FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Further Information Contact:
Reggi Veatch
Senior Communications Manager
veatchr@dfmc.org
410-872-9646

Delmarva Foundation Celebrates
Acheivements of Hospitals in 100,000 Lives Campaign
for Improving Patient Care and Safety
IHI Today Announces Total Number of Lives Saved During Nationwide Campaign
Patients in Maryland and District of Columbia Receiving Better, Safer Hospital Care

Easton, MD, June 14, 2006 - Delmarva Foundation, Medicare’s Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) in Maryland and the District of Columbia, announced today that patients are receiving better care in area hospitals as a result of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) landmark 100,000 Lives Campaign.  As of early this April, IHI calculated that more than 84,000 lives had already been saved- a reduction in mortality reported by participating hospitals across the nation. Thirty-four local hospitals have contributed to these admirable improvements in the quality of care and patient safety in this country. Today the total number of lives saved in the 100,000 Lives Campaign will be announced.

Launched in December of 2004, the 100,000 Lives Campaign is the first-ever national campaign to promote saving a specified number of lives in hospitals by a certain date, June 14, 2006.  The campaign operates on the three levels: national, regional (or node), and individual hospital or system. Delmarva Foundation acts as a node for Maryland and the District. As a node organization, Delmarva Foundation (DF) applies its quality improvement activities in the region to support IHI’s 100,000 Lives Campaign.  Thirty-one facilities in Maryland and three in DC participate in the campaign. Many participate in collaborative programs organized by the Delmarva Foundation. Delmarva’s “100k Lives and Beyond Collaborative”, sponsored by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, brings together 59 teams to implement life-saving interventions in intensive care units and operating rooms. The teams learn and share strategies to make rapid changes promoting key measures proven to save lives.

Delmarva Foundation also leads other projects that promote campaign goals throughout the state, region, and nation. Nationally, Delmarva coordinates with the Association of American Medical Colleges to facilitate an innovative Rapid Response System Collaborative that has brought together 50 teams nationwide to prevent deaths and cardiac arrests in hospital patients. In partnership with the Maryland Hospital Association through the Maryland Patient Safety Center, Delmarva Foundation is currently facilitating an Emergency Department Collaborative in Maryland.  Delmarva Foundation also established the Appropriate Care Excellence Network among 18 area hospitals to implement interventions that reduce mortality.

The 34 area hospitals are among the more than 3,000 hospitals nationwide that have joined to make this lifesaving campaign a tremendous success. As part of the campaign, individual hospitals are charged with implementing one or more of six changes that can save lives. 

• Deployment of Rapid Response Teams at the first sign that a patient’s condition is worsening and may lead to a more serious medical emergency.
• Delivery of reliable evidence-based care to prevent patients from dying of heart attacks.
• Prevention of medication errors by ensuring that accurate and continually updated medications lists are referenced during patients’ hospital stays, particularly at transition points.
• Prevention of infections for patients who are receiving medicines and fluids through central lines by following five, scientifically grounded steps called the “Central Line Bundle.”
• Prevention of surgical site infections by following a series of steps, including the timely administration of antibiotics.  
• Prevention of pneumonia in patients on ventilators by following four interdependent, scientifically grounded steps.

In particular, Delmarva Foundation celebrates the five high-achieving hospitals that stepped forward to act as national “mentor hospitals” The mentor hospitals have been recognized nationally for their success and serve as mentors to other hospitals working on the IHI interventions.  Franklin Square Medical Center and Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore are mentors for rapid response team implementation. Additionally, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center is a mentor facility for prevention of central line blood stream infections.  Frederick Memorial Hospital in Frederick, MD is the mentor hospital for prevention of medication errors.  Harford Memorial Hospital in Havre de Grace, and Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, MD are mentor facilities that other hospitals can look to for help in preventing ventilator associated pneumonia.  Additionally, IHI highlighted Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, MD for successfully reducing ventilator associated pneumonia.

“The June 14th campaign milestone marks a time to celebrate the successes of the first 18 months. It also marks a time to recommit and redouble the efforts to accelerate the spread the campaign’s improvement interventions,” said Maulik Joshi, DrPH, President and CEO, Delmarva Foundation. “The 100,000 Lives Campaign has created a valuable asset for the entire health care profession – a national and regional infrastructure that will drive change into the future. It is an honor to work with so many dedicated health care providers.”

“Hospitals are not only demonstrating a dedication to saving lives during the 100,000 Lives Campaign,” said Dr. Donald Berwick, President and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. “They are also implementing important changes in health care delivery that will reduce preventable illness and death beyond the Campaign’s June 2006 deadline.”

On June 14th, in conjunction with the IHI Annual International Hospital Summit in Atlanta, the health care community convenes to publicly announce its progress toward the 100,000 lives goal.  To learn more about the 100,000 Lives Campaign, view the updated number of lives saved, and see a full list of participating hospitals (by state), please visit  www.ihi.org/campaign .

# # #

About Delmarva Foundation
Delmarva Foundation is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality in over 20 states. Since 1973, Delmarva has assisted in improving care in hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, medical practices and health plans. Delmarva performs quality improvement, quality assurance, utilization review, external quality review and Program Safeguard activities. The company's corporate headquarters are located in Easton, Maryland with other offices in Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, DC; Columbia, South Carolina; Tampa, Florida; and Tallahassee, Florida. For more information, please visit Delmarva Foundation on the web at www.delmarvafoundation.org.