According to a new preliminary report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) declined by 13% between 2014 and 2017, preventing an estimated 20,500 deaths and $7.7 billion in healthcare costs. The drop in HACs included a 37% decline in C. difficile infections and 28% decline in adverse drug events, which are two of the 11 harm reduction targets for Hospital Improvement Innovation Networks (HIIN). MHA is coordinating a 10-hospital HIIN in Massachusetts throughout 2019.
In related news, the most recent hospital-specific data (July 2017 to June 2018) relating to pressure ulcers and hospital falls is now available on the
PatientCareLink website. By viewing the data, one can see how a hospital compares to its peers. Visit PatientCareLink, then the “Healthcare Provider Data” tab, then click on Massachusetts Hospital Data, and then Individual Hospital Performance Measures.