MDG participates in nationwide initiative

Published Jan. 30, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Shane M. Phipps
366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho -- Since the beginning of the civilized world, quality healthcare has been at the forefront of people's basic needs.

In an effort to maximize this basic need, hospitals across the country, including the 366th Medical Group, have pledged allegiance to a Department of Health and Human Services initiative known as Partnership for Patients.

"This partnership is aimed at helping to improve the quality, safety, and affordability of health care for all Americans," states www.health.mil. "The Partnership for Patients brings together leaders of major hospitals, employers, physicians, nurses, and patient advocates along with state and federal governments in a shared effort to make hospital care safer, more reliable, and less costly."

Members of the 366th MDG understand the importance of reaching specific goals set by the Department of Defense.

"The Partnership for Patient goals are to decrease preventable hospital acquired conditions by 40 percent compared to 2010 and to reduce hospital readmissions by 20 percent compared to 2010 by the end of 2013," said Maj. Janet Jones, 366th Surgical Operations Squadron Partnership for Patients team leader. "Lives will be saved and injuries will be prevented with the improvement of the safety and quality of healthcare."

For Airmen, these implementations directly translate to safer, first-rate medical treatment for themselves and their families.

"We recognize the importance of providing our patients with safe, high-quality care," explained Jones. "By evaluating our services we can determine which processes we can improve upon and make any necessary changes, thereby providing the MHAFB community with the safest and highest quality of healthcare possible."

MHAFB providers have targeted particular areas emphasized by the Partnership for Patients program.

"The Partnership for Patients focuses on nine measures which aim to improve care," said Jones. These areas range from injuries from falls and immobility to surgical site infections, she said. "The 366th MDG developed strategies to improve the focus areas which are relevant to our service. Gunfighters can be confident they will receive high-quality safe healthcare during every in-patient encounter."

In the end, the objective of hospitals involved is to create a lasting positive impact in the healthcare community nationwide.

The website, www.health.mil states, "achieving these goals will save lives and prevent injuries to millions of Americans, this will help put our nation on the path toward a more sustainable health care system."

For more information on Partnership for Patients visit, http://www.health.mil/dodpatientsafety/partnership.aspx.