Second Webinar in Patient Safety Webinar Series

Efforts to improve care coordination and decrease hospital readmissions will be the topic of the second webinar in the Partnership for Patients-National Priorities Partnership (NPP) Patient Safety Webinar Series.  “Reducing Readmissions through Care Transitions,” will address reducing hospital admissions by 20% through the reduction of preventable complications which often occur during the transition from one care setting to another.

As part of an ongoing series hosted by the NPP, which is convened by the National Quality Forum, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the interactive webinar will take place on July 6 from 3:00 – 4:30pm ET. Advance registration for the event is recommended, and is now available online.

Hospital readmissions cost the federal government more than $26 billion annually, representing a large Medicare expenditure that, with the correct precautions, can be largely preventable. The “Reducing Readmissions through Care Transitions” webinar will identify key barriers to widespread adoption of successful models and programs that improve care transitions, and corresponding policy drivers that could accelerate progress nationally. Key thought leaders in the field of patient safety will have the opportunity to share best practices, success stories, and strategies for getting started. Speakers will also provide examples of public-private partnerships working to address barriers at the policy and/or implementation levels.

NPP, consistent with the aims of the National Quality Strategy, continues to focus its efforts on catalyzing action that will help improve care coordination. Earlier this year, NPP released a Compact Action Brief recommending specific actions, such as improved procedures for admitting and discharging patients, delivering better follow-up care, and utilizing health information technology, that can help reduce healthcare costs through the prevention of hospital readmissions.

The inaugural webinar in the series, “An Overview of the Partnership for Patients and Getting Started in Your Organization,” featured Donald Berwick, MD, MPP, Administrator, and Joseph McCannon, BA, Senior Advisor, at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). A full recording of the webinar is available online.

Additional upcoming webinar topics will include:

        Adverse Drug Events – July 19 at 1pm ET

o    Speaker: Michael Cohen, MS, ScD, RPh, President, Institute for Safe Medication Practices

        Infections in the Intensive Care Units – August 3 at 2pm ET

o    Speaker: Peter Pronovost, MD, PhD, Medical Director, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

        Surgical Site Infections
        Pressure Ulcers and Injuries from Falls
        Venous Thromboembolism
        Obstetrical Adverse Events

With each of these sessions, national experts will present effective solutions, and an expert panel of NPP partners will contribute to the follow-up discussion of how to realize these solutions nationally. The webinar series will be available, free of charge, for audio streaming. Space is limited, and advance registration is recommended to ensure real-time participation. All webinars will be recorded, archived, and made available on NQF’s website after each event.

Learn more about this webinar series and register for the second event: http://www.qualityforum.org/Events/Webinars/Patient_Safety_Webinars/Webinar_2/Webinar_2__Reducing_Readmissions_through_Care_Transitions.aspx. To learn more about the Partnership for Patients pledge, please visit their website. Learn about other activities and programs at NQF to enhance care coordination and patient safety.

The National Priorities Partnership, convened by the National Quality Forum, is a multi-stakeholder group including organizations representing the interests of consumers, purchasers, healthcare providers and professionals, state-based associations, community collaborative and regional alliances, government agencies, health plans, accreditation and certification bodies, and supplier and industry groups. To learn more, please visit: http://www.qualityforum.org/Setting_Priorities/NPP/National_Priorities_Partnership.aspx.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/350838#ixzz1QlDjbNyb