The Quality Blue program uses financial incentives to lower healthcare-acquired infection rates and improve screening rates and overall patient safety at participating hospitals.
In 2014 alone, the 102 hospitals in the program averted a combined 754 readmissions, with a potential cost savings of $7.2 million and prevented 1,267 healthcare-associated infections, saving potentially $5.7 million.
Additional highlights from the 2014 Quality Blue program results are listed below.
Readmissions
- The rate of returns to the emergency department within 48 hours of discharge decreased by nearly 7 percent in 2014.
- Between 2011 and 2014, 30-day readmission rates decreased by more than 3 percent.
Patient care
- Seven-day follow-up care after discharge improved by 72 percent for heart failure patients and 17 percent for stroke patients.
- For end-of-life care, hospitals following protocols improved by nearly 44 percent.
- Early elective labor inductions (less than 39 weeks gestation), which can harm mothers and babies, decreased by 37 percent.
- Sepsis protocol compliance improved by 37 percent.
- Pre-surgical anemia risk screening increased by 32 percent.
Infections
- Catheter-associated urinary tract infections decreased by 8 percent.
- Clostridium difficile infections decreased by 40 percent.
- Central line-associated blood stream infections dropped 31 percent.
- Outpatient and inpatient surgical site infections decreased by 37 percent and more than 4 percent, respectively.
More articles on readmission:
Integrated transition management program reduces readmissions
10 most popular readmissions stories of 2014
Mortality and readmissions decline at Pennsylvania hospitals
