Articles
September 22, 2023
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Intermountain Health: Opioid Stewardship Health System Perspective
Intermountain Health reduced the number of opioid tablets prescribed to patients in acute pain by 3.8 million in 2018 and nearly 13 million cumulatively through June of 2023, reducing the risk of opioid dependency and misuse in Utah. In the early 2000s, the opioid epidemic hit the state of Utah and saw opioid overdose deaths […]
September 22, 2023
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Oregon Hospital Improves Use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)
Lake Health District Hospital, a 24-bed critical access hospital in Lakeview, Oregon, implemented steps to improve the safe use of opioids in their facility. Alena Acklin, process and quality improvement coordinator, chose to focus on the Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) as an important step to improve opioid prescribing practices. As part of this work, […]
August 11, 2023
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Mobile Infirmary in Alabama Improves Sepsis Bundle Compliance and Reduces Sepsis Mortality
Mobile Infirmary in Mobile, Alabama, is the largest non-governmental hospital in Alabama, with 669 licensed beds and 14 beds at Saraland Freestanding Emergency Department. In early 2016, a multidisciplinary committee was initiated to focus on the sepsis core measure and compliance after identifying the need for improvement. The committee approved nurse/pharmacy/ provider education, order sets, and […]
August 3, 2023
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Critical Access Hospital in Utah Focuses on Assessment of Social Determinants of Health to Reduce Readmissions
Like many hospitals, Kane County Hospital, a 25-bed critical access hospital located in Kanab, UT experienced an increase in patient readmissions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chief Nursing Officer Julia Sbragia, DNP, CNS, RN, was hired in 2022 and upon the first meeting with the Alliant HQIC partner, she reviewed the data and established the hospital’s […]
July 7, 2023
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Critical Access Hospital in Utah Implements Plan to Reduce Readmissions
As part of the HQIC program, Blue Mountain Hospital, an 11-bed critical access hospital located in Blanding, UT, reviewed their data to establish improvement priorities. The compliance program manager, Cari Spillman, MBAHM, CHCO, CIC, chose to work on reducing readmissions because of the impact on patients and the surrounding community of Blanding. Several gaps in […]
June 8, 2023
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Salina Surgical Hospital (KS) Improves Pain Management and Decreases Opioid Use
As part of the HQIC program, Salina Surgical Hospital (SSH), a 16-bed hospital located in Salina, KS, identified that Opioid Reduction would be a meaningful project for their group since a large portion of the procedures performed in their facility were Total Joint surgeries. This provided a population of patients to work toward improved opioid […]
May 30, 2023
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Elbert Memorial Hospital Reduces Hospital-Acquired Infections
Elbert Memorial Hospital, a 25-bed critical access hospital in Elberton, GA, set out to reduce healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) with a goal of 0 infections after an increase in early 2022. The team realized that just one patient contracting an HAI could be detrimental to the whole patient population. They focused on proper handwashing and teaching […]
April 24, 2023
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Athens-Limestone Hospital Committed to Opioid Stewardship and Reducing Patient Harm
Athens-Limestone Hospital, a 71-bed hospital in Athens, Alabama, is improving opioid stewardship by implementing steps to reduce patient harm from opioids through leadership commitment, partnership with physicians and forming an opioid stewardship committee. Previous improvement work in opioid stewardship was not continued during the COVID pandemic as the focus shifted to more urgent matters. An […]
November 29, 2022
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Kansas Critical Access Hospital Prevents CAUTI and Decreases Catheter Days
Cheyenne County, a 16-bed critical access hospital located in St. Francis, KS has decreased catheter days per patient days in the last year and is currently maintaining a zero rate with Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI). Cheyenne County Memorial recently participated in the HQIC performance improvement cohort based on two CAUTIs identified in 2021. […]