Author: IPRO

Guideline for Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

This document is intended for use by infection prevention staff, healthcare epidemiologists, healthcare administrators, nurses, other healthcare providers, and persons responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating infection prevention and control programs for healthcare settings across the continuum of care. The guideline can also be used as a resource for societies or organizations that wish to develop more detailed implementation guidance for
prevention of CAUTI.

Toolkit for Reducing CAUTI in Hospitals

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

The Toolkit for Reducing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI) in Hospitals helps hospitals prevent CAUTI in patients and improve safety culture at the unit level by implementing concepts from the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP). Health care professionals can use it to make care safer by following clinical best practices and creating a culture of safety. The toolkit has evidence-based, practical resources that reflect the real-world experiences of the frontline providers and researchers who participated in a national implementation project to reduce CAUTIs. It builds on the core CUSP toolkit by providing specific tools focused on reducing CAUTI in hospitals.

Preventing Pressure Ulcers in Hospitals

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

This tool is an example of a clinical pathway, detailing the relationship among the different components of pressure ulcer prevention. This tool can be used by the hospital unit team in designing a new system, as a training tool for frontline staff, and as an ongoing clinical reference tool on the units. This tool can be modified or a new one created to meet the needs of your particular setting. If you prepared a process map describing your current practices, you can compare that to desired practices outlined on the clinical pathway.

National Action Plan for Adverse Drug Event (ADE) Prevention; Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP)

The ADE Action Plan addresses a defined group of ADEs that are considered to be common, clinically significant, preventable, and measurable; resulting from high-priority drug classes; and occurring largely in high-risk populations. Three key drug classes identified as initial targets for the ADE Action Plan include; Anticoagulants (primary ADE of concern: bleeding), Diabetes agents (primary ADE of concern: hypoglycemia), and Opioids (primary ADE of concern: accidental overdoses, oversedation, respiratory depression).

Quality Improvement (QI) and Care Coordination; Implementing the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Intended to help healthcare systems integrate the Guideline and associated quality improvement (QI) measures into their clinical practice. Offers primary care providers, practices, and healthcare systems a framework for managing patients who are on long-term opioid therapy.

CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Provides recommendations for the prescribing of opioid pain medication for patients 18 and older in primary care settings. Recommendations focus on the use of opioids in treating chronic pain (pain lasting longer than 3 months or past the time of normal tissue healing) outside of active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care. The guideline addresses patient-centered clinical practices including conducting thorough assessments, considering all possible treatments, closely monitoring risks, and safely discontinuing opioids. 

Designing and Delivering Whole-Person Transitional Care; The Hospital Guide to Reducing Medicaid Readmissions

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Reducing readmissions is a national priority for payers, providers, and policymakers seeking to improve health care and lower costs. Readmissions are a significant issue among patients with Medicaid. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) commissioned this guide to identify ways evidence-based strategies to reduce readmissions can be adapted or expanded to better address the transitional care needs of the adult Medicaid population. The guide has been field tested by individual hospitals and groups of hospital quality improvement collaboratives. Based on a series of coaching and feedback calls with hospitals, the second release of this guide has been updated to provide updated tools and clearer guidance on who should use the tools and what to do with the output of the tools. It also offers new tools that can be used in the day-to-day working environment of hospital-based teams and cross-setting partnerships.

Hospital Guide to Reducing Medicaid Readmissions Toolbox

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Offers in depth information about the unique factors driving Medicaid readmissions and a step-by-step process for designing a locally relevant portfolio of strategies to reduce Medicaid readmissions. Toolkit includes patient and family interview process.

Strategy 4: Care Transitions From Hospital to Home: IDEAL Discharge Planning

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Discharge from hospital to home requires the successful transfer of information from clinicians to the patient and family to reduce adverse events and prevent readmissions. Engaging patients and families in the discharge planning process helps make this transition in care safe and effective. Strategy 4: Care Transitions From Hospital to Home: IDEAL Discharge Planning highlights the key elements of engaging the patient and family in discharge planning.

Taking Care of Myself: A Guide for When I Leave the Hospital

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

A guide that providers can use to give patients the information they need to help them care for themselves when they leave the hospital. Using this easy-to-read guide with patients during discharge can help them care for themselves when they leave the hospital to track their medication schedules, upcoming medical appointments, and important phone numbers.

Re-Engineered Discharge (RED) Toolkit

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

A variety of forces are pushing hospitals to improve their discharge processes to reduce readmissions. Researchers at the Boston University Medical Center (BUMC) developed and tested the Re-Engineered Discharge (RED). Research showed that the RED was effective at reducing readmissions and posthospital emergency department (ED) visits. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality contracted with BUMC to develop this toolkit to assist hospitals, particularly those that serve diverse populations, to replicate the RED.