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View All ProductsWe understand the critical importance of earning and maintaining your patients' trust in the delivery of exceptional sedation and surgical outcomes. As a premier provider of healthcare education, we are committed to empowering you in promoting safer, more successful outcomes for each and every patient, without exception.
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Learn MoreRecent AHRQ Data Shows Stabilizing Rates of HACs
The Healthcare Research and Quality Act of 1999 requires that an annual report addressing the quality of healthcare and disparities in healthcare is submitted to Congress. These regular reports, called the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports (QDR), are produced by an interagency group led by AHRQ and include recent findings on patient safety. The most recent National Healthcare QDR cites that measures of patient safety improved, with a 17 percent reduction in HACs. AHRQ states that “the general trend in patient safety is one of improvement” and recognizes the efforts by interagency alliances, federal agencies, and practitioners to prioritize the reduction of HACs (AHRQ, 2014…).
In December 2015, AHRQ released its most recent report including annual rates of HACs and estimates of cost savings and deaths averted from 2010-2013. Included are preliminary estimates for 2014, which show a sustained 17 percent decrease in HACs since 2010. The report estimates that in the period from 2010-2014 a total of 2.1 million fewer HACs were experienced, and in the period between 2011 and 2014, approximately 87,000 fewer deaths occurred and almost $20 billion in healthcare costs were saved. The following tables from the report show the total annual and cumulative HAC reductions and cost savings from 2011-2014 (AHRQ, 2015, Saving…):
AHRQ concludes that much of this progress resulted from their investments in research, tools, trainings, data, and measures to track changes. They also emphasize the value of the widespread use of electronic health records and other likely causes of the improvements, such as “financial incentives created by CMS and other payers’ payment policies, public reporting of hospital-level results, technical assistance offered by the QIO program to hospitals, and technical assistance and catalytic efforts of the HHS PfP initiative led by CMS” (AHRQ, 2015, Saving…). These initiatives to encourage hospitals to make advances in reducing HACs are resulting in improved patient safety across the country. The combined efforts of dedicated practitioners with hospitals and federal agencies can be evidenced in the declining numbers of HACs and increasing hospital performance measures. Agencies, hospitals, and patients alike have reason to hope that these developments are indicative of an overall trend towards improvement in patient safety.
References and Resources:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). (2015). 2014 National healthcare quality and disparities report. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved from www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/nhqrdr/index.html
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). (2015). Saving lives and saving money: Hospital-acquired conditions update. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/pfp/interimhacrate2014.html
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). (2015). Hospital-acquired conditions (present on admission indicator): Hospital-acquired conditions. Retrieved from http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/HospitalAcqCond/ Hospital-Acquired_Conditions.html
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). (2016). Hospital-acquired condition reduction program (HACRP). Retrieved from http://www.cms. gov/ Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/AcuteInpatientPPS/HAC-Reduction-Program.html
HealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All Learning & PerformanceHealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsWhen you enact HealthStream's quality compliance solutions, you can do so with the confidence your healthcare organization will meet all standards of care.
View All Quality & ComplianceBe confident in your staff’s ability to reduce risk by providing compliance training that changes behavior.
View All ProductsDevelop next-level people for next-level care by prioritizing quality and safety improvements.
View All ProductsEstablish a culture of belonging with education supporting DEI, wellness, engagement, and leadership development.
View All ProductsUtilize patient access solutions and advanced reimbursement solutions to manage clinical denials and improve your organization’s reimbursement strategy.
View All ReimbursementExpand the decision-making skills and effectiveness of your healthcare workforce with HealthStream's clinical development programs and services.
View All Clinical DevelopmentLearn about our advanced resuscitation training solutions. Our solutions are designed to help improve patient outcomes.
View All ProductsUnlocking the full potential of clinicians goes beyond aspiration – it’s a commitment we embody. Our competency development solutions help personalize learning for every clinician so you can confidently bridge the gap between theory and practice for your nurse residents while meeting the unique development needs of your seasoned clinician.
View All ProductsEnhance maternal & child nursing care with solutions focused on improving the quality of care for mothers, infants, and children.
View All ProductsAddress staffing challenges, standardize orientation and onboarding, and deliver an effective training program for your team to easily achieve and maintain certification with our critical, emergency, and acute care solutions.
View All ProductsWe understand the critical importance of earning and maintaining your patients' trust in the delivery of exceptional sedation and surgical outcomes. As a premier provider of healthcare education, we are committed to empowering you in promoting safer, more successful outcomes for each and every patient, without exception.
View All ProductsOur solutions are meticulously designed to cater to the diverse needs of patients, healthcare professionals, and organizations. Within this innovative framework, we have curated specialized subsets of solutions aimed at addressing the ever-evolving challenges faced by individuals dealing with illnesses or chronic conditions.
View All ProductsMake sure your healthcare staff can schedule out appointments and work schedules with ease using HealthStream's line of software solutions.
View All SchedulingHealthcare workforce management is essential. We provide advanced scheduling solutions for organizations to solve issues such as nurse retention
View All ProductsComprehensive, industry-leading provider onboarding and credentialing software that validate health outcomes and support provider assessment.
View All CredentialingOur affordable CVO credentialing services establish patient safety by enabling primary source verification for your healthcare organization.
View All ProductsIntegrate with Epic to validate and add new providers directly to your provider master file.
View All Products