As hospitals respond to Medicare's move to base reimbursements on medical outcomes instead of volume, officials should take note of new research showing that better compliance with patient safety practices isn't associated with lower mortality or a lower risk of hospital-associated infections (HAI).
Contrary to prior research, a new study published in the Archives of Surgery finds that successfully implementing National Quality Forum (NQF) Safe Practices doesn't necessarily lead to better outcomes.
According to the study, patient safety compliance metrics--including the total score on the Leapfrog Safe Practices Survey, full implementation of computerized physician order entry, and full implementation of intensive care unit physician staffing--were not predictive of mortality or of HAIs among hospital trauma patients.
These findings follow a report earlier this month from a public-private partnership convened by the NQF that recommends coordinating safety measures, as well as the methods for collecting and calculating patient safety data on those measures, to reduce hospital readmissions and HAIs.
For more information:
- here's the study abstract