CMS Grants Millions to 26 Networks for Safety Initiatives

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has awarded grants totaling $218 million to 26 "Hospital Engagement Networks" to identify ways to reduce hospital-acquired conditions and then teach other hospitals in their region.

The networks have the capacity to support more than 4,800 hospitals in 46 states. CMS will make arrangements with some of the networks to cover Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland and Maine.

The networks are part of the Department of Health and Human Services' $1 billion Partnership for Patients initiative to reduce hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent by the end of 2013 compared with 2010, and cut readmissions by 20 percent. The 26 awarded grants represent nearly half of the $500 million that CMS will receive under Partnership for Patients, funded through the Affordable Care Act.

Each Hospital Engagement Network will identify data measures to collect for each core area of focus. Each network will develop a secure, Web-based portal for collecting and reporting data that evaluates progress in meeting quality goals. Core areas of focus are:

* Adverse drug events,

* Catheter-associated urinary tract infections,

* Central line associated blood stream infections,

* Injuries from falls and immobility,

* Obstetrical adverse events,

* Pressure ulcers,

* Surgical site infections,

* Venous thromboembolism,

* Ventilator-associated pneumonia, and

* Preventable readmissions.

The 26 grantees include delivery systems, state and national associations, not-for-profit organizations, Joint Commission Resources, and alliances such as Premier, UHC and VHA. More information is available at healthcare.gov/partnershipforpatients.