></div><p><em><small><strong>Source:</strong> ©2025 Press Ganey. All rights reserved; a PG Forsta company.</small></em></p><p>Similarly, patients who perceive that their care was safe are 2.5 to 3 times more likely to recommend their hospital to others. Their perceptions of safety are based on their own interactions with hospital team members, their observations regarding practices such as handwashing and cleanliness, and how they see team members interacting with one another to deliver care. Specifically, when asked about their confidence in the care they received and their willingness to recommend a hospital to others, patients ranked hospitals more highly when they perceived the hospital team to be working well together and to be attentive to the patients’ needs and questions.</p></div><div class="col-md-12"><h2>Workforce Experience and Well-being are Improving</h2><p>At its core, health care is a uniquely human experience centered around people caring for other people. This is why hospitals and health systems pay close attention to and invest in the well-being of their workforce. An energized and engaged workforce improves the care provided to patients, the physical and psychological wellbeing of patients, and how patients perceive the work to keep them safe. As the enormous strain of the COVID-19 pandemic recedes, the health care workforce is beginning to rebound as well. Press Ganey data from 1.7 million members of the health care workforce show a rise in their reported experience and resiliency. A resilient workforce is essential in health care, given the complex and high stakes nature of the work.</p><div class="col-md-12"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSW-Workforce-Experience-img1-1120x609.jpg" alt="Gaining ground in resilience: Resilience and its sub-components of activation (meaning in work) and decompression (ability to disconnect) are on an upward trend. | 3-year trending: Activation, Resilience, Decompression - Reported Satisfaction Score between 2022 and 2024 & Item-level change vs 2023 benchmark; Activation: Work makes a difference - +.03, Work is meaningful - +.03, Care for all patients equally - +.02, See patient as an indvidual person - .01 / Decompression: Able to free mind when away from work - +.08, Rarely lose slepp over work - +.07, Disconnect from comm's during free time - +.06, Enjoy personal time without focus on work - .05 " width="1120" height="609"></div><p><em><small><strong>Source:</strong> ©2025 Press Ganey. All rights reserved; a PG Forsta company.</small></em></p><p>Hospitals that score higher on team member engagement surveys also see higher patient experience scores reported from patients. This correlation gets more pronounced every year, with the top performing quartile of hospitals on staff engagement in 2023 scoring in the 80th percentile on patients’ likelihood to recommend.</p><div class="col-md-12"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSW-Workforce-Experience-img2-1120x485.jpg" alt="Likelihood to recommend is correlated with team engagement and correlation is getting stronger: Inpatient Likelihood to Recommend (percentile rank); 2021 for Engagement Quartile, Engagement Quartile" width="1120" height="485"></div><p><em><small><strong>Source:</strong> ©2025 Press Ganey. All rights reserved; a PG Forsta company.</small></em></p></div><div class="col-md-12"><h2>Safety Culture is Essential</h2><p>A critical factor in generating both better patient outcomes and care teams’ engagement in their work is a strong safety culture. A strong safety culture supports the teams through the demanding tasks associated with care delivery and makes a noticeable difference in how patients experience their care, leading to safer care and a more resilient care delivery system.</p><p>A culture of safety is an environment in which everyone, including patients and families:</p><ul class="arrow"><li class="arrow">Can speak up when they see something that might not be right.</li><li class="arrow">Is confident that improvements occur when issues are reported.</li><li class="arrow">Is dealt with fairly and compassionately when an error occurs.</li><li class="arrow">Experiences effective teamwork and communication.</li></ul><p>An organization’s safety culture is assessed with evidence-based survey tools, such as the instrument Press Ganey developed, which gather responses from over 1 million hospital staff each year. The Press Ganey data show a positive relationship between the level of care team engagement in their work and the hospital scores for patient safety culture. When caregivers feel that they are supported, working with an effective team and doing meaningful work, they are more likely to be deeply engaged in their work.</p><div class="col-md-12"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSW-Safety-Culture-img1-1120x322.jpg" alt="Engagement top performers have a strong Culture of Safety: All employees - Engagement 3.99 = path 51.5% with a high Saftey Vulture Score - 4.51 (97th), path 48.5% with a low Saftey Culture Score - 3.44 (2nd) | 95 percentile-rank difference in employee engagement" width="1120" height="322"></div><p><em><small><strong>Source:</strong> ©2025 Press Ganey. All rights reserved; a PG Forsta company.</small></em></p></div><div class="col-md-12"><h2>Opportunities to Enhance Safety Culture</h2><p>In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals’ performance in both safety culture and quality and safety metrics have rebounded and begun to plateau. Resources and teamwork remain areas with the greatest potential for growth. While prevention and reporting experienced an increase previously, the recent downward trend highlights the need for ongoing prioritization.</p><div class="col-md-12"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSW-Opportunities-to-Enhance-img1-1120x479.jpg" alt="National Safety Culture Scores on the rebound; Saftey Culture Overall: Mean Score between 2019 and 2024 - average 4, Prevention & Reporting - average 4.14, Pride & Reputaion - average 4.15, Resources & Teamwork - average 3.7" width="1120" height="479"></div><p><em><small><strong>Source:</strong> ©2025 Press Ganey. All rights reserved; a PG Forsta company.</small></em></p><p>Press Ganey’s data establish how closely all of these outcomes — patient safety outcomes, patient experience, workforce engagement experience and resilience — are tied together by a hospital or health system’s culture of safety.</p></div><div class="col-md-12"><h2>A Continuous Journey to Improve</h2><p>Improvement is a continuous pursuit, and hospitals have been and will remain deeply committed to advancing the safety and quality of their care, the way in which patients experience care, and the wellbeing of their care teams. By improving the patient and workforce experience, identifying and addressing risks to patient or staff wellbeing, improving communications and understanding of what patients and their families value in their care experience, and implementing innovative strategies, hospitals will continue to demonstrate their commitment to patient safety.</p><p>One of the key goals of the <a href="/aha-patient-safety-initiative" title="Learn more about the AHA Patient Safety Initiative">���������� Association’s Patient Safety Initiative</a> is to help hospitals and health systems improve the culture of safety. Launched in 2023, AHA’s Patient Safety Initiative catalyzes hospitals’ and health systems’ collective expertise and momentum for improvement and focuses on 1) safety culture, 2) identifying and addressing disparities in health care outcomes, and 3) the wellbeing of the workforce.</p><p>Through the work of the Patient Safety Initiative, hospitals and health systems are using safety improvement strategies that have a history of success, as well as trying new and innovative approaches to further enhance their work.</p><p>To help leaders and boards learn from their counterparts in other hospitals and health systems, AHA has produced the Leading for Safety video series hosted by former Chair of the AHA Board of Trustees Mindy Estes, M.D., and featuring leaders from hospitals and health systems that have been recipients of AHA’s Quest for Quality award. The AHA’s Safety Speaks podcast series also features many quality and safety leaders talking about their innovative approaches to safety.</p></div></div></div> Tue, 11 Mar 2025 09:28:08 -0500 Infection Prevention and Control /news/headline/2025-02-14-cdc-study-finds-undetected-cases-bird-flu-veterinarians <p>A <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7404a2.htm">study</a> released Feb. 13 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that some H5 bird flu infections in humans and animals may be going undetected. The agency said of 150 bovine veterinarians tested for bird flu antibodies, three were found to have antibodies and did not report any respiratory or flu symptoms. Two of the individuals did not have exposure to animals with known or suspected bird flu infection, while the third worked in a state with no known cases of bird flu-infected cattle.</p> Fri, 14 Feb 2025 16:05:40 -0600 Infection Prevention and Control /news/headline/2025-02-13-measles-outbreak-hits-texas-cdc-says-most-cases-nationwide-are-among-unvaccinated <p>The Texas Department of State Health Services <a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak">reported</a> a measles outbreak Feb. 11 in Gaines County, with 24 cases confirmed and more expected. Nine patients have been hospitalized and all are unvaccinated, the agency said.  <br>  <br>Measles cases have been confirmed in five states so far this year, according to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html">data</a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Feb. 6. Cases in Alaska, Georgia, New York City, Rhode Island and Texas have been among mostly unvaccinated individuals. </p> Thu, 13 Feb 2025 17:21:21 -0600 Infection Prevention and Control