Hospital associations in New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania have formed a joint venture to improve health quality and patient safety.
The Q3 Health Innovation Partners (Q3HIP) is comprised of the New Jersey Hospital Association, the Ohio Hospital Association and The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. The organization’s vision is to collaborate in innovative research, quality improvement and population health strategies to advance the health and well-being of 33 million people, including nearly 6 million Medicare beneficiaries, living in the three states.
The three associations participated in CMS’ Partnership for Patients initiative, which included efforts to reduce post-surgical infections, medication errors, patient falls, pressure injuries and readmissions within 30 days following a hospital stay. Between 2010 and 2014, the collective work of this national effort reduced the incidence of these complications by 21 percent, resulting in $28 billion in healthcare cost savings.
While previous efforts have focused on quality healthcare for older adults, Q3HIP envisions a broader focus into areas including maternal health and opioid stewardship.
"Healthcare is changing rapidly, demanding innovative approaches to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs," said Mike Abrams, president and CEO of the Ohio Hospital Association, in a statement. "As a leading organization for healthcare improvement in Ohio, OHA worked to develop this exceptional collaborative to advance best practices with patient care while leveraging the expertise and resources of three state organizations."
Q3HIP will engage hospitals and other healthcare providers in all three states in a collaborative framework that employs shared best practices, tools and models; insight from expert faculty; data reporting and benchmarking to measure progress or identify gaps; and an "all share, all learn" culture where organizations advance knowledge together toward better care and patient outcomes.
