In January 2010, Anthem Blue Cross, Hospital Association of Southern California, HASD&IC, Hospital Council of Northern and Central California and National Health Foundation partnered to launch a three-year effort to improve the quality and consistency of hospital care Californians receive. Patient Safety First…A California Partnership for Health, uses a collaborative learning model to improve patient safety and spread evidence-based practices to improve care, save lives and reduce healthcare costs. During the course of PSF’s first three years, it has become the largest statewide patient safety collaborative in the nation with over 170 hospital participants. Results for the first two years have shown significant improvement in healthcare-associated infection rates, sepsis mortality rates, and perinatal gestational age deliveries. Results for the first two years have shown significant improvement in the following areas;
- Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) rate declined from 2.32 per 1000 ventilator days in 2009 to 1.21 in 2011, 48% of the way toward a goal of zero.
- Catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rate declined from 1.59 per 1000 catheter days in 2009 to 1.09 in 2011, 32% of the way toward a goal of zero.
- Central line blood stream infection (CLBSI) rate declined from 2.21 per 1000 central line days in 2009 to 1.34 in 2011, 39% of the way toward a goal of zero.
- Sepsis mortality rate declined from 25.35 per 100 sepsis cases in 2009 to 20.15 in 2011, 67% of the way towards the goal of a statewide 30% reduction.
- Perinatal gestational age deliveries under 39 weeks declined from 10.36% of all deliveries in 2009 to 3.6% in 2011, reaching the goal of 5% or less earlier than expected.
- Nearly 1,000 lives have been saved as a result of reducing sepsis mortality.
- In addition, an estimated $19,241,105 costs were avoided as a result of this initiative. PSF is an example of how patient safety and quality of care can be improved in hospitals while reducing costs on a large scale.
In order to build upon the successes and effort put toward developing PSF into a premier and recognized statewide patient safety initiative, NHF and California’s Regional Hospital Associations are extending the Patient Safety First Initiative to 2012. Phase 2 will utilize the same collaborative learning model at the regional level but will incorporate some new initiatives and discontinue addressing some of PSF’s original initiatives.
Together these partners will work collaboratively to achieve the following goals:
- Clostridium difficile (C. difficile)
Goal: Relative reduction of 10% from baseline (previous year data)
- Sepsis mortality
Goal: Relative reduction of mortality by 10% from baseline
- Early elective deliveries
Goal: Achieve early elective delivery rate of <=5% of deliveries between 37 & 38.6 weeks
- Surgical safety: Retained surgical sponges/towels
Goal: Achieve a 0% rate of retained surgical sponges/towels
For more information on Patient Safety First on other quality and patient safety activities, please contact Alicia Muñoz, FACHE at (858) 614-1541 or amunoz@hasdic.org.
