Greeley County Health Services is among 115 hospitals across Kansas being recognized for its exemplary achievements to improve patient safety.

The Kansas Healthcare Collaborative (KHC) recognized Kansas hospitals recently at the conclusion of the AHA/HRET Network - a major patient safety initiative spearheaded by the American Hospital Association/Health Research & Educational Trust (AAHA/HRET) and coordinated in Kansas by KHC.

Greeley County Health Services received the “Highest Achievement” recognition for working toward AHA/HRET Network goals set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to reduce hospital-acquired conditions and preventable readmissions.

“We are pleased to receive this special recognition of our team’s patient-focused efforts to provide the best care possible to those we serve,” said Trice Watts, Interim CEO/CFO of Greeley County Health Services. “Working with the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative and its partners has provided our team the opportunity to advance patient safety and health outcomes more efficiently and effectively.”

Since October 2016, more than 115 Kansas hospitals have worked collaboratively with KHC to achieve a 20 percent reduction in hospital-acquired conditions and a 12 percent reduction in 30-day hospital readmissions from 2014 baselines. Participating hospitals placed special focus on reducing patient harm, such as falls, adverse drug events, hospital-acquired infections, and pressure injuries. Hospitals also made progress in implementing key strategies for promoting health equity and patient and family engagement.

“We as a quality team have always put the patient first. We have worked really hard to reach our quality scores. Some of our quality projects have included starting bedside report to promote better communication and patient/family involvement in the patient’s plan of care. We constantly monitor quality measures for patient safety such as medication administration, reduction of patient falls, etc. We work hard to ensure our patients receive safe and high-quality care, and we are really proud of the achievements we’ve made,” said Lisa Larkin, Quality Coordinator at Greeley County Health Services.

Hospitals across the state and nation have been working since 2010 to achieve national patient safety goals established by federal agencies. Nationwide, between 2010 and 2015, an estimated 125,000 fewer patients died in a hospital and approximately $22.8 billion in health care costs were saved as a result in reductions in hospital-acquired conditions, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

“We extend our congratulations and gratitude to all the hospitals across Kansas who participated in the AHA/HRET Network,” said KHC Executive Director Allison Peterson DeGroff. “For several years, this community of collaborative peers has inspired and driven each other to excel in leading data-driven quality improvement. It is challenging work – and it is critical work. Each hospital’s incremental changes lead to an exponential impact on the lives of patients and their families.”

For AHA.HRET Network included more than 1,600 hospitals across 34 states and U.S. territories.