Lumetra Healthcare Solutions

Last month The Leapfrog Group released their 2008 Hospital Survey. To no one’s surprise, it reported the unrealized opportunity of U.S. hospitals to improve patient safety by implementing standards known to improve quality and save lives.

A decade ago, with the publication of “To Err is Human,” The Institute of Medicine alerted us to the startling number of patients who are injured or killed as a result of preventable medical errors. The Leapfrog report reminds us all that, despite a decade of attention and effort, there is still much to be done to improve the healthcare system.

For example, 65% of participating hospitals do not have all recommended policies in place to prevent common hospital-acquired infections. The 13 evidence-based safety practices (which include procedures such as hand-washing as well as nursing staff competency) have only been met by 25% of participants.

Working with a Patient Safety Organization (PSO) can be an important part of any healthcare provider’s comprehensive patient safety and quality improvement program. The protections afforded by working with a PSO allows for more accurate root cause analysis and a thorough understanding about the sources of medical errors. This detailed understanding forms the basis for the system level corrective action that needs to take place in order to prevent future similar errors.

We have seen interest in PSO services increasing, though the market for PSO services in California is still very much in a formative stage. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (PSQIO) encourages clinicians and healthcare organizations to report and share – voluntarily – data on patient safety events without fear of legal discovery. We recommend that all California providers work with PSOs to enhance their existing initiatives and improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and integrity of healthcare in our state and nation.

For more information about Lumetra’s Patient Safety Organization services, contact us by e-mail or telephone (415) 677-2071.