Personal Injury Law

SC Hospitals Receive Federal Funds to Improve Safety

By Louthian Law Firm

After repeated state budget cuts, South Carolina hospitals recently got good news from the federal government. The federal Partnership for Patients program will give South Carolina hospitals $1 million per year for at least the next two years to improve hospital quality.

Participating hospitals must reduce readmissions by 20 percent and hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent. Readmissions are typically used to determine hospital quality. The higher the readmission rate, the more likely the patient was not ready for discharge or was ill-prepared for discharge. Death and injury rates are higher among readmitted patients.

Hospitals will also target hospital-acquired conditions like infections, adverse drug events, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, injuries from falls, and adverse obstetrical events among others.

"This is going to mean we?ll be able to move forward more aggressively toward making care safer for patients, and being able to have more resources to help hospitals accomplish that,? said Dr. Rick Foster, senior vice president for quality and patient safety at the South Carolina Hospital Association.

The additional funding nearly doubles what hospitals were already investing in improving patient safety. In a time of deep budget cuts across the state, the funding is much needed by the hospitals.

Partnership for Patients hopes the nationwide initiative will result in 1.8 million fewer injuries, 1.6 million fewer readmissions, and more than 60,000 lives saved.

Contact The Louthian Law Firm

If you or someone you care about has been injured by the carelessness of a medical professional, you should speak with an experienced South Carolina medical malpractice attorney like the ones at the Louthian Law Firm as soon as possible. Our attorneys can help you evaluate your case; protect your legal right to the courts; stand by your side throughout the legal process; and get you the best possible results.

For a free consultation, call the Columbia SC Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Louthian Law Firm today. Toll free: (866) 454-1200. Locally: (803) 454-1200. You can also fill out our confidential online case evaluation form.

Full post as published by South Carolina Lawyer Blog on December 29, 2011 (boomark / email).