News

I am thrilled to welcome Darcy Jaffe to WSHA as our new senior vice president for safety and quality. Darcy will bring a collaborative, authentic approach to accomplishing WSHA’s shared goals and outcomes. I am excited to work with her in setting regional standards for safety and quality and assisting our members in improving the health of the communities they serve.... Read More >>

WSHA is currently enrolling hospitals to participate in a program known as Better Prescribing, Better Treatment, which provides opioid prescribers with feedback reports. Our goal is to enroll 100 percent of our state’s hospitals.... Read More >>

This week, I invite you to join me in recognizing one of the most effective, yet often overlooked, methods of preventing the spread of germs – handwashing. National Handwashing Awareness Week (Dec. 2 – 8) is a good time to revisit handwashing and how it can impact Washington patients and staff.... Read More >>

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH), in collaboration with WSHA, would like to offer hospitals a reminder regarding best practices and points of contact during challenges connected to a disaster or medical surge event. DOH is prepared to offer hospitals assistance regarding capacity and regulatory issues if such an event occurs.... Read More >>

It’s not too late to get your flu shot! Join WSHA in celebrating National Influenza Week by getting your flu shot today. Maybe you’ve been vaccinated this season already? You can still participate by helping us promote flu vaccination activities this week utilizing these promotional tools and materials in your organization.... Read More >>

The earthquake in Alaska last week is a good reminder about the importance of being prepared for a disaster both personally and organizationally. While it may take many months to repair the damage in Anchorage, particularly to roads, experts have praised the people of Alaska for their quick response and noted that the outcome could have been much worse.... Read More >>

This week, a gunman opened fire on the campus of Mercy Hospital in Chicago. In the end, four were killed, including an ED physician, a pharmacy resident, a police officer and the shooter himself. Mass shootings in America are horrifying, and yet seem to be in the headlines almost weekly. These acts of violence can truly happen anywhere, at any time. ... Read More >>

WSHA is launching a comprehensive statewide claims database, PNWPop, which will go live in early 2019. In addition to reducing lag times for inpatient data, PNWPop will be the first comprehensive database of outpatient data in Washington. The data set will enable WSHA and member hospitals information for more robust quality improvement efforts, including a... Read More >>

The Washington State Hospital Association and the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems created the Northwest Safety and Quality Partnership, which brings care quality and safety initiatives together from both associations to serve all 169 hospitals and health systems in the two states. The partnership’s work will target 21 initiatives, such as reducing hospital... Read More >>

More than 300,000 patients in the United States require mechanical ventilation as a life-saving therapy each year. Complications, such as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), are not uncommon. They can lead to increased length of stay, higher health care costs and an increased likelihood of readmission. VAP is one such complication, affecting as many as 20 percent of... Read More >>