Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Holds Forum to Explore Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality I...(ersity Health System is working to devel...),Health

Date:9/14/2007

ersity Health System is working to develop a culture of safety," said Karen Frush, MD, chief patient safety officer, Duke University Health System. "We envision the delivery of healthcare services guided by the patient safety principle of "preventing harm" to our patients, and we seek to provide the environment and technology necessary to support this vision."

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is partnering with Alabama hospitals and Cardinal Health MedMined(TM) services to collaborate and act on healthcare acquired infections, hospital-wide and statewide. Elements included in this initiative include state of the art technologies to find, monitor, report and implement prevention technologies, clinical support, and evidence-based best practices. Hospitals have reduced infections rates by as much as 40 percent in one year, with more representative reductions being 19 percent overall. Quarterly best practice forums for hospital infection control professionals are effective in sharing proven solutions and generate tremendous interest, with attendance approaching 200 professionals.

"Since its pilot launch, our hospital quality program has grown from six hospitals to 102 hospitals statewide," said Terry Kellogg, executive vice president, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. "We are also proud that other Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies have adopted our initiative, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Blue Shield of California Foundation, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Excellus BlueCross BlueShield."

Through the Quality-in-Sight Hospital Incentive Program (Q-HIP), Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia's participating hospitals have decreased complication rates in one year, by 50 and 29 percent, respectively, for angioplasty and cardiac catheterization.

"Collaboration between providers and health plans is critical, and through industry-leading programs such as Q-HIP, we ha
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SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Copyright©2007 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

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