Panel to Create National Plan to Accelerate Patient Safety Progress

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement today convened a national steering committee, whose members include the AHA, to create a national plan to accelerate patient safety progress across the care continuum. “We’ve seen success in targeted areas, such as reductions in health care-associated infections and hospital acquired conditions,” said Jeffrey Brady, M.D., co-chair of the committee and director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety. “Those gains have been supported by prominent national initiatives and efforts involving governmental agencies and public-private partnerships. This renewed, shared focus on keeping patients safe and the work of the National Steering Committee reflect the importance of effective coordination at all levels – from national organizations to individual clinicians. Teamwork will be necessary to achieve patient safety across the entire continuum of patient care.” AHA works with hospitals across the country to advance patient safety through the AHA-Health Research & Educational Trust Hospital Improvement Innovation Network, AHRQ Safety Program for Intensive Care Units and other initiatives. AHA Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Jay Bhatt, D.O., and American Organization of Nurse Executives Acting CEO Susan Gergely will represent AHA and its American Organization of Nurse Executives subsidiary on the committee.