Half a Billion Available to Improve Care

Health providers will have access to up to $500 million to help improve care, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The funding will be available to hospitals, health care provider organizations and others to improve care and stop millions of preventable injuries and complications related to health care acquired conditions and unnecessary readmissions.

“Since the Partnership for Patients was announced, we have had an overwhelming response from hospitals, doctors, employers, and other partners who want to be a part of this historic effort to improve patient safety,” Donald M. Berwick, M.D., administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said in a statement. “We are now looking to contract with local and statewide entities that can foster and support hospitals’ efforts to improve health care and reduce harm to patients.”

The Affordable Care Act funding is being made available through the Partnership for Patients

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a new public-private partnership to help improve the quality, safety and affordability of health care for all Americans.

The Partnership will make its funding available through contracts with organizations that will support hospitals in the work of redesigning care processes in order to reduce harm. Over the next three years, the Partnership hopes to reduce harm in hospital settings by 40% and reduce hospital readmissions by 20%.