HIIN program to continue vital mission of creating safer hospitals, saving lives and
cutting costs to quality care

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release │ October 16, 2018
Media Contact: Shayna Diamond │602-445-4327 │[email protected]

PHOENIX — The Arizona Hospital & Healthcare Association (AzHHA) is proud to announce the continuation of its Hospital Improvement and Innovation Network (HIIN). A vital program that is improving patient care and saving lives in Arizona, HIIN has been extended through March 27, 2019.

“This is terrific news for AzHHA, for our 19 partner-hospitals participating in the program and, most importantly, for the patients and families across the state who will benefit from the continuation of this vital program,” said Sandy Severson, Vice President of Care Improvement for AzHHA. “We look forward to advancing and accelerating our efforts to prevent harms, save lives and ensure safe, reliable and cost-effective care at Arizona’s hospitals and health systems.”

Since 2016, AzHHA has been participating in the Health Research and Educational Trust (HRET) HIIN, which was selected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as one of 16 national, regional or state hospital associations to receive federal grant money to continue initiatives aimed at reducing patient harms and readmissions. Through 2019, these Hospital Improvement and Innovation Networks will work to achieve a 20 percent decrease in overall patient harm and a 12 percent reduction in 30-day hospital readmissions.

In Arizona alone, AzHHA hospitals involved in HIIN prevented 762 patient harms and experienced cost savings of nearly $10 million. “We have made significant progress in keeping patients safe,” said Vicki Buchda, Director of Care Improvement for AzHHA.

“We appreciate the unwavering dedication of our partner hospitals to improve care and cut costs, and we look forward to our continued collaboration to make Arizona’s hospitals and communities the safest and healthiest in the nation.”

For a full list of AzHHA HRET HIIN hospitals, key areas of focus and a progress report highlighting the program’s impact in Arizona, visit https://www.azhha.org/quality-hiin.

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