American Hospital Association Launches Platform to Further Patient-Centered Care.

AHA-Endorsed Products Help Hospitals Improve Patient Flow

WASHINGTON -- AHA Solutions, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association (AHA), announced today the launch of, The Patient Flow platform, a portfolio of AHA-endorsed products and services designed to improve hospital performance and contribute to the enhancement and delivery of care, safety and well-being of the patients and communities hospitals serve. The new portfolio offers hospitals educational tools and services to increase their capacity to serve more patients; reduce the impediments that create patient flow problems; improve the consistency, quality, and safety of care; and improve the experience and satisfaction of the people they serve.

This portfolio of services is a response to the immense challenges hospitals face in coordinating complex and interrelated workflow processes. This is done in an intense, highly regulated environment, while working to achieve patient satisfaction. Physicians, nurses, hospital administrators and staff work to reduce inefficiencies and streamline patient care processes so that both patient experiences and organizational performance are enhanced. Endorsed products will include services and technologies that affect hospitals' ability to better serve the patient from the time of referral through scheduling and admissions. The platform will include a variety of applications and technologies to improve processes during a patient's hospital visit through their discharge, and follow-up. AHA Solutions will look to find products and services that offer hospitals additional strategies to enhance their relationships with the patients and communities they serve.

"The primary mission of hospitals has always been to provide quality care for patients," says Anthony J. Burke, president and CEO of AHA Solutions. "The services we're offering through this platform will help chief executives, chief nursing officers and other top administrators remain focused on the patient while striving to maintain efficiency, improve operational performance, adhere to and comply with regulations and reach out to the community in meaningful ways."

"Every day, the Quality Center talks with hospitals about the challenges they face in delivering quality health care," says Stephen Mayfield, senior vice president and executive director of the American Hospital Association's Quality Center. "The Quality Center is working hand-in-hand with AHA Solutions to help identify hospitals most critical needs and to bring practical tools to hospitals."

The AHA has recently endorsed two products for this platform: Stockamp & Associates' Inpatient Flow Patient Progression([R]) solution consulting services and GetWellNetWork, Interactive Patient Care. Diligent, Safe Patient Handling endorsed earlier will also be included in this portfolio of products and services.

"We are extremely pleased that the Inpatient Flow component of our Patient Progression([R]) solution received the first AHA endorsement for this platform," says Dale Stockamp, CEO of Stockamp & Associates. "Our solution strives to enhance the patient experience by delivering more consistent, timely and higher quality care. The result is increased satisfaction - both for the patient and family, as well as the physicians and staff as their time is managed more efficiently and their skills are put to their best use. More effective patient flow gives hospitals the ability to significantly increase effective capacity and improve their bottom line."

Designed to engage, empower and prepare patients to be active participants in their health care process, AHA has recognized the GetWellNetwork[R] PatientLife System[R], a comprehensive solution that transforms the television in the patient room into a full interactive resource and daily guide during a hospital stay. "GetWellNetwork solutions are enabling health care organizations to deliver true patient-centered care, while helping to improve the cost, quality and service of care delivery," says Michael O'Neil, Jr., founder and CEO of GetWellNetwork, Inc. "We are pleased to be a part of this important new initiative for the AHA and look forward to working together to bring innovative solutions to the health care community."

For more information on the Patient Flow products and services endorsed by the American Hospital Association, contact Mary Longe, Director for AHA Solutions, at [phone] or [e-mail], or visit www.aha-solutions.org

About AHA

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which includes more than 4,800 hospitals, health care systems, networks, and other providers of care, and 37,000 individuals. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA Web site at www.aha.org.

About AHA Solutions

AHA Solutions, Inc. is a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association (AHA) whose purpose is to identify and/or develop products and services that help hospitals and health care organizations operate more effectively and efficiently. As the only area of the AHA with rights to award the AHA Endorsement, the company relies on its disciplined due diligence and healthcare industry knowledge to remain an objective resource to health care leaders in the areas of Patient Flow, Employee Benefits, Human Resources, Risk Management, Finance/Revenue Cycle Management and Technology. For more information, contact AHA Solutions at [phone] or visit www.aha-solutions.org.