Newman Regional Health is one of only 14 hospitals statewide being recognized for its exemplary achievements to improve patient safety.
The Kansas Healthcare Collaborative (KHC) recognized Kansas hospitals recently at the conclusion of the AHA/HRET Network – a major patient safety initiative spearheaded by the American Hospital Association/Health Research & Educational Trust (AHA/HRET) and coordinated in Kansas by KHC Newman Regional Health received “Highest Achievement with Distinction” recognition for working toward AHA/HRET Network goals set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to reduce hospital acquired conditions and preventable readmissions.
“We are pleased to receive this special recognition of our team’s patient-focused efforts to provide the best care possible to those we serve,” said Bob Wright, CEO of Newman Regional Health. “Working with the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative and its partners – as well as side-by-side with our peers across the state and with national experts – has provided our team the opportunity to advance patient safety and health outcomes more efficiently and effectively.”
Since October 2016, more than 115 Kansas hospitals have worked collaboratively with KHC to achieve a 20 percent reduction in hospital-acquired conditions and a 12 percent reduction in 30- day hospital readmissions from 2014 baselines. Participating hospitals placed special focus on reducing patient harm, such as falls, adverse drug events, hospital-acquired infections, and pressure injuries. Hospitals also made progress in implementing key strategies for promoting health equity and patient and family engagement.
Hospitals across the state and nation have been working since 2010 to achieve national patient safety goals established by federal agencies. Nationwide, between 2010 and 2015, an estimated 125,000 fewer patients died in a hospital and approximately $22.8 billion in health care costs were saved as a result in reductions in hospital-acquired conditions, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
“We extend our congratulations and gratitude to all the hospitals across Kansas who participated in the AHA/HRET Network,” said KHC Executive Director Allison Peterson DeGroff. “For several years, this community of collaborative peers has inspired and driven each other to excel in leading data-driven quality improvement. It is challenging work – and it is critical work. Each hospital’s incremental changes lead to an exponential impact on the lives of patients and their families.”
The AHA/HRET Network included more than 1,600 hospitals across 34 states and U.S. territories. The initiative was supported by CMS under contract number HHSM-500-2016-00067C.
More information is available at www.khconline.org/HIIN.
About Newman Regional Health: Newman Regional Health is a not-for-profit 25-bed Critical Access Hospital owned by the citizens of Lyon County, Kansas. Recognized as a Level 4 Trauma Center, Newman Regional Health provides inpatient acute and medical rehabilitation services along with a full range of emergency and outpatient care to patients of all ages in Lyon County and surrounding areas in East Central Kansas. Newman Regional Health offers 24/7 care with a newly renovated, state-of-the-art 19-bed emergency room and 10-bed Clinical Decision Unit. With a mission to improve health in the community by providing high quality care and a vision to be a valued, trusted partner and regional provider of exemplary services, Newman Regional Health receives recognition as a top Critical Access Hospital each year.
About the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative: KHC is a provider-led 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to transform health care through patient-centered initiatives that improve quality, safety, and value. Founded in 2008 by the Kansas Hospital Association and the Kansas Medical Society, KHC embodies the commitment of two of the state’s leading health care provider groups to act as a resource and continuously enhance the quality of care provided to Kansans.