Cardinal Health Foundation Grants $537,000 to Rural, Public Hospitals in Support of IHI'S 5 Million Live...( 37 Hospitals Receive Funding ...),Health

37 Hospitals Receive Funding To Implement Safety Initiatives

DUBLIN, Ohio, Dec. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- To increase the number of rural and public hospitals participating in the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's (IHI) 5 Million Lives Campaign, the Cardinal Health Foundation announced today it is granting $537,000 to 37 hospitals that enroll and report their data to IHI. Hospitals will receive an average of $15,000 each to help deepen their commitment and ability to implement IHI initiatives, aimed at protecting patients from five million incidents of medical harm over two years (December 2006 - December 2008).

Cardinal Health worked with The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) and the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems (NAPH) to oversee the application process and review grant applications. Both associations will administer the grants.

"The Cardinal Health Foundation has once again made a wonderful contribution to American hospitals in their efforts to improve the quality and safety of the health care they provide," said Joe McCannon, vice president and 5 Million Lives Campaign manager at the IHI. "This funding gives crucial energy and confidence to a new group of public and rural facilities, engaging them more deeply in their urgent work to reduce injury and connecting them to a vibrant network of hundreds - even thousands - of peer facilities across the nation."

"We believe it is vitally important to support health care initiatives and innovation aimed at improving patient safety and quality of care," said Jim Mazzola, vice president of Cardinal Health and the Cardinal Health Foundation. "The 5 Million Lives Campaign is an exemplary program with the noble mission of saving patient lives. We are proud to be one of its leading sponsors."

Hospitals receiving the grants include:

Allendale County Hospital, Fairfax, S.C.

Ashley County Medical Center, Crossett, Ark.'/>"/>