Washington Hospitals Take Aim at Infections
Washington hospitals are working together to raise the bar when it comes to patient safety. To better communicate the progress Washington hospitals are making, the WSHA board voted to create the Washington Hospital’s In Safe Hands Initiative with an initial goal for Washington hospitals to eliminate hospital acquired infections by 2012.
Since 2005, Washington hospitals have collaborated to reduce hospital acquired infections. While progress has been made, hospital leaders and physicians have asked the hospital association for support to accelerate this effort.
“This is truly a progression of the good work Washington hospitals have been doing for the past several years,” said John Fletcher, WSHA Patient Safety Committee Chair and Vice President and Chief Executive of Providence Health & Services WA/MT Region. “Setting a goal and a timeline raises our focus and engages our communities.”
Swedish Health Services was the first to have its board unanimously approve the infection elimination goal.
“This is the right thing to do for Washington. Setting a goal of eliminating hospital acquired infections just makes sense,” said Rod Hochman, Chief Executive Officer at Swedish Health Services. “We are 100 percent committed to patients in our facilities and across the state. Working together we can make this happen.”
The initiative and the initial goal was developed with input from clinical experts, hospital leaders, the Washington State Department of Health, and the Consumers’ Union.
The goal will be supported through WSHA’s Patient Safety Program. WSHA staff will provide toolkits to help hospitals implement evidence based practices. Progress will be measured using data that is already reported when possible. Initially, hospitals will receive reports with their own data against a statewide benchmark. Eventually, data will be compared on a hospital by hospital basis with a focus on improving care.
“Once again, hospitals in Washington State are leading the nation by taking an exciting step toward achieving a goal we once thought was impossible to reach,” said Leo Greenawalt, President and CEO of WSHA. “This is sending a clear message to our communities that hospitals are listening, and we will partner with them to eliminate hospital acquired infections.”
Washington hospitals are asked to participate in the initiative by signing a pledge of participation. Participating hospitals agree to:
• Ask their board to adopt and work to achieve a goal of eliminating hospital acquired infections by 2012.
• Implement strategies to reduce hospital acquired infections, focusing first where there is the greatest opportunity for improvement in the hospital.
• Measure and submit data as needed to be able to monitor progress towards this goal.
• Submit data to WSHA for measures.
• Provide information on progress to clinical staff so they can assist in this effort.
• Discuss infection results with hospital board.
• Share best practices and data with other Washington hospitals.