HealthCare Benchmarks and Quality Improvement articles from August 2005

HealthCare Benchmarks and Quality Improvement archives from August 2005

Want your QI program to succeed? Keep your eye on the fundamentals: sophisticated tools don't lessen the significance of stakeholders.
August 1, 2005... Key Points * If key stakeholders are not involved in the planning process, they will not participate in the change initiative. * Make sure key participants understand the relationship between processes and subprocesses. *...

Study raises concerns on public reporting of data: does public reporting lead to selection bias?
August 1, 2005... Key Points * Comprehensive risk adjustment uncovers discrepancies between patients in New York and Michigan. * Michigan angioplasty patients had a significantly higher incidence of kidney problems, diabetes, lung disease, and vascular...

Home-grown CDR draws high utilization and award: stores 22.5 million clinical results on 2.2 million.(centralized comprehensive database at Middlesex (CT) Hospital)
August 1, 2005... Key Points * Provider access to clinical data on patients significantly enhanced through comprehensive database. * Database was developed over period of years, gradually adding components as needs are seen. * Duplication of tests...

New P4P program uses established measures: initiative will rank hospitals by effectiveness.(pay for performance program from Leapfrog Group)
August 1, 2005... Key Points * Leapfrog has designed its program to reward improvers as well as best performers. * Key areas represent approximately 33% of admissions and 20% of commercial payers' inpatient expenditures. * Local market conditions,...

Integration software saves thousands of hours: merger of facilities creates challenge for database.(St. Michael s Hospital in Stevens Point, WI)
August 1, 2005... Key Points * After a merger, the hospital was required to merge 140,000 patient records into the pre-existing system. * Actions improve patient safety and confidentiality by ensuring access to the right patient data. * Single...

Researchers: HIPAA hampers QI work: conflict between patients' privacy and safety?
August 1, 2005... A paper published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests an apparent conflict between protecting individual patients' privacy and improving the quality, safety, and cost of medical care for all patients. In the paper, "Potential...

AHRQ to award $8 million in project funding.(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
August 1, 2005... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) will award more than $8 million in funding for 15 projects over two years that are designed to help clinicians, facilities, and patients...

Joint Commission adds communication focus.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... As of Jan. 1, 2006, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) will require hospitals and other health care organizations to document each patient's language and communication needs in the patient's medical...

AMA updates its P4P principles and guidelines.(American Medical Association and pay-for-performance programs)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The American Medical Association (AMA) has updated its principles and guidelines for pay-for-performance programs. Among the updates are changes that cite the need to pilot test before implementing pay-for-performance programs so as not to...