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At the Hospitals
n CHS MED-1 Responds at Carolinas HealthCare System. “The goal of The Hospital Improvement Innovation
After Hurricane Matthew the trial is to find ways to alter the trajectory Networks project began in September and will
Carolinas HealthCare System’s mobile of the illness and enhance quality of life for extend for two years with a third year option, and
those afflicted,” says Oleg Tcheremissine, MD, will be focused on 11 core areas of patient harm:
emergency department, Carolinas MED-1, a principal investigator. adverse drug events; central line-associated blood
deployed to Lumberton, to help Southeastern stream infections; catheter-associated urinary
Regional Medical Center after the hospital lost Eligible participants will have an opportunity to tract infections; clostridium difficile bacterial
power and water following Hurricane Matthew. receive an innovative combination of drugs. They infections, including antibiotic stewardship;
also will receive objective memory impairment injury from falls and immobility; pressure ulcers;
During its nine-day stay in a parking lot next testing, cognitive assessments and neuroimaging sepsis and septic shock; surgical site infections;
to SRMC, Carolinas MED-1 treated 220 patients studies including MRI and PET imaging. venous thromboembolism; ventilator-associated
with a wide variety of medical issues common to events; and readmissions.
To date, Alzheimer’s research only has
Newborn Logan Britt poses in produced treatments that are able to conceal Over the course of the four previous projects,
Carolinas MED-1 with his mom, symptoms, but not treat the disease itself or Carolinas HealthCare System has prevented
dad and members of the medical slow its progression. Greater access to clinical more than 12,266 potential patient safety
team that helped deliver him. trials is considered important because of the events and saved nearly $76 million in care-
role these trials play in driving public awareness related costs. Through 2019, the Carolinas
an emergency department and one uncommon HealthCare System Hospital Improvement
one — a birth. Logan Britt was born just five and educational Innovation Networks will build on work
minutes after arriving at MED-1 and weighed in opportunities. Those already proven successful in the Hospital
at a healthy 9 lbs., 9 oz. in turn lead to earlier Engagement Network (HEN) and Leading
diagnoses, which are Edge Advanced Practice Topics (LEAPT)
Carolinas MED-1 is a 1,000-square-foot critical for enrollment contracts by setting a goal of 20-percent
facility housed within a trailer with expandable into Phase I clinical reduction in core areas of overall patient
sides. It has 14 beds, including four ICU beds trials. Treatment harm and a 12-percent reduction in 30-day
and a two-bed surgical suite, and possesses of Alzheimer’s is unplanned hospital readmissions.
digital X-ray and ultrasound equipment, a lab most effective when
and a pharmacy. early diagnoses and n Parkinson’s Team Honored With Ray
interventions are made. of Hope Award
Carolinas MED-1 is a veteran of disasters, Three Carolinas HealthCare System providers
having deployed to Waveland, Miss., and Dr. Tcheremissine
New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina; notes CHS is uniquely have received the region’s most prestigious
to Columbus, Ind., after severe Midwestern positioned for this study because of the quality award for Parkinson’s disease.
floods; and to the North Carolina mountains to of its staff, the variety of its resources and the
assist a hospital damaged by fire. It also helped critical mass of its patient population. Male and The “Ray of Hope” award is given annually
hospitals in Phoenix and Grove Hill, Ala., female patients ages 55-85, with mild symptoms to those who have supported the Parkinson
that needed to close for renovations and was of dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease, can Association of the Carolinas through education,
deployed during the 2012 Democratic National apply to participate. More information is community outreach and direct support. Danielle
Convention in Charlotte. available by calling 704-446-7511. Englert, MD, Mark A. Hirsch, PhD, and Sanjay
S. Iyer, MD, were selected as this year’s
n Patients Sought for Alzheimer’s n Carolinas HealthCare System to Lead recipients for their dedication to the research and
Clinical Trial Improvements in Quality, Patient Safety treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
An international clinical trial involving Carolinas HealthCare System has been
Coincidentally, 2016 marked the
Alzheimer’s disease is now open to patients selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 10th anniversary of the opening of the
Services (CMS) as one of 16 organizations in Neurosciences Institute’s Carolinas Center for
the country — and one of only two healthcare Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders.
systems — to continue efforts to reduce hospital- For the past decade, patients and their families
based conditions and unplanned readmissions have been coming to see these physicians
through the Partnership for Patients initiative. for their care. The clinic was the only one
in the country to receive a disease specific
CHS will participate in the Hospital certification by the Joint Commission and has
Improvement Innovation Networks to continue received numerous national and international
improving patient safety and promoting invitations to present on its processes and
accelerated, significant and measureable successes throughout the years. In addition,
reductions in patient harm within the system. the team’s research has been published in
This is the fifth contract CHS has been selected several medical journals.
to be a part of through the Partnership for
Patients initiative.
12 | January 2017 • Mecklenburg Medicine
