The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) national Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN) program ended on March 31, 2020. More than 4,000 hospitals across the nation have participated in this CMS quality improvement and patient safety project since 2016.

HAH partnered with Premier, Inc. and the Premier HIIN included twenty-one Hawaii hospital members. Non-members included community partners, such as the Hawaii Department of Health and the State Office of Primary Care and Rural Health, which together form the Hawaii Affinity Team. The Premier HIIN had 506 participating hospitals, so there were many opportunities for Hawaii facilities to learn and share best practices across the country.

The overall HIIN goals were to reduce patient harm and adverse events, and reduce all-cause hospital re-admissions, with an increased focus on disparate (under-served) populations and patient engagement.

Premier, Inc. was one of only 16 organizations nationwide that was awarded a contract by CMS to perform this national patient safety and quality improvement work. Hospital participation in the HIIN was completely voluntary, and HAH was very pleased and fortunate to have most of its acute care and critical access hospital members join.

Premier HIIN hospitals exceeded the 20 percent reduction goals in healthcare-associated infections such as Clostridium difficile (C.diff), central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), and also reduced incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE), respiratory failure, and adverse drug events associated with anticoagulant medications. Premier HIIN hospitals also demonstrated progress in decreasing ventilator-associated events (VAE), falls, pressure injuries, sepsis, and re-admissions.

Throughout the HIIN program, multiple Hawaii hospitals achieved national awards for excellence and patient safety, shared success stories in quality and patient care with the other participating hospitals across the nation, and also presented webinars and live presentations.

We are proud of the tremendous work that our hospitals do to improve patient safety and the quality of care and treatment in our state!

HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION OF HAWAII

It’s about improving the quality of care for everyone.