About Quality
California hospitals are focused on quality of care.
They have a partner to help them achieve their goals of improving quality, reducing errors, and maximizing patient safety — the Hospital Quality Institute (HQI).
For hospitals and health systems that belong to it, HQI is a source of performance data and analytics. That data help focus improvement opportunities and scale best practices, leading to reducing patient harm, health care-associated infections, and hospital readmissions.
The Collaborative Healthcare Patient Safety Organization — A division of HQI — supports the institute in its mission and is the nation’s largest and longest operating patient safety organization.
CDPH Issues FAQs on Visitation Health Order
On Aug. 20, CDPH issued FAQs on the state public health officer order on hospital visitation. This health order requires vaccine verification or proof of a COVID-19 test for visitors of hospitals and other facilities. The FAQs provide clarifications, in addition to those issued in All Facilities Letter (AFL) 21-31, on who is covered by the order and who is not, as well as what tests are acceptable to use.
CHA Issues Summary of FFY 2022 Skilled-Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System Final Rule
CHA has issued a members-only summary, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., of the federal fiscal year 2022 skilled-nursing facility (SNF) prospective payment system final rule. The regulation is effective Oct. 1.
HQI to Host Webinar about HQI Cares, a New Program to Build Cultures of Safety
HQI recently launched HQI Cares: Implementing BETA HEART®, a program in partnership with BETA Healthcare Group aimed at helping hospitals develop reliable, sustainable cultures of patient safety and consistent, empathetic, and transparent responses to adverse events.
CHA Issues FAQs on Recent State Health Orders on Vaccination
To support members as they implement the recent state public health officer orders requiring testing of unvaccinated workers and employee vaccine requirements, CHA has compiled a set of frequently asked questions.
HQI to Host Webinar on Child Abuse Reporting and Perinatal Mental Health
As part of its Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) Learning Community, the Hospital Quality Institute will host a webinar on Aug. 19 from noon to 1 p.m. (PT) to discuss the impact of child welfare involvement on both parent and infant mental health, the role that hospital staff plays in the process of child abuse reporting during the perinatal period, and steps to file a child abuse report as a mandated reporter.
CHA Issues Detailed Summary of CY 2022 OPPS Proposed Rule
CHA has issued a detailed summary of the calendar year (CY) 2022 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) proposed rule. Comments are due to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) by 2 p.m. (PT) on Sept. 17.
Public Health Officer Order and AFL on Hospital and SNF Visitation
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a public health officer order on Aug. 5 requiring general acute care hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities, and intermediate care facilities to either: (1) verify that indoor visitors are fully vaccinated, or (2) verify documentation of a negative COVID-19 test. In addition, CDPH issued All Facilities Letter 21-31 on visitation for general acute care hospitals on Aug. 12, 2021. The health order and AFL include the following requirements:
Gov. Newsom Issues Vaccine Mandate for Certain Health Care Workers
In response to the surge of new COVID-19 infections due to the new Delta variant, on Aug. 5 Gov. Newsom issued a health officer order to require COVID-19 vaccinations in specified health care settings, including all general acute care hospitals (GACHs), acute psychiatric hospitals, and skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs). This requirement comes after a growing number of hospital systems led the way by creating their own vaccine mandate to protect their employees and patients.
CHA Issues Summary of Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS Final Rule
CHA has issued a members-only summary, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., of the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2022 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) final rule. The final rule is effective Oct. 1.
CHA Issues Summary of Hospice Wage Index Final Rule
CHA has issued a members-only summary, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., of the federal fiscal year 2022 hospice wage index final rule. The rule is effective Oct. 1.