OAKBROOK TERRACE, Illinois, July 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new report from the Healthcare Association of New York State’s (HANYS) Statewide Steering Committee on Quality Initiatives, “COVID-19 Lessons Learned in New York’s Hospitals,” used multiple performance improvement methodologies to identify risks and opportunities in current structures, processes and outcomes at New York hospitals amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In spring 2020, New York was at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis revealed healthcare inequities, differences in capacity to respond between small and large organizations, and an inability to continue routine care. As a critical part of emergency management, an after-action report is often developed to prepare for future pandemics.
The association’s committee, composed of hospital and health system quality, clinical and patient safety experts, performed a thorough, systematic root cause analysis. The group identified underlying system and process causes and contributing factors that resulted in an overwhelmed healthcare delivery system.
The report, published in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, explores what worked well and what did not work well in the following eight categories:
- Staffing
- Competency
- Education and training
- Communication
- Human factors
- Trusted information
- Environment
- Equipment
Recommendations for each category were provided for hospitals, health systems and providers, and for county, state and federal policymakers.
“Despite the stresses of COVID-19, New York’s healthcare providers, government officials, healthcare associations and communities all rose to the occasion,” said Mark Jarrett, MD, MBA, MS, senior health advisor, Northwell Health, and chair of the HANYS Statewide Steering Committee on Quality Initiatives. “With humility, we reflect on our successes and continue to plan for the future. Every threat provides an opportunity to improve. This is the basis for performance improvement.”
The full report is available on The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety website in open access.
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Note for editors
The article is “COVID-19 Lessons Learned in New York’s Hospitals,” by Mark Jarrett, MD, MBA, MS; Renee Garrick, MD, FACP; Anna Gaeta, RN, BSN, MS, CPHQ, CPPS; Daniel Lombardi, DO, FACOEP; Robert Mayo, MD; Patrick McNulty, MD; Robert Panzer, MD; and Wolf-Deiter Krahn, MD. The article appears in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, volume 48, number 9 (September 2022), published by Elsevier.
The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety (JQPS) is a peer-reviewed journal providing healthcare professionals with innovative thinking, strategies and practices in improving quality and safety in health care. JQPS is the official journal of The Joint Commission and Joint Commission Resources, Inc. Original case studies, program or project reports, reports of new methodologies or the new application of methodologies, research studies, and commentaries on issues and practices are all considered.
Healthcare Association of New York State
The Healthcare Association of New York State is New York’s statewide hospital and continuing care association, representing nonprofit and public hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies and other healthcare organizations. HANYS is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the health of individuals and communities by providing leadership, representation and service to healthcare providers and systems across the entire continuum of care.
The HANYS Statewide Steering Committee on Quality Initiatives is recognized as the premier state forum for New York state hospitals and health systems to discuss emerging issues related to quality improvement and clinical leadership. The committee, comprised of clinical quality leaders from hospitals and health systems across the state, serves as an advisory body for HANYS and is committed to enhancing patient safety throughout New York state. A source of thoughtful guidance and expertise, the committee is respected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, New York State Department of Health, American Hospital Association, The Joint Commission and other organizations.
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