HHS Recognizes Facilities for Preventing HAIs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recognized 37 hospital and healthcare facilities for their efforts to prevent, and eventually eliminate, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), a leading cause of death in the U.S. The facilities are the first to be honored as part of a new national awards program to highlight successful and sustained efforts to prevent HAIs, specifically infections in critical care settings. Awards were given on two levels according to specific criteria tied to national standards. The Outstanding Leadership Award went to teams and organizations that sustained success in reaching their targets for 25 months or more. The Sustained Improvement Award recognized teams that demonstrated consistent and sustained progress over an 18- to 24-month period.

HHS recently launched the Partnership for Patients, a new national partnership with hospitals, medical groups, consumer groups and employers that will help save lives by preventing millions of injuries and complications in patient care over the next three years. HHS has set a goal of decreasing preventable hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent (compared with 2010 rates) by the end of 2013. Achieving that goal should result in approximately 1.8 million fewer injuries and illnesses to patients, with more than 60,000 lives saved over the next three years. The partnership has the potential to save up to $35 billion across the healthcare system, including up to $10 billion in Medicare savings over the next three years.