Our Priorities for Improvement
Below are the 2008 quality and safety improvement priorities that BIDMC is striving to meet to strengthen care that we provide to our patients.
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On Track to reach desired state by end of FY08 |
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Behind schedule or Goal has been modified |
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Unlikely to meet desired state by end of FY08 |
| BIDMC 2008 Quality and Safety Priorities |
Goal Status Q4 FY 08 |
Improve Process Flow And Care For Heart Attack Patients Requiring Interventional Procedures
In heart attack patients, the longer that blood does not flow to the heart muscle, the more likely there is to be damage to that muscle. PCI is considered the most effective method of restoring blood flow. Minimizing the time between patient arrival and PCI can reduce adverse consequences and reduce the amount of muscle destroyed by the attack. National agencies recommend that the waiting time be no more than 90 minutes. We are working to strengthen the procedures and multi departmental efforts that shorten the time a heart attack patient waits before receiving balloon angioplasty, the treatment most effective in reducing damage to the heart muscle. |
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Reduce Surgical Complications and Morbidity
Focusing on surgical site infection prevention, BIDMC is striving to reduce the occurrences of postoperative complications. Our efforts in this area are aimed at improving the overall care, safety and outcomes of the patients throughout the peri-operative process. |
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Prevent/Reduce Falls in the Inpatient Setting
Patient falls that occur in the hospital can result in serious injury for many patients. Through ongoing efforts in the hospital setting including improvement in identifying patients at risk of falling and implementing fall prevention strategies, we aim to reduce the number of patient falls for both medical inpatients and surgical patients. |
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Improve Influenza (Flu) Vaccinations for Hospitalized Patients
Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus. It can cause mild to serious illness and, in some circumstances, can cause death in infants, the elderly, or in people who have chronic illnesses. The best way to prevent the flu is by receiving the flu vaccine. BIDMC is working to make sure that as many patients as possible are educated about flu prevention and, if appropriate, receive the flu vaccine. |
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Reduce Infections through Better Hand Hygiene
Hand hygiene is one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of infection to patients. Through ongoing campaigns to educate staff, easy access to soap and water and alcohol-based hand cleaners, and positive feedback when patient care units meet or exceed goal, we are striving to reach compliance with good hand hygiene practice. |
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Improve Reporting and Utilization of Data to Guide Clinical Process Improvements
BIDMC is implementing information technology in the ambulatory care setting to help practices meet high standards for performance, improve communication and follow up in significant areas, such as diabetes management. |
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Performance Improvement and Managing Risk in Ambulatory Practices
BIDMC is working to improve communication and follow up to tracking patient referral activity, and on improving office-based documentation. |
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Improve Medication Reconciliation
Medication errors are one of the most common types of medical mistakes that can occur. They can be very serious and lead to problems in care, longer stays in the hospital, or even death. Some medication errors occur at transition points in care such as when a patient enters the hospital, is transferred for treatment from one part of the hospital to another, or is discharged home. At BIDMC, one way we are working to ensure that patients get the right medication is by adding a prompt to our computer system that alerts clinicians to ask about medications when taking a patients history at the time the patient is admitted to the hospital. |
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Create a System Wide Patient Partnering Model to Improve Patient Satisfaction and Patient/Family Involvement
By using various methods, including the mystery shopper program and customer service evaluation, and by involving patients and families in our clinical program and/ or facility re-design effort in a new Patient Advisory Committee, we aim to improve our patient satisfaction scores for patient access, care provider communication, visit experience and overall hospital rating. BIDMC is striving to improve the level of engagement with patients in decision making during their stay. BIDMC leaders are also taking steps to ensure timely and complete communication to patient and family of an adverse event involving significant harm. |
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Last updated: December 4, 2008
