Independence Blue Cross Extends Funding to Enhance Patient Safety at Area...( Commitment of $3 million through 2011...),Health

Commitment of $3 million through 2011 to the Partnership for Patient Care will help to prevent infections and medical errors, improve care

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Blue Cross announced today that it will extend its support for the Partnership for Patient Care, a quality and patient safety effort led by southeastern Pennsylvania hospitals, with funding of $3 million through 2011. The funding will be provided to the Health Care Improvement Foundation, a nonprofit health and safety organization that oversees the Partnership's projects. Matching funds will be raised from the hospital community in 2009, reflecting the Partnership's broad-based commitment to accelerating the implementation of evidence-based clinical practices.

Launched in 2006 with IBC's three-year financial support of $1.25 million, the Partnership initially focused on the prevention of hospital-acquired infections. Nearly every area hospital has participated in a number of Partnership initiatives that promote the use of evidence-based best practices to improve the quality and safety of health care in our region. In addition, a 2003 hospital effort supported by IBC, to improve medication safety at area hospitals, became a nationally recognized model for enhancing the quality of patient care.

"I congratulate IBC for once again showing its strong commitment to working with hospitals on making our region one of the safest places in the country to receive care," said Kate Flynn, president of the Health Care Improvement Foundation. "We are looking forward to the continued progress and success of the Partnership for Patient Care on future projects that tackle many of our region's most vital health care concerns."

"The Partnership for Patient Care unites health care professionals with a common goal to make health care safer for everybody. It also reaffirms the fact that when many different sta
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