IHI launches hospital injury reduction effort

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is launching a new campaign aimed at preventing 5 million incidents of medical harm within U.S. hospitals during the next 24 months. The initiative, which is sponsored largely by America's Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans, follows on a previous effort known as the 100,000 Lives Campaign, under which 3,100 hospitals reduced inpatient deaths by about 122,000 in 18 months. IHI estimates that right now, as many as 40 to 50 incidents of harm occur for every 100 hospitals. The current effort establishes six proposed improvements in care that should cut hospital-created patient injuries, including following known guidelines for preventing MRSA, reducing harm from high-alert meds, reducing surgical complications and involving hospital boards in process improvement. The new initiative is also keeping previous recommendations from the 100,000 Lives Campaign in place.

For more information on the campaign:
- read this Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel piece
- read the IHI's press release (.pdf)
- check out the IHI's resource page on the campaign

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