Einstein Winner of 2008 Delaware Valley Patient Safety Award

Philadelphia, PA, October 14, 2008 ─ The Health Care Improvement Foundation (HCIF) has named Albert Einstein Healthcare Network the winner of its 2008 Delaware Valley Patent Safety Award for the Einstein project, “Raising the Bar with Bundles in Pharmacy Practice.” The project was one of 26 entries reviewed by an expert panel of judges.

According to HCIF, entries were evaluated based on contribution to patient safety, demonstration of leadership and organizational commitment to patient safety, significant and sustainable improvement, innovation and the potential for being replicated at other organizations.

In recognition of the honor, Einstein was awarded a grant of $5,000 to help continue to develop and advance patient safety initiatives. In addition, Einstein will be honored at the Delaware Valley Healthcare Council’s Annual Meeting on October 30, 2008.

In order to reduce medication errors, Einstein mapped out where risk points or vulnerabilities for error existed in its current medication process. Areas of opportunity to utilize a “bundle” approach all turned out to be at the checkpoints, thereby eliminating inconsistency and variations in the checking process.

The pharmacy “bundles” are performed using four redundant steps – two steps focus on the physician order itself to ensure it was entered correctly and two other steps are related to the identification of the medicine itself, and filling and checking the order and labeled medication. After a few months of implementation, Einstein experienced a 47 percent decrease in errors due to order entry, a 62 percent decrease in errors due to dispensing, and a 75 percent reduction in errors due to high alert medications.

“This indeed is an honor,” said Deborah Hauser, Network Director of Pharmacy. “Hospitals are places where people go to get well. Yet nationally there are approximately 15 million episodes of harm annually. Einstein has long held reducing incidents of medical harm at its facilities a top priority. It is rewarding to have this accomplishment in our pursuit of patient safety recognized in this way.”

 

CONTACT:            Rodney Yancey
                                 Manager, Corporate Communications
                                 215-456-3922
                                yanceyr@einstein.edu

Publish date: December 1, 2008