The Partnership for Patient Care (PPC) is a collaboration with Independence Blue Cross which began in 2006 to accelerate the adoption of evidence-based clinical practices by pooling the resources, knowledge, and efforts of healthcare providers. The Partnership for Patient Care is a unique collaboration between payer and providers that has been recognized as a national model. In December 2008, Independence Blue Cross announced that it would renew its support of the Partnership for Patient Care with funding of $3 million from 2009 through 2011. Click here to see the press release.
Current Partnership for Patient Care initiatives include:
- Development of a strong culture of safety within the Southeastern Pennsylvania region. An agreement is in place with Healthcare Performance Improvement (HPI), a nationally prominent consulting firm, to work with area hospitals in achieving high-reliability performance. This exciting program was launched at the February 5, 2009 Partnership for Patient Care Leadership Summit.
HPI's methods integrate traditional cultural improvement concepts with new ideas from human factor science. Partnership for Patient Care funds will partially support the cost of a Safety Culture Diagnostic Assessment at each participating hospital or health system. Interested organizations will be scheduled over three-month intervals throughout 2009, 2010 and 2011. Click here for more information on this initiative.
- Prevention of C. difficile infections, an initiative that commenced at a regional conference on November 12, 2009. Click here for more information on this initiative and to view the agenda and presentation materials from the November 12 Regional Clostridium difficile Conference held at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
- Prevention of Pressure Ulcers. HCIF brought together hospitals, nursing homes, and home health agencies at an October 2008 kick-off conference to address the common complications of pressure ulcers. This statewide educational initiative also involves the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania; ECRI Institute; Quality Insights of Pennsylvania; and the Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania. For more information on current activities of the Pennsylvania Pressure Ulcer Partnership, click here.