Hospital recognized for reducing infections
Colusa Regional Medical Center has been recognized by the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California for significantly reducing hospital-acquired infections.
The hospital, one of six recognized in that category, received the award through the Patient Safety First.
The other hospitals that met the standard for reducing two or more types of hospital-acquired infections to zero and maintaining that standard from April 2011 through June 2012 are: Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center, Memorial Medical Center in Modesto, St. Joseph's Medical Center in Stockton, St. Mary's Medical Center of San Francisco and Sutter Tracy Community Hospital.
"Like many hospitals, we are constantly working to improve patient safety. We know it takes a concerted effort to see real gains in reducing hospital acquired infections. By implementing best practices and encouraging everyone in our hospital to be vigilant, we've seen a real reduction in the number of HAIs, which is good for our patients and good for all of us," Katherine Hughes, chief nursing officer at Colusa Regional Medical Center, said in a statement released by the Hospital Council.
"I'm proud that my hospital and all of our staff are being recognized as heroes who are working everyday to improve the lives of all our patients."
Patient Safety First is a three-year, $6 million collaboration designed to improve the quality of care and reduce health care costs in California. It was started in 2010.
The program is funded by Anthem Blue Cross, evaluated by the National Health Foundation and operated by California's regional hospital associations.
There are 180 hospitals across the state that participate in the program, nearly half of all hospitals in California.
"Our hospitals work hard every day to ensure all our patients get the quality care they expect and deserve. I'm thrilled at the results we're seeing from participating in Patient Safety First because they prove we can do even better when we work collaboratively," Art Sponseller, president of the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California, said in a statement. "Patient Safety First is an example of how hospitals can improve patient safety and quality of care while reducing costs on a larger scale when everyone works together."
A study by the National Health Foundation on the first two years of the program finds more than 973 lives have been saved as a result of reducing sepsis mortality.
Additionally, an estimated $19 million in costs were saved, the council reported.
