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National 100,000 Lives Campaign Exceeds Goal, Accelerates Pace of Improvement in Health Care; Oregon-Only 100,000 Lives Network Continues Campaign Past June 14th Deadline

Posted on: Wednesday, 14 June 2006, 21:00 CDT

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) announced today that U.S. hospitals taking part in 100,000 Lives Campaign have collectively prevented an estimated 122,300 avoidable deaths. Eighteen months ago the Institute for Healthcare Improvement challenged U.S. hospitals to dramatically improve the quality of health care they provide and avoid a total of 100,000 unnecessary deaths by June 14, 2006. IHI rallied hospitals around a simple premise: 'Let's work together on a few good projects to reduce harm to patients and to save lives.'

IHI identified six target areas for improvement. For each area IHI created a bundle of interventions known to significantly reduce harm and death when consistently put into practice by hospitals. Then IHI raised the bar by challenging hospitals in the United States to commit to a specific timeline and a specific goal. Under the banner "Some is not a number and soon is not a time," IHI asked hospitals to do their part to avoid a total of 100,000 unnecessary deaths over an 18-month period.

The 18-month period ends today, June 14. Over the past 18 months more than 3,000 US hospitals have voluntarily signed up for the 100,000 Lives campaign. In Oregon 34 hospitals have been working to implement one or more of the six interventions(1). In doing so hospitals are dramatically improving how patients are cared for when they're most at risk for infection, complications and adverse outcomes.

In Oregon, the Patient Safety Commission, the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, the Oregon Medical Association, and Acumentra Health have come together to create an Oregon-only 100,000 Lives Network. We have done so because we are heartened by the evidence that rapid improvement in health care -- that isn't solely driven by regulation or incentives but by the spirit and commitment of health care providers themselves -- is entirely possible.

In reviewing our progress we have learned some important lessons. The campaign's clear goal and aggressive deadline have drawn the attention of hospitals and driven the pace of the work. Furthermore, the voluntary nature has created a positive environment in which some participants report they are driving change within their organizations rather than simply responding to external mandates. And in Oregon the campaign has benefited from having four organizations find common ground to push for quality improvement.

That said, the campaign still faces several key challenges. We can do a better job in engaging patients and families, payers, and employers. Their involvement would provide hospitals with a more urgent sense of external demand for high quality care. We also need to rethink our measures of success. Much has been made of the goal of saving 100,000 lives, but it is difficult to know for sure if we have achieved that target, especially at the state and local levels.

The Oregon 100k Network is excited by the possibilities of accelerating efforts, and in making those efforts fit local needs. Therefore we have agreed to continue the campaign past the June 14th deadline and into 2007. We want to sustain performance gains, align quality improvement efforts, and provide additional support. For example, OAHHS has pledged to enroll 100% of Oregon hospitals by year-end. The OMA is working to encourage more physician leadership in the campaign. The Patient Safety Commission and Acumentra Health will continue to offer technical assistance, especially to hospitals in rural areas. The Commission also intends to use its patient safety data to set priorities for Oregon-specific improvements.

(1) IHI's six quality improvement activities:

-- Activate a Rapid Response Team at the first sign that a patient's condition is worsening and may lead to a more serious medical emergency.

-- Prevent patients from dying of heart attacks by delivering evidence-based care, including appropriate administration of aspirin to prevent blood clots and Beta blockers to prevent further heart attacks.

-- Prevent medication errors by ensuring that accurate and continually updated lists of patients' medications are referenced during their hospital stay, particularly at transition points.

-- Prevent patients who are receiving medicines and fluids through central lines from developing infections by following five steps, including proper hand washing and cleaning the patient's skin with "chlorhexidine" (a type of soap).

-- Prevent patients undergoing surgery from developing infections by following a series of steps, including the timely administration of antibiotics.

-- Prevent patients on ventilators from developing pneumonia by following four steps, including raising the head of the patient's bed between 30 and 40 degrees.

Oregon's 100,000 Lives Network:

Acumentra Health works with healthcare providers, Medicare beneficiaries, and the public to foster an environment in which every person gets the right care every time.

The Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (OAHHS) is a statewide, nonprofit trade association that represents 57 acute care hospitals, including 10 health systems and related health plans, to enhance and promote community health and to continue improving Oregon's innovative health care industry.

The mission of the Oregon Medical Association is to serve and support physicians in their efforts to improve the health of Oregonians.

The Patient Safety Commission is dedicated to reducing the risk of adverse events in Oregon and encouraging a culture of patient safety.

Source: Business Wire

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