HRET Effort Reduces Infections

Patient safety

HRET-led project reduces CAUTI infections in nursing homes

Long-term care facilities participating in a federal project led by the American Hospital Association’s Health Research & Educational Trust reduced catheter-associated urinary tract infections by 54 percent, according to a study published May 19 in JAMA Internal Medicine. The project adapted the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program for use in long-term care facilities. More than 400 facilities participating in the project from March 2014 through August 2016 reduced their CAUTI rates from 6.4 to 3.3 per 1,000 catheter days. To view the study, visit jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine.

Payment reform

CMS guide highlights MACRA assistance

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued a guide summarizing technical assistance resources available to clinicians participating in the new payment system for clinicians under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act. The guide is available at qpp.cms.gov/resources/education.

Lung disease

NIH issues national action plan for COPD

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has released a national plan for addressing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the third-leading cause of death in the United States. Developed at the request of Congress and with input from the COPD community, the plan focuses on empowering patients, families and caregivers to recognize and reduce the burden of the disease; equipping health care professionals to provide comprehensive care to people with COPD; enhancing public health data; increasing COPD research; and translating policy and other recommendations into research and actions. The NHLBI is part of the National Institutes of Health. The plan is available at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-pro/resources/lung/copd-national-action-plan.

Quality

Study: Readmission interventions work, but cost savings vary

Efforts to reduce hospital readmissions are working, but they don't always save money, according to a review of 50 quality improvement studies published May 30 in JAMA Internal Medicine. The quality improvement interventions examined reduced readmissions by an average 12.1 percent for heart failure patients and 6.3 percent for older adults with diverse health issues, but their economic effect on health systems varied from an average net savings of $972 per person among heart failure patients to average net losses of $169 per person among other patients. To view the study, visit jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine.

Cybersecurity

Institute has tips on ransomware protection

ECRI Institute has released guidance to help hospitals protect their medical device systems from ransomware attacks. The report provides recommendations for adapting general cybersecurity principles to the particular requirements of medical device systems, including do’s and don’ts for quickly responding to emerging threats. The report is available at www.ecri.org/components/HDJournal/Pages/Ransomware-Attacks-How-to-Protect-Your-Systems.aspx.

American Hospital Association

AHA names senior VP of member relations

Ryan Frazier, who led his own strategic consulting company and has had a number of links to the AHA and its membership, is moving into a new role as AHA senior vice president of member relations. A former member of the Business Advisory Council to the Coalition to Protect America's Health Care and previously a Health Research & Educational Trust senior fellow, Frazier also recently served as senior adviser of strategic relations and head of government relations for Air Methods Corp. "Ryan is a highly capable and well-respected leader with great communication skills, and his diverse background in business, community service and public service will be an asset to our association," AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said. Visit www.aha.org.