CHA Marshals Hospitals on Quality

Hundreds of California hospitals have agreed to join a federally-directed initiative to improve patient care. 

The hospitals have agreed to participate in the “Partnership for Patients” initiative, which is operated under the direction of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The initiative is pushing hospitals to meet two benchmarks. The first is to reduce hospital-acquired conditions – such as infections – by 40% this year compared to the 2010 numbers. That would translate to about 175,000 fewer incidents in California's hospitals and about 5,500 lived saves.

The second benchmark would reduce preventable complications connected to the transfer of a patient from an acute care hospital to home, a skilled nursing facility or other setting by 20% this year compared to 2010. That would reduce re-hospitalizations within 30 days of a discharge in California by about 155,000.

“The fact that hundreds of hospitals throughout the state have voluntarily embraced both the Partnership for Patients initiative and a variety of other regional and statewide patient safety programs signifies the priority hospitals are placing on continuous quality improvement,” said C. Duane Dauner, president of the California Hospital Association. According to the CHA, almost 400 hospitals have agreed to strive for the benchmarks.

CMS set aside more than $200 million to reach the benchmarks nationwide. The CHA subcontracts as a coordinator in California.