BUILDING - Yale-New Haven Hospital

2006 Year-End Message 15
YNHH also took part in a multi-hospital labor and birth safety initiative,
and YNHH nursing staff took the lead in creating and implementing Hospitalwide
quality improvement teams to reduce overall patient fall rates and pressure
ulcer rates, among other patient safety indicators. The nursing-driven
fall prevention team introduced the “Ruby Slipper” protocol for adult patients,
which includes easy-to-identify visual cues that alert all staff about patients
who are at high risk of falling.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital Quality
Initiative continued to gives high marks to YNHH for meeting or exceeding
national quality measures when caring for patients with pneumonia, heart
failure, myocardial infarction and surgery. Notably, YNHH ranked in the top
five percent of hospitals nationwide for 16 measures of care for patients with
heart attacks, congestive heart failure and pneumonia.
A newly formed, multi-disciplinary diabetes care team provided
consults to diabetic patients – who compose up to 25 percent of YNHH’s
inpatients and are most often admitted with a primary diagnosis other than
diabetes – and achieved a significant 18 percent improvement in blood
glucose levels for these patients.
In concert with our clinical leaders, YNHH launched integrated service
line planning for several key services. The initial clinical plans are focusing
on: cardiovascular services, oncology, pediatrics, neurosciences and transplantation.
As part of this process, YNHH conducted a comprehensive analysis
of the Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital, named Michael Apkon, M.D.,
M.B.A., as its executive director and began to develop a comprehensive
strategic plan that will help solidify the Children’s Hospital as one of the
region’s premier facilities solely dedicated to pediatric patients.
Several initiatives to improve operational efficiency helped the Hospital
accommodate the increased numbers of patients within existing resources.
Internally-developed computer software reduced the time to prepare rooms
for newly admitted patients. Patients assigned to certain medical care teams
were geographically localized which helped reduce length of stay from 5.35
to 5.23 days, resulting in the equivalent of approximately 16 additional beds
to accommodate incremental demand. Further, a new perioperative information
system was implemented this year, resulting in better management of
the operating room schedule and greater efficiency.
YNHH as a Provider-of-Choice
YNHH discharged 50,369 inpatients this year, nearly a 4 percent increase
over last year and an all-time high. This growth eclipsed most Connecticut
hospitals, whose average growth was .45 percent. Outpatient and emergency
visits also increased by almost 4 percent to almost 504,000.
In a hospital-wide effort to improve patient satisfaction and ensure
a positive hospital experience, YNHH launched its new Service Excellence
initiative. Eight teams are focusing on: post-discharge phone call followups;
emergency department improvement; manager rounding; noise reduction;
recognition and rewards; staff education; department plans; and
communication.
Hospitals and Health Networks named YNHH as a “Most Wired” award
winner for the seventh straight year, and as a “Most Wireless” award winner
for the third time, recognizing YNHH’s continued dedication to the innovative
use of technology for clinical and administrative purposes.