Win Whitcomb: Mortality Rates Become a Measuring Stick for Hospital Performance

The Hospitalist. 2013 February;2013(02):

February 1, 2013 | The Hospitalist

Proponents of mortality as a quality measure point to it as the ultimate reflection of the care provided. While moving the needle might seem like a task too big to undertake, a disciplined approach to the elements of the driver diagram combined with a robust documentation program can provide your institution with a tangible focus on this definitive measure.

Dr. Whitcomb is medical director of healthcare quality at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass. He is a co-founder and past president of SHM. Email him at wfwhit@comcast.net.

The View from the Center

The “Drivers for Lowering Mortality” described in Win’s column read like a “Successories” motivational picture—you know, the ones in offices with the soaring eagle that say “Fly High” and other inspirational phrases. Most of the time, they are very simple. In the case of the “drivers,” they, too, are simple. Yet reducing harm or improving teamwork might not seem so simple when faced with the pressures of today’s hospital environment.

However, the “drivers” provide a roadmap for overcoming these challenges, and SHM can help you avoid potholes along the way:

Reduce harm and improve evidence-based care: SHM’s award-winning mentored implementation programs in glycemic control, VTE, and care transitions offer practical, evidence-based, and field-tested interventions to reduce harm in these topical areas. These programs (www.hospitalmedicine.org/qi) support the development of interventions that optimize care and, thus, reduce mortality.
Improve teamwork: Multidisciplinary teams are critical components to all of the mentored implementation programs. SHM offers a comprehensive resource for improving teamwork related to cardiac arrest through its Resuscitation Resource Center (www.hospitalmedicine.org/rrc).
Improve transitions of care: SHM’s Project BOOST has garnered national attention for improving care transitions in the hospitals in which it has been implemented. Exciting new developments within Project BOOST include incorporation of palliative-care resources into the care-transition process, as well as building additional tools for discharge to post-acute care facilities. Visit www.hospitalmedicine.org/boost for more information.