Wilson N. Jones Medical Center announced that its participation in the 100,000 Lives Campaign, contributed to the estimated 122,300 number of lives saved in this unprecedented national initiative. The landmark 18-month Campaign was initiated by the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in December of 2004 and challenged U.S. hospitals to save 100,000 lives through the implementation of six proven health care interventions.
Hospitals participating in the Campaign agreed to implement one or more of six evidence-based interventions. WNJ began participating in the 100K in December 2005 and has implemented the following two of those interventions:
- Activate a Rapid Response Team at the first sign that a patient’s condition is worsening and may lead to a more serious medical emergency.
The Rapid Response Teams (RRT), also known as “Road Runner Team” consists of a critical-care nurse, respiratory therapist, house supervisor and pharmacist. The team is available 24/7 to bedside nurses when they have a patient they are worried about, for any reason. Research has shown that subtle signs of distress are evident hours before a patient’s condition drastically deteriorates. The RRT brings their advanced assessment skills and critical care experience to non-critical areas. They provide a powerful support system to the floor staff, helping to ensure the best possible outcome for the patient.
Since implementation of the RRT they have seen a 20% decrease in the average number of cardiac arrests occurring at WNJ per month. This is an important outcome as typically, only 17% of patients who experience cardiac arrest survive to discharge.
- Prevent medication errors by ensuring that accurate and continually updated lists of patients’ medication are referenced during their hospital stay. Particularly at transition points in which 46% of all medication errors occur.
Medication reconciliation ensures that patients receive all intended medication and no unintended medications following transitions in care. The process begins with either a nurse or physician asking the patient what medications the patient takes at home. These medications include herbal supplements and over the counter remedies. At this point, the physician reconciles by determining what medications are appropriate or not appropriate to continue during their hospitalization or outpatient procedure. Any time a patient is transferred to another level of care within their facility, a review of the current medications again occurs. Finally, at either discharge from the hospital or transfer to another facility, the reconciliation occurs back to the home medications that were listed upon admission and to the medications that the patient received while at the hospital. Any new orders are also taken into consideration during this final reconciliation process. The last function of this process is to communicate the medication list to the next provider of care. This is provided either to the primary care physician or to the next facility.
This initiative emphasizes the importance of patients keeping a list of their current medications in order to assist the hospital care team in obtaining accurate medication information. To help individuals with this, WNJ provides free medication listing cards which may be picked up at the front information desk of the hospital.
With the implementation of the medication reconciliation process in December, WNJ has seen a decline in the number of adverse medication events related to medication reconciliation. While this process continues to evolve, the goal is to eliminate any medication error related to a missed reconciliation.
The 3,000 hospitals participating in the Campaign are located in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Please visit www.ihi.org/campaign to learn more about the Campaign or to see a full list of participating hospitals (by state).