E3 Patient Safety Grant supports healthcare providers as they work to improve the effectiveness, excellence and efficiency of patient care
Lawrence, MA — The Cardinal Health Foundation announced that it has awarded Home Health VNA grant funding from its E3 Patient Safety Grant Program. Home Health VNA is one of 13 grantees who have received multi-year grants to support their work in improving health outcomes for high-risk patients.
“We are thrilled to receive this major grant from Cardinal Health Foundation in support of our project to develop and implement a multidisciplinary approach to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management for patients with moderate to severe disease,” said John G. Albert, MBA, FACHE, President and CEO of Home Health VNA.
“This three year, $150,000 grant will allow us to develop new and innovative interventions in the care and treatment of patients with COPD,” said Karen Gomes, RN, MS, CPHQ, Vice President of Clinical Services for Home Health VNA, and Chief Clinical Officer for Home Health Foundation. “We are confident that, over the course of this grant, patients and families will become better prepared and able to partner effectively with their clinicians, and will make informed decisions about their goals of care for improved outcomes and quality of life.”
Home Health VNA will also join other 2016 E3 Patient Safety grantees in a learning collaborative facilitated by the Alliance for Integrated Medication Management (AIMM). The collaborative is designed to help the organizations share their learning and more quickly implement evidence-based practices.
Since 2008, the Cardinal Health Foundation has invested $16 million to hundreds of healthcare organizations through its E3 Patient Safety Grant Program. “We support a wide array of patient safety work, but the focus is always on accelerating the rate of change with two goals: improved patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs,” said Dianne Radigan, Vice President of Community Relations at Cardinal Health.
Because of the complexities in healthcare and healthcare systems, it takes an average of 17 years for evidence-based practices to be fully implemented into healthcare practices, according to The National Institutes of Health. “Within a year or two, recent grantees are affecting change, eliminating errors and creating lasting improvement,” Radigan said. “They are reducing readmissions to hospitals, reducing lengths-of-stay and, most importantly, saving lives. On behalf of Cardinal Health, we are pleased to support the work of Home Health VNA.”
About Home Health VNA
Home Health VNA is the regional leader in the delivery of home and community based medical care and support to patients and families. Highly skilled teams of home care professionals provide skilled nursing, rehabilitation and other specialized medical care designed to maximize health, independence and quality of life. More than 280 nurses, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, social workers, counselors and home health aides provide the highest quality medical care for patients, and teach and support families and caregivers. Medically advanced programs in wound care, IV therapy, diabetes, maternal and child health, chronic disease management, psychiatric nursing and social work are the most innovative in the region.
Home Health VNA operates under Home Health Foundation (HHF) which also includes Merrimack Valley Hospice and HomeCare, Inc. HHF is a multi-state, full service provider of certified home health, palliative, hospice and private duty services. Together the three agencies serve 110 cities and towns throughout Northeastern Massachusetts, the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire, with five offices and a 21 suite hospice house, which oversee a combined average daily census of 3,500 patients. In addition, Merrimack Valley Hospice, operating in partnership with York Hospital, provides comprehensive end-of-life care and bereavement services in 13 communities in southern Maine.
About the Cardinal Health Foundation
The Cardinal Health Foundation supports local, national and international programs that improve health care efficiency, effectiveness and excellence and the overall wellness of the communities where Cardinal Health’s (NYSE:CAH) nearly 37,000 employees live and work. The Cardinal Health Foundation also offers grants to encourage community service among its employees and works through international agencies to donate much-needed medical supplies and funding to those who need them in times of disaster; because Cardinal Health is #AllInForGood. To learn more, visit www.CardinalHealth.com/community and visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CardinalHealthFoundation.
About the Alliance for Integrated Medication Management
The Alliance for Integrated Medication Management (AIMM) is a non-profit organization working to support wide-spread adoption of team-based medication management services into the care of high-risk, high-cost patients suffering from multiple chronic health conditions. AIMM partners with healthcare providers, schools of pharmacy, payers, and other stakeholders to drive change in our health care system from the ground up by creating accountability for patient safety and health, improving quality of care, and championing new payment models to coordinate care for high-risk and complex patients who can benefit from a comprehensive medication management approach.