September 18, 2014

Shouldn't the place you rely on for quality care also be one of the safest? We agree - and data indicates hospitals are making great strides in doing just that. The federal government found that falls, infections and medication mistakes decreased nine percent nationally from 2010 to 2012 - saving $4 billion and improving patient experiences.

Hospitals are complex ecosystems, providing around-the-clock support for patients who need various levels of care, may not be very mobile, and who may be prone to slips and falls.

Programs Offering Promising Results

Locally, TriHealth has new programs to create the safest possible environment for our patients and team members. We are part of a statewide program that has reduced patient falls by 45 percent in two years.

Our 12,000 team members benefit, too. Injuries related to patient handling are the most costly occupational injuries in health care in terms of frequency and severity, such as days away from work and workers' compensation costs.

New Technologies Improve Outcomes

Helping patients more easily transfer from bed to chair, or to a diagnostic room, is a focal point in our strategy. New equipment helps minimize risks to patients and staff, enhances patients' dignity and can shorten hospital stays. Importantly, we have reduced related injuries to our team members and associates by 37 percent.

We're also applying technologies in new ways to reduce infections. TriHealth is among the first health systems to widely use a special type of ultraviolet light, previously used in water systems and clinical labs, to reduce infections. In one year, we lowered the rate of a common digestive tract infection by 57 percent. Now we are using this technology in our surgical suites and expanding its use at key points throughout our hospitals.