The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services awarded the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) a two-year HIIN contract (with an optional third year based on performance), to continue efforts to reduce all-cause inpatient harm by 20 percent and readmissions by 12 percent by 2019. An American Journal of Medical Quality article, written by HRET staff, explores the relationship between engagement in improvement activities and affected quality measures.
According to AHRQ, an estimated 125,000 fewer patients died in the hospital and approximately $28 billion in health care costs were saved as a result of reductions in Hospital Acquired Conditions. Although the precise causes of the decline in patient harm are not fully understood, the increase in safety occurred during a period of concerted attention by hospitals throughout the country to reduce adverse events, including the work of hospitals that participated the Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) and HEN 2.0.
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HRET HIIN has developed an education module for hospital quality leaders that focuses on key functions of a quality leader and how to create a quality structure at an organization to successfully promote quality improvement and patient safety. Be sure to view the module: Role and Responsibilities of the Quality Leader by clicking the link below.
View Quality Leaders Module
HRET HIIN has nine topic-specific LISTSERV® Mailing Lists that provide answers to your questions from subject matter experts, resources, upcoming events, peer-to-peer networking and shared innovative approaches to reduce harm. Participating HRET HIIN hospitals and partners are welcome to join any or all of the LISTSERV®.
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The HRET HIIN project provides data tools to support you:
Encyclopedia of Measures (EOM)
The EOM is the measure reference guide for core evaluation and additional required topic measures.
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Comprehensive Data System
The secure, web-based collection and reporting system that hospitals use for HIIN. For instructions on how to access the CDS, there is a CDS Quick Start Guide for hospitals that are NEW to CDS, and for Returning hospitals.
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HIIN Improvement Calculator
The HIIN Improvement Calculator enables hospitals to use data collected via the Comprehensive Data System (CDS) to calculate, and track, a “total harm per discharge” rate in pursuit of safety across the board. This Excel-based tool provides a simple end-user experience and not only calculates harms per discharge, but also calculates and displays harms prevented, lives saved, and costs saved. Users should take the time to review the “Instructions” tab included directly in the tool.
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Check out the New HIIN Data Video Tutorials!
These short seven to ten minute video snippets on our data page are easy to follow guides on our data tools that allow you to binge watch the whole series, or simply select the individual topic that interests you now, and come back later for the rest! Our first release is a series of four video tutorials that provide a demonstration of the Comprehensive Data System (CDS).
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Please use this guide to determine the appropriate level of implementation for each of the seven HRET HIIN health equity metrics. Upon completing the survey, HRET HIIN advises reviewing the results with a cross-functional and multi-disciplinary team to develop an action plan and transition strategies to improve health equity and patient safety, as well as quality of care. As you identify gaps in a hospital’s level of implementation, please refer to the resources toward the end of the document to support the hospital in transitioning between levels.
See the Guide