In the News
Mercer County hospital readmission rate falls after Trenton Health Team-led effort
This article details the success of reducing hospital readmission rates by 6.8% in Mercer County. The Trenton Health Team, a member of the Greater Trenton Community Coalition, worked with local hospitals to identify drivers of readmissions and implement interventions to reduce readmissions. HQSI also helped this effort by supplying and tracking readmission data for the community.
Nearly every N.J. hospital to be penalized by Medicare for high readmissions
An article on NJ.com reports that Morristown Memorial Hospital and Overlook Hospital in Summit will not receive a loss of Medicare reimbursements as a penalty for high readmission rates. These are the only two hospitals to avoid a penalty in NJ where HQSI data shows that 1 in every 5 Medicare patients discharged from the hospital is readmitted after 30 days.
Hudson County Medicare patients have highest hospital readmission rate in state
The Jersey Journal reported that nearly 25 percent of Hudson County Medicare patients wind up back in the hospital 30 days after discharge. This makes Hudson County's readmission rate the highest in the state, according to countywide readmission data released by HQSI.
Local Infection Prevention Event Featured in Nursing Spectrum
Insect repellent was not on the agenda at the "Bugs Be Gone" educational session March 29 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (N.J). The day’s focus was a more serious topic: infection prevention. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that at any given time, about one in every 20 patients develop an infection related to hospital care. Read more...
New Jersey close to bottom in caring for chronically ill elderly
Listen to the audio or read the transcript of a recent story on New Jersey 101.5 fm that featured HQSI for publicizing data that ranked New Jersey 50th of 53 states, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, in readmissions in 2011.
A dose of medicine for hospitals
This op-ed that appeared in The Star-Ledger discusses the importance of providing more patient-centered care for hospitals with high readmission rates. This piece also highlights countywide data released by HQSI that will help hospitals avoid losing potentially millions of dollars in federal reimbursement if re-admissions remain high.
Reducing Healthcare-Associated Infections Event Gets Noticed
Experts from New Jersey and around the nation outlined strategies to reduce healthcare-associated infections at Hear, Learn, Act to Stop HAIs in New Jersey, a full day conference, that examined disease transmission related to unsafe injection practices and the overutilization of antibiotics. The HQSI co-sponsored event gained coverage in ADVANCE for Nurses online.
Improving discharge process helps Hunterdon Medical Center reduce readmission rates
The Hunterdon County Democrat reported that Hunterdon Medical Center ranked higher than other hospitals when compared to countywide readmission data released by HQSI. The data has been publicized to help hospitals reduce high readmission rates to avoid losing Medicare reimbursements starting in October.
High readmission rates could cut Medicare reimbursements to some hospitals
The Independent Press reported the reaction of Summit healthcare providers to countywide data released by HQSI, which has been publicized to help hospitals reduce high readmission rates. Hospitals with high readmission rates could lose Medicare reimbursements starting in October.
Survey: N.J. ranked near bottom in caring for chronically ill elderly:
The Star-Ledger featured HQSI on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 for publicizing countywide data that will help hospitals avoid losing potentially millions of dollars in federal reimbursement if re-admissions remain high. New Jersey ranked 50th of 53 states, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, in readmissions in 2011.
NJ Department of Health Takes a Shot at Syringe Safety
by Beth Fitzgerald, June 26, 2012
NJ Spotlight.com reported on the June 22 Hear, Learn, Act to Stop HAIs in New Jersey conference co-sponsored by HQPNJ and HQSI. Their focus was the presentation by Dr. Barbara Montana, medical director for communicable disease at the New Jersey Department of Health, and the department’s activities in the national “One and Only” campaign to educate medical workers on injection safety.
NJBIZ: Injection infections not a thing of the past
By Melinda Caliendo, June 25, 2012
Read what NJBiz had to say about the safe injection practices discussed at the Hear, Learn, Act to Stop HAIs in New Jersey conference.
Reigning in Readmissions at New Jersey Hospitals
Medicare will soon start penalizing hospitals for readmitting patients within 30 days of their discharge; learn what NJ hospitals are doing to prepare for this change. In this NJ Spotlight article, Andrew Miller, MD, MPH, HQSI’s Medical Director and co-leader of the Care Integration Project weighs in along with other NJ healthcare leaders.
HQSI Featured in QIO News for Its Role in the Development of a Universal Transfer Form
HQSI was recently featured in QIO News for being part of a team that developed a standardized transfer form for nursing home patients. Healthcare facilities statewide are now required to use the Universal Transfer Form as a clinical record that travels with a nursing home patient throughout their transitions of care. The Universal Transfer Form supports HQSI’s goals to reduce avoidable hospital readmissions over the next three years by ensuring that every patient receives the right care every time.
Ocean City Gazette, Healthcare Providers Work to Avoid Unnecessary Hospital Visits
The Ocean City Gazette recognized the promise of HQSI and the Atlantic-Cape Community Coalition to effect positive change in care integration. HQSI convened a kick-off meeting with several providers in Atlantic and Cape May counties to address the issue of avoidable hospital readmissions. The providers pledged to work together as a coalition to reduce readmissions by 20% over the next three years, a commitment that the Ocean City Gazette recognized was important for their readership.
NJ Journal of Pharmacy: Expanding Pharmacist’s Role in Direct Patient Care Improves Patient Safety
The Winter 2012 issue of the New Jersey Journal of Pharmacy features an article by HQSI’s Nicole Skyer-Brandwene, MS, R.Ph., BCPS, Drug Safety Project Coordinator, on the Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Services Collaborative (PSPC). The article highlights Zufall Health Center in northwestern New Jersey, which joined the national PSPC collaborative in its first year and has since successfully integrated evidence-based clinical pharmacy services into the management of its high-risk, medically complex patients. Zufall successfully used grant funding to bring a part-time clinical pharmacist on-site and has been working with HQSI on improving data collection practices, healthcare outcomes, workflow efficiencies, andservices to the diabetic Medicare community. As the PSPC moves into its fourth year, HQSI looks to help new teams joining the collaborative achieve similar success and ensure continued pharmacist involvement in the direct care of patients.
Today in PT, Sweet Freedom
Effective physical therapy plays an important role in reducing the use of physical restraints in nursing homes and long term care facilities, a goal championed in New Jersey by HQSI. In Teresa McUsic’s Today in PT article, our area Program Manager discusses how nursing homes participating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Physical Restraint Reduction Project improved their rates by focusing on physical therapy, enhancing patient communication, spreading best practices through provider team sharing and making use of HQSI-facilitated tool kits and resources.
