The US government has recently launched the Partnership for Patients: Better Care, Lower Costs, a public-private partnership that will help improve the quality, safety, and affordability of health care for all Americans.  Partnership for Patients brings together leaders of major hospitals, employers, physicians, nurses, and patient advocates along with state and federal governments in a shared effort to make hospital care safer, more reliable and less costly.

The two goals of this partnership are:

Keeping patients from getting injured or sicker.  Accidents happen, and too often patients in hospitals experience preventable harms.  The initiative seeks to increase efforts to prevent harm to patients in hospitals.  By the end of 2013, preventable hospital-acquired conditions would decrease by 40% compared to 2010.

Helping patients heal without complication.   Patients are often at their most vulnerable when leaving the hospital to continue healing at home, in an assisted living facility, or in another care setting.  The initiative seeks to improve continuity and effectiveness of care during transitions from one care setting to another and decrease preventable hospital readmissions within 30 days of discharge.  By the end of 2013, preventable complications during a transition from one care setting to another would be decreased so that all hospital readmissions would be reduced by 20% compared to 2010.

The Association of Safe Patient Handling has joined the Partnership.  While there is no specific committment involved with our participation, we join other groups such as hospitals, other care providers, employers and community organizations, in the effort to raise public awareness and educate others about the importance of making care safer and better coordinated.

For More Information Click Here