Alegent Health Expands Relationship with Premier, Hospitals to Use Innovative Infection Tracking Tool.Premier Healthcare Alliance's SafetySurveillor[TM] Continuously Detects, Monitors Healthcare Associated Infections via Web-based Application See Web application. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Premier healthcare alliance today announced that it is expanding its relationship with Alegent Health of Omaha, Neb., to drive significant improvements in cost and quality across the system. Alegent is implementing SafetySurveillor[TM] in five Nebraska and Iowa hospitals to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and optimize antibiotic use, protecting patients and reducing hospital costs. More than 200 hospitals have selected the Web-based system to enhance patient care, making SafetySurveillor the most widely adopted infection control solution over the past 12 months. Alegent Health is the largest not-for-profit, faith-based healthcare system in Nebraska and southwestern Iowa with nine acute care hospitals, more than 100 sites of service, and more than 1,300 physicians on its medical staff. It has been an owner of the Premier Purchasing Partners group purchasing network since 1988. Alegent Health also uses other Premier performance improvement tools and services and participates actively in Premier cost, quality and patient safety initiatives. "Around the country, super bugs resistant to many antibiotics are on the rise, making infection eradication inside our hospital walls critical," said Mark Kestner, MD, Alegent Health vice president and chief quality officer. "SafetySurveillor provides Alegent Health physicians, nurses and hospital staff an innovative tool to defend against such infections for the benefit and safety of our patients." Alegent Health hospitals that will deploy SafetySurveillor are: * Alegent Health - Bergan Mercy Medical Center, Omaha, Neb.; * Alegent Health - Immanuel Medical Center, Omaha, Neb.; * Alegent Health - Lakeside Hospital, Omaha, Neb.; * Alegent Health - Mercy Hospital Mercy Hospital or Mercy Medical Center could refer to the following hospitals in:
* Alegent Health - Midlands Hospital, Papillion, Neb. SafetySurveillor helps hospitals meet state-mandated public reporting of certain HAIs, including screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Methicillin-aminoglycoside resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA An organism with multiple antibiotic resistances–eg, aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, erythromycin, rifampin, tetracycline, (MRSA MRSA Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. See MARSA. ) and Clostridium difficile Clostridium difficile A common cause of bacterial colitis; it is the causative agent in 99% of pseudomembranous colitis, and 20-30% of antibiotic-associated diarrhea , some of the most common and harmful infections found in hospitals today. With the automated SafetySurveillor system, hospitals can detect HAIs, alert staff and facilitate timely intervention to reduce and prevent infections. Premier's SafetySurveillor is one of the HAI HAI Health Action International HAI Healthcare-Associated Infections HAI Helicopter Association International HAI Hospital Acquired Infection HAI Hemagglutination Inhibition (Immune assay type, microbiology) surveillance system software vendors participating in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), agency of the U.S. Public Health Service since 1973, with headquarters in Atlanta; it was established in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center. project to develop a standards-based solution for transmission of HAI data from hospitals using existing commercial software systems to the agency's National Healthcare Safety network. About Alegent Health Alegent Health is the largest not-for-profit, faith-based healthcare system in Nebraska and southwestern Iowa with nine acute care hospitals, more than 100 sites of service, over 1,300 physicians on its medical staff and more than 8,600 employees. Alegent Health is making healthcare better with an exceptional commitment to quality and by providing patient focused care for the body, mind and spirit of every person consistent with its faith-based mission. Alegent Health continues the health ministry begun by its sponsors, Catholic Health Initiatives and Immanuel Health Systems, more than a hundred years ago. Alegent Health offers a continuum of care, from women's and children's services, primary care, wellness counseling, and senior care to cardiovascular services, orthopedics, oncology, physical rehabilitation physical rehabilitation See Physical therapy. , home care and behavioral health Behavioral health was first used in the 1980's to name the combination of the fields mental health and substance abuse. As an example, an organization serving both mental health and substance abuse clients might refer to its practice as behavioral health or . About Premier Inc., 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is given by the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology. Through the actions of the National Productivity Advisory Committee chaired by Jack Grayson, it was established by the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality recipient Serving 1,700 U.S. hospitals and more than 49,000 other healthcare sites, the Premier healthcare alliance and its members are transforming healthcare together. Owned by not-for-profit hospitals, Premier operates one of the leading healthcare purchasing networks and the nation's most comprehensive repository of hospital clinical and financial information. A subsidiary operates one of the nation's largest policy-holder owned, hospital professional liability risk-retention groups. A world leader in helping healthcare providers deliver dramatic improvements in care, Premier is working with the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), previously known as the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that administers the Medicare program and to improve hospital performance. Headquartered in San Diego, Premier has offices in Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia, and Washington. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com. |
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