Joint Commission Center For Transforming Healthcare

THE CENTER FOR TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE'S (THE CENTER) MISSION IS TO PERFORM THE FUNCTIONS OF AND TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE JOINT COMMISSION, A RELATED TAX EXEMPT ORGANIZATION. THE CENTER'S PROGRAMS ARE DEDICATED TO TRANSFORMING HEALTH CARE INTO A HIGH-RELIABILITY INDUSTRY BY DEVELOPING HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, DURABLE SOLUTIONS TO HEALTH CARE'S MOST CRITICAL SAFETY AND QUALITY PROBLEMS IN COLLABORATION WITH HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS, BY DISSEMINATING THE SOLUTIONS WIDELY, AND BY FACILITATING THEIR ADOPTION.

QUALITY OF CARE/PATIENT SAFETY - THE JOINT COMMISSION CENTER FOR TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE WORKS WITH A NETWORK OF LEADING HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO THE MOST PRESSING QUALITY AND SAFETY PROBLEMS FACING HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS TODAY. THESE HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS HAVE A COMMITMENT AND COMPETENCY IN APPLYING ROBUST PROCESS IMPROVEMENT (RPI) METHODS AND TOOLS TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE QUALITY AND PATIENT SAFETY. THESE METHODS INCLUDE LEAN SIX SIGMA AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT TOOLS TO ACHIEVE HIGH RELIABILITY. THERE ARE THIRTEEN PROJECTS UNDER THIS PROGRAM: 1) HAND HYGIENE PROJECT FOR IMPROVING PATIENT SAFETY TO LIMIT HOSPITAL ACQUIRED INFECTIONS THROUGH THE INCREASED USE OF HAND HYGIENE TECHNIQUES. 2) HAND-OFF COMMUNICATIONS FOR TRANSFER AND ACCEPTANCE OF PATIENT CARE RESPONSIBILITY ACHIEVED THROUGH EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 3) SAFE SURGERY TO REDUCE THE RISKS OF WRONG SITE, WRONG SIDE AND WRONG PATIENT SURGICAL PROCEDURES 4) SURGICAL SITE INFECTIONS (SSI) WHICH AIMS TO REDUCE INFECTIONS IN PATIENTS HAVING COLORECTAL SURGERY 5) PREVENTING AVOIDABLE HEART FAILURE HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH HEART FAILURE 6) IMPROVED SAFETY CULTURE THAT REINFORCES AND SUPPORTS THE PREVENTION OF PATIENT HARM 7) PREVENTION OF FALLS THAT OCCUR IN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES THAT RESULT IN INJURY. 8) REDUCING SEPSIS MORTALITY 9) SAFE USE OF INSULIN 10) REDUCING CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE INFECTIONS 11) PREVENTING VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM (VTE) 12) PREVENTING HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED PRESSURE INJURIES 13) PREVENTING FALLS WITH INJURY IN A HOME HEALTH SETTING

PATIENT SAFETY & QUALITY PROGRAM (HIGH RELIABILITY HEALTH CARE) - HIGH RELIABILITY HEALTH CARE REFERS TO PATIENT CARE THAT IS CONSISTENTLY EXCELLENT AND SAFE OVER LONG PERIODS ACROSS ALL SERVICES AND SETTINGS. THE JOINT COMMISSION CENTER FOR TRANSFORMING HEALTH CARE DEVELOPED THE ORO 2.0 HIGH RELIABILITY ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT TO HELP HOSPITALS REFLECT ON 14 AREAS OF PERFORMANCE THAT ARE CRITICAL ASPECTS OF THE HIGH RELIABILITY JOURNEY. THE AREAS OF PERFORMANCE ARE ORGANIZED UNDER THREE DOMAINS OF CHANGE INCLUDING LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT TO ACHIEVING THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF ZERO PATIENT HARM, ACTING ON THIS COMMITMENT BY EMBEDDING A FULLY FUNCTIONAL CULTURE OF SAFETY THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION, AND PROMOTING WIDESPREAD DEPLOYMENT OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT TOOLS. ORO 2.0 ALLOWS SENIOR LEADERS IN A HOSPITAL TO SELF-ASSESS THEIR STAGE OF MATURITY IN 14 AREAS OF PERFORMANCE THAT ARE CRITICAL FOR ADVANCING FROM LOW TO HIGH RELIABILITY AND THE GOAL OF ZERO PREVENTABLE HARM THROUGH A SERIES OF COMPREHENSIVE REPORTS THAT PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHS, GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES, AND TARGET AREAS. THE CONTINUED USE OF ORO 2.0 ALLOWS ORGANIZATIONS TO TRACK PROGRESS OVER TIME ON THE JOURNEY TO HIGHLY RELIABLE HEALTH CARE. COMPLETION OF ORO 2.0 CAN HELP HOSPITAL LEADERS IDENTIFY ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHS AND AREAS THAT REPRESENT THE MOST PRESSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.