NEHI Joins the Partnership for Patients

Press Release
April 15, 2011

CAMBRIDGE, MA (April 15, 2011) – NEHI announced today that it has joined the Partnership for Patients, a national public-private initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve patient safety.  

Much of NEHI’s research over the past five years aligns with the Partnership’s objectives to improve the quality, safety and affordability of health care, including NEHI’s work on eliminating wasteful health care spending, preventing medication errors, reducing hospital readmissions and improving medication adherence.

“A primary goal of NEHI and our members is to ensure that patient safety is a priority in our country,” said NEHI President Wendy Everett. “The Partnership’s goals are consistent with that, and we are pleased to contribute our research to this effort.”  

The Partnership brings together a diverse array of health care stakeholders, including the federal and state governments, doctors, nurses, health plans, employers and unions, and patients and their advocates. The two main goals of the new Partnership are to keep patients from getting injured or sicker, and to help patients heal without complications – both areas where NEHI has conducted groundbreaking research.  

The Partnership for Patients aims to decrease preventable hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent by the end of 2013, resulting in approximately 1.8 million fewer injuries to patients and more than 60,000 lives saved over the next three years. It also seeks to reduce hospital readmissions by 20 percent by decreasing the rate of preventable complications during transitions from one care setting to another.

The Partnership will be funded by up to $1 billion in federal money made available under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including $500 million through the Community-Based Care Transitions Program and up to $500 million through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. 

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About NEHI
NEHI is a national health policy institute focused on enabling innovation to improve health care quality and lower health care costs. In partnership with members from all across the health care system, NEHI conducts evidence-based research and stimulates policy change to improve the quality and the value of health care. Together with this unparalleled network of committed health care leaders, NEHI brings an objective, collaborative and fresh voice to health policy. For more information, visit www.nehi.net.