State's Patient Safety Report a Valuable Tool For Hospitals' Quality Improv...( PRINCETON N.J. Jan. 17 -- Follow...),Health

PRINCETON, N.J., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is a media statement attributable to Betsy Ryan, incoming President and CEO of the New Jersey Hospital Association:

"NJHA applauds the state upon today's release of its 2006 Patient Safety Initiative report. This is a valuable document for New Jersey's hospitals and their patients.

"This report gives us a wealth of information on which hospitals can focus their ongoing improvement efforts. The confidential reporting and collaborative spirit with the state Department of Health and Senior Services allows hospitals to share information in a non-punitive environment, fostering greater communication, openness and a shared commitment to improving care for all New Jerseyans.

"The report shows an increasing number of adverse events were reported by the state's hospitals in 2006. That's a positive. It's not necessarily an indicator that more events are occurring in our hospitals, but that hospitals are embracing the state's reporting initiative and bringing forward more incidents from which to learn and improve.

"Evidence of that progression can already be seen in the report. Pressure ulcers and patient falls are the most commonly reported serious adverse events. Not coincidentally, NJHA and the state's hospitals already are working with DHSS, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and other partners to address these, and other, quality concerns. It's all part of the journey of identifying events, talking openly to address them and - ultimately - improving the safety of healthcare for all we serve."