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Minnesota Hospital Association Patient Safety Improvement Award goes to Allina Hospitals & Clinics
MINNEAPOLIS 05/17/2010--The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) presented Allina Hospitals & Clinics its annual Patient Safety Improvement Award Friday, May 14 at its annual awards banquet in Minneapolis. The MHA recognized Allina's patient safety and quality improvement efforts in preventing pressure ulcers in hospital patients.
SAFE SKIN Campaign
 Minnesota Hospital Association is conducting an initiative to preventing serious pressure ulcers in hospital patients. For resources of best clinical practices and a special tool kit of information, go to mnhospitals.org.
Pressure ulcers, also called pressure sores or bedsores, are areas of injured skin and tissue. They are usually caused by sitting or lying in one position for too long, reducing the blood supply to the skin and the tissues under the skin. When a change in position doesn't occur often enough and the blood supply gets too low, a sore may form.
In 2008, Allina adopted the SAFE SKIN program sponsored by the MHA, Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement and the Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety. Collectively, in less than two years, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis; Buffalo Hospital; Cambridge Medical Center; Mercy Hospital, Coon Rapids; New Ulm Medical Center; Owatonna Hospital; River Falls Area Hospital, River Falls, Wisc.; St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Shakopee; United Hospital, St. Paul; and Unity Hospital, Fridley, have seen a 33 percent decrease in reportable pressure ulcers. During the same time, Abbott Northwestern Hospital reported a 58 percent decrease in pressure ulcers.
"This accomplishment demonstrates the powerful impact that teamwork and following best practices among nursing, medical staff, dietitians, physical therapist and other caregivers has on providing safe, quality care to our patients," said Penny Wheeler, MD, chief clinical officer for Allina.
The skin safety program involved creating an Allina-wide workgroup. Led by nurses, the group:
- standardized accurate reporting of pressure ulcers
- developed staff education
- developed a website for caregiver resources around how to conduct skin inspections
- provided patient and family education
- used Allina's electronic medical record to record skin inspections and risk assessments
- developed special diets for at-risk patients.
"Pressure ulcers cause a significant impact on quality of life for patients," said Sue Sendelbach, PhD, RN, director of Nursing Research at Abbott Northwestern Hospital and co-facilitator of the skin safety workgroup. "Despite the many technological advances in health care, prevention remains the most effective way to protect patients from pressure ulcers. Our workgroup did an exceptional job in identifying safe, quality care for our hospital patients."
In addition, a nursing collaboration between Allina and Fairview resulted in Allina's production of How To Do a Skin Inspection video, which can be found on the MHA SAFE SKIN website.
Other Allina hospitals receiving individual recognition for their efforts around MHA's SAFE SKIN campaigns include:
- Abbott Northwestern Hospital, June 2008
- New Ulm Medical Center and Owatonna Hospital, October 2008
- Buffalo Hospital and Unity Hospital, April 2009
- Mercy Hospital, St. Francis Regional Medical Center and Unity Hospital, June 2009
About Allina Hospitals & Clinics
Allina Hospitals & Clinics is a not-for-profit system of hospitals, clinics and other health care services, providing care throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Allina owns and operates 11 hospitals, more than 90 clinics, and health care services, including home care, hospice and palliative care, oxygen and medical equipment, pharmacies and emergency medical transportation. # # #
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