Michigan Success Lands National Research Contract to Reduce Hospital-Associated Infections in 10 States

LANSING, Mich. -- The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) announces a three-year, $3 million national effort to reduce patients' risk of hospital-associated infections in intensive care units (ICUs).

This first-of-its-kind project is modeled after the pioneering efforts of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association's (MHA) KeystoneCenter for Patient Safety & Quality and Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Quality and Safety Research Group that have achieved significant and measurable improvements in reducing central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in Michigan hospital ICUs.

In 2003, the MHAKeystoneCenter launched its first patient safety improvement program -- MHA Keystone: ICU -- in more than 100 Michigan hospital ICUs. Through a series of back-to-basic patient safety interventions, this collaborative has since resulted in more than 1,700 lives saved, more than 127,000 excess hospital days avoided and more than $246 million in healthcare costs saved.

"As a result of the MHA Keystone Center, Michigan hospital ICUs are now among the safest in the nation and world," said MHA president Spencer Johnson. "Through the MHA Keystone Center, Michigan hospitals are implementing groundbreaking and life-saving interventions that have reduced medical errors and healthcare costs, while improving the quality of patient care delivered at the bedside. Michigan hospitals are truly leading the nation in proactive efforts to make healthcare safer."

The national project, "National Implementation of the Comprehensive Unit-Based Safety Program (CUSP) to Reduce CLABSI in the ICU," began Sept. 30, 2008, and continues through Sept. 29, 2011. A major goal of the project is to reduce the average rate of CLABSI in participating hospitals to one infection for every 1,000 catheter days. The national average is currently five infections per 1,000 catheter days.

AHRQ will select a 10-state consortium based on state interest and readiness to participate in this national effort to adopt CUSP and will subsequently identify at least 10 participating hospitals in each of the states. The MHA and JHU will then develop an educational toolkit and work with the consortium that includes national, state and regional hospital associations, quality improvement organizations, and public health agencies. The selected state associations and their participating hospitals will be announced sometime later this year, with participating states to be phased in over a three-year period.

Headquartered in Lansing, Mich., the MHA Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality was founded by Michigan hospitals and the MHA in 2003. The MHA Keystone Center has been funded, to date, by MHA-member hospitals, state grants, AHRQ and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The center combines state and national patient safety experts and multiple hospitals and health systems, working together in collaborative programs that identify best practices and evidence-based medicine to improve patient safety and healthcare quality and to reduce medical errors. The collaboratives incorporate culture change to improve communication and the use of various checklists to standardize procedures; ensuring consistent quality care; and avoiding oversights that can lead to patient harm. For more information about the MHA Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality, CLICK HERE.  For more information on AHRQ's patient safety research, CLICK HERE. Source: Michigan Health & Hospital Association