The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program as a reimbursement healthcare model for acute care hospitals. The program was developed as healthcare cost reduction strategy to create better outcomes for patients at lower costs, reduce risks in patient care while creating higher patient satisfaction rates, and developing better care efficiencies. Hospitals are measured against multiple metrics in four major areas: Clinical Outcomes, Person and Community Engagement, Safety, and Efficiency and Cost Reduction.[1]
EZ Way safe patient handling solutions will help you achieve higher ratings on three Patient Safety Indicators (PSI):
• PSI-03 - Pressure Ulcer Rate
• PSI-08 - In-Hospital Fall With Hip Fracture Rate
• PSI-12 - Perioperative Pulmonary Embolism (PE) or Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Rate
In Part II we will look at PSI-08 - In-Hospital Fall With Hip Fracture Rate
PSI-08: IN-HOSPITAL FALL WITH HIP FRACTURE RATE
This indicator measures the number all hip fractures from inpatient falls. The medical cost of falls in
older adults was approximately $50 billion in 2015.[6] Hospitals average $6,694 in additional inpatient
costs per fall.[7] A report by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) notes that the
use of a safe patient handling (SPH) program decreases the number of patient falls, reduces costs
associated with injuries, and increases patient satisfaction and comfort.[8]
EZ Way SPH equipment and training along with a no-lift program is an excellent solution toward
reducing both patient falls and caregiver injuries while reducing costs associated with those injuries.
A no-lift program is a comprehensive, on-going program to protect patients and staff from injuries
caused by manually transferring, lifting, and repositioning patients. The goal of a no-lift program is
to drastically reduce, if not eliminate, the number of manual lifts and transfers performed in a facility
by instituting the use of SPH equipment. Additional benefits include improvements in transfer
capability, patient safety and dignity, caregiver morale, and decreased caregiver turnover rates.
WE CAN HELP
No-lift Program- EZ way can help to develop a no-lift program for your organization with EZ Way
equipment at the center of that program.
Safe Patient Handling Evaluations- EZ Way staff will conduct a comprehensive review of your lifting and
transferring activities to identify proper equipment for each need.
Training- EZ Way safe patient handling experts provide training for staff on the proper use of the
equipment. This done at no additional cost to the facility. Our sales representatives are solely
focused on safe patient handling equipment, and are highly trained with yearly continuing
education. The representatives provide on-site training to clinical staff regarding our safe patient
handling equipment.
Full Line of Solutions- EZ Way solely focuses on safe patient handling solutions. We have a total line
of solutions to help prevent falls and transfer patients in a safe and dignified manner.
[1]https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment- Instruments/HospitalQualityInits/Hospital-Value-Based-Purchasing-
[6] Florence CS, Bergen G, Atherly A, Burns ER, Stevens JA, Drake C., "Medical Costs of Fatal and Nonfatal Falls in Older Adults", Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2018 March, DOI:10.1111/jgs.15304
[7] Estimating the additional Hospital Inpatient Cost and Mortality Associated With Selected Hospital-Acquired Conditions”, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, November 2017
[8] "Safe Patient Handling: Effectiveness and Cost Savings", Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2013, OSHA 3729 - 09/2013