Hospitals Honored by DVHC for Innovations in Medication Safety.

PHILADELPHIA -- Four hospitals were recognized for their innovations in medication safety at the Delaware Valley Healthcare Council (DVHC) Annual Meeting on October 17, 2006.

This year's Delaware Valley Medication Safety Award and $5,000 cash prize were shared by two hospitals: Main Line Health of Jefferson Health System and Nazareth Hospital of Mercy Health System. Both hospitals developed evidence-based protocols to improve medication safety precautions for administration of Propofol, a short-acting general anesthetic agent used for moderate sedation of patients on mechanical ventilation in critical care units.

In addition, Albert Einstein Medical Center of Jefferson Health System and Jeanes Hospital of Temple University Health System received Honorable Mention Awards. Using a storage and identification strategy that could easily be adapted to other hospitals, Einstein developed an effective approach to assure correct distribution of drugs to units. Jeanes Hospital used a Hospital Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) Reporting Program as a pharmacy epidemiology tool to identify potential origins of ADRs and establish preventative interventions.

These safety initiatives were judged to be the most innovative among the programs submitted to the Selection Committee. This year's Selection Committee consisted of health leaders from all levels of government, health professionals from academia and providers, and payor organizations.

The Delaware Valley Medication Safety Award was initiated as a key component of the Regional Medication Safety Program for Hospitals (RMSPH), a collaborative effort to focus on 16 action goals to prevent medication errors in Southeastern Pennsylvania hospitals. Initiated in 2000, RMSPH is a unique partnership developed by DVHC's strategic partner, the Health Care Improvement Foundation (HCIF), and two nationally respected organizations: the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) and ECRI. The program is made possible by financial support from the region's hospitals, Independence Blue Cross and private foundations.

DVHC has awarded the Delaware Valley Medication Safety Awards for the past five years. As part of the award process, Southeastern Pennsylvania hospitals have developed and submitted more than 100 medication safety innovations. The awards program is designed to both recognize hospitals for best practices in medication safety and to promote the sharing of those practices across all hospitals. A key element of the award criteria is how easily the innovation could be replicated at other hospitals. This collaborative effort has served to enhance safe medication practices at hospitals throughout the Delaware Valley.

The Health Care Improvement Foundation (HCIF) mission is to support innovative efforts to improve health services the region's healthcare delivery system through the promotion of best practices in community health and patient safety in the Delaware Valley. DVHC is a member organization representing more than 150 healthcare organizations in Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and northern Delaware. Its mission is to assist member organizations to improve the health status of their communities and to exercise leadership in the appropriate restructuring of the regional healthcare delivery system through advocacy, information and education in the public interest. DVHC is part of The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP).

NOTE: Photos Available