Quality and Safety News
This is a collection of news from UNC Health Care related to quality and safety initiatives.
Grateful for Every Breath
In 1990, Howell Graham was the first patient at UNC Hospitals with cystic fibrosis to receive a double lung transplant. Over the years he has tried several times, but couldn’t quite find the right words to say ‘thank you’ for the gift he received. Now, he says he’s finally ready.
UNC Hospitals, UNC REX Healthcare, High Point Regional, and Pardee earn Top Grades for Patient Safety from Leapfrog
Only 844 hospitals nationwide received “A” grades in the Fall 2016 Leapfrog report.
Audit Quarterly Newsletter now available
Audit, Compliance and Privacy Services has released the August 2016 edition of the Audit Quarterly.
N.C. Women’s Hospital recognized for excellence in infant safe sleep practices
The purpose of the award is to recognize hospitals that are proven leaders in infant safe sleep policy, practice and education.
UNC Children's initiates visitor restrictions for children under 12 in critical care units
Reported cases of pediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have triggered visitor restrictions for children under 12. Children age 11 years old and younger will not be permitted to visit UNC Children's Newborn Critical Care Center (NCCC) and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), or the Cancer Hospital's Bone Marrow Transplant Unit (BMTU), beginning Monday, Nov. 2, 2015.
Leveraging simulation to improve patient safety
A recent Carolina Week feature highlights how UNC Children's is leveraging simulation training and Team STEPPS to improve care team communications and help prevent medical errors.
Enhancing Resilience, Building a Stronger Patient Safety Culture
During the past two years, several units at UNC Hospitals have implemented resiliency tools to better protect themselves and their patients. As we prepare to take the 2015 Patient Safety Culture Survey, read about the role of resilience, 3 Anderson and the power of positivity, and why you should take the survey!
The Patient Safety Culture Survey closes on Oct. 17
The survey takes less than 10 minutes. Staff and faculty with direct patient care responsibility (inpatient and outpatient settings) or those whose work takes them to direct patient care areas are invited to participate.
Nurse leads research study to reduce needle sticks
Bedside nurse Nicoletta Constantin’s empathy for her patients has her leading a first-of-its-kind, nursing led research study to investigate a potential means to decrease the number of needle sticks cystic fibrosis patients endure with each inpatient admission.
$50,000 Seed Grants Awarded
Six projects have been awarded $50,000 each as part of the IHQI's Seed Grant program.
UNC-led project dramatically reduces newborn bloodstream infections in North Carolina
A quality improvement project championed by the UNC-led Perinatal Quality Collaborative of North Carolina (PQCNC) resulted in a 71 percent reduction in central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in 13 North Carolina NICUs, avoiding 110 infections annually and saving 17 lives a year. Study results were published in Pediatrics, official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Improved patient handoffs result from 2011 Patient Safety Culture Survey
Andrea Dicus, CNIII, Intermediate Surgical Care Unit (ISCU), is co-chair of the Nursing Handoffs and Transitions Task Force, which recommends using of a new standardized handoff tool to create safer patient handoffs at shift changes. Without the information gathered during the 2009 and 2011 Patient Safety Culture Surveys, the tool might not have been implemented, so be sure to take this year’s survey!
'Good Things' from 3 Anderson
Two weeks ago we featured Nurse Paige Roberts and the 'Three Good Things' tool of 3 Anderson as a reminder to take the 2013 Patient Safety Culture Survey before Nov. 20! Check out just a few examples of the the 'good things' from 3 Anderson!
UNC Medical Center Improvement Council established
Dr. William Roper, Dean of the UNC School of Medicine and CEO of UNC Health Care, has created a new UNC Medical Center Improvement Council to review performance data, set and measure goals, and manage resources related to health care quality improvement.
Pignone tapped to lead new UNC Institute for Health Care Quality Improvement
Michael Pignone, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine and Division Chief of General Medicine and Epidemiology, has been named director of the UNC Institute for Health Care Quality Improvement, which aims to establish UNC as the leading academic medical center in the area of clinical quality improvement. The new institute is a product of the UNC School of Medicine’s Strategic Plan.
UNC Hospitals receives national recognition from American College of Surgeons
This recognition program commends a select group of hospitals for achieving exemplary outcome performances related to patient management in five clinical areas.
August Privacy/Security Tip of the Month
August's tip of the month is a UNC Health Care Privacy and Information Security Awareness Event.
UNC Hospitals Honored By American Hospital Association for Quality, Safety, and Patient Care
UNC Hospitals was honored as a finalist for the coveted American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize.
UNC Hospitals qualifies for American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Gold Level Performance Achievement Award for heart attack care
The award recognizes UNC Hospitals’ commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients that effectively improves the survival and care of STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) patients.
July Privacy/Security Tip of the Month
July's tip of the month is "Properly Completing Interoffice Envelopes."