MPRO’s Patient Safety Initiatives
A vast majority of MPRO’s Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) projects not only improve the quality of health care but also address patient safety issues. A few examples of our patient safety initiatives include:
Hospitals
- Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) – An estimated 2.6% of nearly 30 million annual operations are complicated by surgical site infections, causing a significant amount of patient injury, mortality and often avoidable costs. 33 to 50% of these infections can be avoided with appropriate use of prophylactic antibiotics. MPRO works with hospitals statewide to reduce surgical complications by assisting hospitals redesign their systems of care. These evidenced-based interventions are designed to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with surgical complications.
- Promotion of Health Information Technology – MPRO is working with hospitals in evaluating their IT infrastructure. Enhancements in a hospital’s IT infrastructure can reduce variations in practice, which is a key strategy to assist in reducing medical errors.
Nursing Homes
MPRO is working with nursing homes across the state on falls prevention and reduction in use of physical restraints
Physician Offices
Through MPRO’s Doctor’s Office Quality – Information Technology (DOQ-IT) project, MPRO is assisting primary care physician offices in the adoption of Health Information Technology. This technology assists the office in many patient safety initiatives - including the provision of readily available drug interaction information about all drugs their patients are taking
Home Health Agencies
Management of Oral Medications – MPRO is working to improve communication between primary care physicians, hospitals, patients, caregivers and home health agencies to reduce patients’ medication errors
Medicare Drug Plans, Pharmacists & other Providers
MPRO is beginning to work with drug plans and providers on patient safety projects that focus on improving prescribing and safety in the delivery of prescription medications
