Thirty-four northeastern Ohio hospitals have shown "dramatic progress" in efforts to improve healthcare quality by following national best practices guidelines for patients with certain medical conditions.
A new report by the Northeast Ohio Quality Collaborative reveals that the hospitals have demonstrated a 7.6 percent improvement in providing recommended care to pneumonia patients, a 13 percent improvement for heart failure patients, a 5.9 percent improvement for heart attack patients and a 13.9 percent improvement for surgical patients.
"The Northeast Ohio Quality Collaborative is Ohio's newest and largest regional quality collaborative," said Marianne Lorini, president and CEO of the Akron Regional Hospital Association. "By sharing the new report, the participating hospitals are highlighting their commitment to improving quality of care by sharing results with other healthcare providers and the public."
Since 2007, 34 northeastern Ohio hospitals have been sharing and implementing best practices for specific medical conditions. The effort focuses on care improvements to patients with four of the most common conditions for which adults are admitted to hospitals.
"This diverse group of providers is achieving remarkable results, proving collaboration works," said David Engler, vice president of the Ohio Hospital Association's Quality Institute.
The OHA's Quality Institute is an initiative emphasizing "transformational change in areas of quality and safety" in Ohio hospitals. The organization, together with the ARHA, established the Northeast Ohio Quality Collaborative.