Latest issue of Patient Safety Monitor Journal now available

May 11, 2011

The June issue of Patient Safety Monitor Journal (formerly Briefings on Patient Safety) has been posted to the Patient Safety Monitor. The issue contains an article that explains what U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) hopes to accomplish with its new Partnership for Patients program.

U.S. Department of Health and ­Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a new patient safety initiative, Partnership for Patients, in April.

The program is a new public-private partnership to improve the quality, safety, and affordability of healthcare. It involves hospital leaders, health plans, physicians, nurses, patient advocates, and state and ­federal governments. The program has two goals:

·         Reduce hospital admissions resulting from preventable complications during a transition from one healthcare setting to another by 20% (as compared to 2010 rates) by the end of 2013

HHS estimates that meeting these goals will help save 60,000 lives and $35 billion over the next three years. The agency will use up to $1 billion in new funding ­provided by the Affordable Care Act.