The 100,000 Lives Campaign
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) has joined hands with other leading American health care organizations in launching an unprecedented 100,000 Lives Campaign, which disseminates powerful improvement tools, with supporting expertise, throughout the American health care system.
As of June 14, 2006, U.S. hospitals taking part in an unprecedented 18-month effort to prevent 100,000 unnecessary deaths by dramatically improving patient care have exceeded that goal. Hospitals enrolled in the 100,000 Lives Campaign have collectively prevented an estimated 122,300 avoidable deaths and, as importantly, have begun to institutionalize new standards of care that will continue to save lives and improve health outcomes into the future.
Initiated by IHI in December 2004, the Campaign has enrolled more than 3,000 hospitals — representing an estimated 75% of U.S. hospital beds and far surpassed the enrollment original goal of 2,000. The participating hospitals have pledged to implement up to six evidence-based and life-saving interventions:
- Deploy Rapid Response Teams... at the first sign of patient decline
- Deliver Reliable, Evidence-Based Care for Acute Myocardial Infarction... to prevent deaths from heart attack
- Prevent Adverse Drug Events (ADEs)... by implementing medication reconciliation
- Prevent Central Line Infections... by implementing a series of interdependent, scientifically grounded steps called the “Central Line Bundle”
- Prevent Surgical Site Infections... by reliably delivering the correct perioperative care
- Prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia... by implementing a series of interdependent, scientifically grounded steps called the “Ventilator Bundle”
As a result of the Campaign, many patients have begun to enjoy a new standard of care. Over 20 facilities have reported that they have gone over a year without a Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia, a leading killer among all hospital-acquired infections, demonstrating that this sort of complication can be avoided and is not inevitable. Hundreds of hospitals have also now instituted rapid response teams, a relatively new concept that is saving lives. Participating hospitals have also made great headway in delivering reliable care for Acute Myocardial Infarction, preventing adverse drug events, and preventing surgical site and central line infections.
