Press Release
CARTERET GENERAL HOSPITAL JOINS IHI’S EFFORT TO PROTECT 5 MILLION LIVES FROM HARM
IHI Estimates that 15 Million Incidents of Patient Harm Occur in U.S. Hospitals Each Year
Morehead City — May 18, 2007
Carteret General Hospital announced that it has joined the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s 5 Million Lives Campaign, a national campaign to dramatically reduce incidents of medical harm in hospitals. The 5 Million Lives Campaign asks hospitals to improve the care they provide in order to protect patients from five million incidents of medical harm over a 21-month period, ending December 9, 2008. It represents a continuation of the largest improvement effort undertaken in recent history by the health care industry.
The Campaign was formally unveiled on April 26,2007 at Carteret General Hospital and has been endorsed by the American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Nurses Association (ANA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Joint Commission.
Carteret General Hospital also participated in the 100,000 Lives Campaign in which 3,100 participating facilities (representing 75% of U.S. hospital beds,) avoided unnecessary deaths by implementing six evidence-based interventions, along with other worthy improvement initiatives. The new Campaign promotes the adoption of or the continuation of improvements in care (detailed below) that can save lives and reduce patient injuries.
“During the recent 100K Lives Campaign, Carteret General Hospital physicians and staff made great achievements in improving the care patients receive. Based on our positive results, we are now mentoring other hospitals as they begin to implement these proven quality practices and procedures,” says hospital President Fred Odell. “We look forward to continuing these efforts by participating in the 5 Million Lives Campaign which is currently underway.”
IHI estimates that 15 million incidents of medical harm occur in U.S. hospitals each year. This estimate of overall national harm is based on IHI’s extensive experience in studying injury rates in hospitals, which reveals that between 40 to 50 incidents of harm, occur for every 100 hospital admissions. With 37 million admissions in the United States each year (according to the AHA’s National Hospital Survey for 2005) this equates to approximately 15 million harm events annually - or 40,000 incidents of harm in U.S. hospitals every day.
Carteret General Hospital is dedicated to providing the best possible care for our patients. Carteret General Hospital plans to implement and continue working on the following interventions as part of their participation in the 5 Million Lives Campaign:
- Prevent medication errors…by ensuring that accurate and continually updated lists of patients’ medications are referenced during their hospital stay, particularly at transition points.
- Activate a Rapid Response Team…at the first sign that a patient’s condition is worsening and may lead to a more serious medical emergency such as catastrophic cardiac or respiratory event.
- Prevent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) infection…by reliably implementing infection control practices throughout the hospital
- Reduce Surgical Complications…by implementing best practice care recommended by the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP)
- Deliver reliable, evidence-based care for Congestive Heart Failure…to reduce readmissions
- Prevent patients from dying of heart attacks…by delivering evidence based care, including appropriate administration of aspirin to prevent blood clots and beta-blockers to prevent further heart attacks.
- Prevent patients who are receiving medicines and fluids through central lines from developing infections…by following certain steps, including proper hand washing and cleaning the patients’ skin with special soap.
- Prevent patients undergoing surgery from developing infections…by following a series of steps, including timely administration of antibiotics.
- Prevent patients on ventilators from developing pneumonia…by following steps including raising the head of the patient’s bed between 30 and 40 degrees.
During the 100,000 Lives Campaign, Carteret General focused on Acute Myocardial Infarction Care, preventing adverse drug events, preventing Central Line infection, Surgical Site Infections, preventing Ventilator Associated Pneumonia interventions. Significant progress was made in all areas, especially in reducing infections and preventing patients on ventilators from developing pneumonia. For example, Carteret General’s rate of infection is well below the national average of 2%. Also, Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia is now at 0%, which is the goal for Carteret General Hospital.
Carteret General Hospital is a 135-bed hospital serving Eastern North Carolina. The Hospital offers a full range of acute care, diagnostic and outpatient services including a comprehensive Cancer Center, CGH Imaging Center, Emergency Department and Birthing Center. Educational and Pursuit of Excellence Programs for Diabetes, Joint & Spine Surgery, Heart Failure, Stroke and Breast Cancer enhance the Hospital’s specialty services to a level that you would only expect at larger facilities. For additional information about Carteret General Hospital, call 252.808.6000 or visit our website at www.ccgh.org.