100,000 Lives campaign reduces deaths from medical errors

A campaign to reduce medical errors in hospitals has saved the lives of an estimated 122,300 patients at about 3,100 hospitals nationwide, according to data released June 14, at the conclusion of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s 100,000 Lives campaign, which began in December, 2004.

The campaign, sponsored by the IHI, supported by JCAHO, with more than 3,000 participating hospitals, focused on making six kinds of changes in patient care:

* deploy rapid response teams at the first sign of patient decline
* deliver reliable care for acute myocardial infarction to prevent deaths from heart attacks
* prevent adverse drug events by implementing medication reconciliation
* prevent central line infections
* prevent surgical site infections by delivering correct perioperative care
* prevent pneumonia

“The campaign has exceeded our highest expectations,” said Dr. Donald Berwick, president/ceo of the IHI. “The hospitals have not only prevented unnecessary deaths, but they’ve proven that it’s possible for the health care community to come together voluntarily to rapidly make significant changes in patient care.”