Efforts at hospitals reduce patient harms, save $27 million

A 12-month effort involving 48 Arkansas hospitals resulted in 2,950 prevented patient harms and cost savings of almost $27 million.

Arkansas was one of 33 states participating in the American Hospital Association Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) Hospital Engagement Network (HEN). Nationwide, 34,442 patient harms were prevented with savings of more than $288 million, according to a press release from the Arkansas Hospital Association.

HENS find best practices that reduce hospital-acquired conditions and share them with other providers. This latest phase targeted 11 areas, including prevention of hospital infections, falls, early elective maternal deliveries and preventable readmissions. Participating Arkansas hospitals received technical assistance, education, training, and the chance to participate in learning collaboratives.

This is the second phase of a national quality improvement effort that ended Sept. 23. The first phase occurred from December 2011 to December 2014. Forty Arkansas hospitals participated in the first effort.