DUBLIN, Ohio, March 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of
Patient Safety Awareness Week, Cardinal Health and the Cardinal
Health Foundation are reinforcing their ongoing commitment to
improving patient safety across the continuum of care through a
number of grants and initiatives.
Medical errors are the third-leading cause of death in
the United States, according to a
recent study by researchers at Johns Hopkins
University, published in BMJ (formerly the British
Medical Journal) in May, 2016. The researchers estimate that
medical errors claim as many as 251,000 lives every year.
Cardinal Health first recognized patient safety as an issue in
2009 when it supported the creation of Children's Hospitals'
Solutions for Patient Safety (SPS) – a network of what is now
130 hospitals sharing data and best practices with the mission of
eliminating serious harm across their hospitals. Recently selected
for the John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards, SPS
has saved an estimated 10,000 children from serious harm and has
eliminated more than $151 million in
healthcare costs.
"From the beginning, Cardinal Health shared our vision that no
child should experience serious harm during treatment," said
Nick Lashutka, president and CEO,
SPS and the Ohio Children's Hospital Association. "We're grateful
for their support and acknowledge their efforts to emphasize the
importance of safety in the delivery of healthcare."
In addition to its support of SPS, Cardinal Health has shown its
commitment to patient safety through the following initiatives:
- E3 (Effectiveness, Efficiency & Excellence in
Healthcare) grants. Through this grant program, the Cardinal
Health Foundation has invested more than $9
million in hundreds of healthcare organizations as they work
to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. See recent
grantees' achievements in increasing patient safety here.
- Generation Rx Best Practices in Pain Medication Use
grants. The Foundation's Generation Rx Best Practices in Pain
Medication Use and Patient Engagement grants are helping clinicians
meet Centers for Disease Control opioid prescribing guidelines to
improve the safety and efficacy of pain care and reduce the risks
of long-term opioid use. The Foundation expects to announce the
recipients of its 2018 Best Practices in Pain Medication Use grants
this spring.
- Patient Safety Movement Foundation. Cardinal Health has
become a committed partner with the Patient Safety Movement
Foundation , a global movement with the mission of zero preventable
deaths by 2020. As a committed partner, Cardinal Health will spread
the mission of zero preventable deaths by 2020 and encourage and
facilitate the sharing of successful patient safety processes among
healthcare leaders within the Cardinal Health community.
- The Award for Excellence in Medication Safety. This
nationally-acclaimed awards program, a collaboration between the
American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (ASHP) Foundation and the
Cardinal Health Foundation, recognizes pharmacist-led
inter-professional teams for significant system-wide improvements
in medication safety that have demonstrated patient and
organizational outcomes. Videos of recent winners and
finalists are available here.
"For nearly a decade, the Cardinal Health Foundation has
invested more than $16 million to
improve care, reduce costs and increase efficiency," said
Dianne Radigan, vice president of
Community Relations at Cardinal Health. "While we've made great
progress in helping improve patient safety by collaborating with
healthcare organizations and providers, Patient Safety Awareness
Week reminds us all that there is still more work to be done."
More information about Cardinal Health's commitment to patient
safety is available on the Community Relations webpage.
Editor's note: SPS Associate Clinical Director
Trey Coffey, MD, also shared
specific steps that all hospitals should take to improve overall
safety and reduce harm in Cardinal Health's online publication,
Essential Insights.
About Cardinal Health
Cardinal Health, Inc. is a
global, integrated healthcare services and products company,
providing customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems,
pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories and
physician offices worldwide. The company provides clinically proven
medical products, pharmaceuticals and cost-effective solutions that
enhance supply chain efficiency from hospital to home. Cardinal
Health connects patients, providers, payers, pharmacists and
manufacturers for integrated care coordination and better patient
management. To help combat prescription drug abuse, the company and
its education partners created Generation Rx, a national drug
education and awareness program. Backed by nearly 100 years of
experience, with approximately 50,000 employees in nearly 60
countries, Cardinal Health ranks #15 on the Fortune 500. For
more information, visit cardinalhealth.com, follow @CardinalHealth
on Twitter, @cardinalhealthwings on Facebook and connect on
LinkedIn at linkedin.com/ company/cardinal-health.
About the Cardinal Health Foundation
The
Cardinal Health Foundation supports local, national and
international programs that improve health care efficiency,
effectiveness and excellence and the overall wellness of the
communities where Cardinal Health, Inc.'s (NYSE: CAH) more than
40,000 employees live and work. The Cardinal Health Foundation also
offers grants to encourage community service among its employees
and works through international agencies to donate much-needed
medical supplies and funding to those who need them in times of
disaster; because Cardinal Health, Inc. is #AllInForGood. To learn
more, visit www.CardinalHealth.com/community.
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SOURCE Cardinal Health