Oral

In providing health care to heterogeneous populations and managing a complex spectrum of diseases across the lifespan, multiple gaps in quality and patient safety exist. Nonetheless, the identification of previous negative outcomes, patterns and possible future threats also facilitate the bridging of the quality chasm. Numerous agencies (eg. IOM, HHS, NIH, AHRQ) have released reports demonstrating the overall US health care quality is suboptimal--leaving significant disparities. Our researchers, providers and delivery systems have an obligation to strive for care that is not only effective and safe, but that also optimizes models of care and organization that promote best practices. On the basis that promoting and improving quality of care are major goals in our health system, this session examines a variety of patient safety issues and organizational practices that relate to care quality. Measuring patient safety and organizational best practices are central to health service quality improvement yet there are an abundance of methodologic and practical obstacles impeding this task. This session presents examples of the contrasting quality performance among and between organizations, data sources, and training environments. Variation in patient safety and clinical performance are addressed by authors representing a broad range of health care professional fields (e.g. public health, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social work), payers, and practice settings. The authors address particular data challenges such as: case-mix adjustment; language assistance provision; All Patient Refined DRG- mortality risk adjustment; analysis of large state-level inpatient and discharge data; informatics; electronic medical record data utilization; and nursing and pharmacy professional’s feedback for quality enhancement of medical resident training. In order to reduce iatrogenic conditions and improve positive health outcomes, methods must be shared among and between disciplines, settings and providers. The identification and amelioration of specific and systemic threats to patient safety and quality of care unify this diverse set of timely presentations. Moreover, the examination of best practices for potential application to other settings and professions promotes accelerated positive quality change. This session will expand the tangible and implementable knowledge base for: health care providers, health system managers, health services researchers, and policy analysts.

Session Objectives: 1. Identify three data sources that nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and facility administrators use for assessing levels of quality of care delivered. 2. Describe the variation in health service delivery quality from the best performance to worst performance in patient safety and quality. 3. List three opportunities for improving patient safety and quality of care.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)