In the past 15 years, standardized quality measures have had a positive impact on the way patients receive and experience healthcare, most visibly in the hospital setting. One leading indicator of this success is reductions in infections that patients get in hospitals.
"Patient Safety First…a California Partnership for Health" initiative is a prime example. The recipient of the 2013 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award, "Patient Safety First" was launched in 2010. Within its first two years, the initiative achieved remarkable success across 182 participating facilities, the majority of hospitals in California. This success includes significant decreases in four types of hospital acquired infections, including: reduction of sepsis deaths; cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP); central-line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI); and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI).
The initiative is spearheaded by Anthem Blue Cross, National Health Foundation, Hospital Association of Southern California, Hospital Association of San Diego & Imperial Counties, and the Hospital Council of Northern & Central California. Anthem Blue Cross has invested another $1.8 million to support phase two of the collaborative, which was launched in 2013.