Medline Funds New Grants Aimed at Improving Patient Safety by Reducing Medical Risks

An estimated 1.7 million patients are affected by hospital-acquired infections in U.S. hospitals each year, causing nearly 90,000 deaths and costing facilities an estimated $25 billion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Many of these problems can be prevented. Medline Industries, Inc. today announced support for 10 new Prevention Above All Discovery Grants, awarding more than $500,000 in funding for research designed to develop and test innovative methodologies and clinical interventions for reducing or preventing healthcare-acquired harms. 

"With advances in treatment, hospitals are admitting patients at higher risk for adverse events and the care we provide is increasingly complex, says Andrew Kramer, MD, chief executive officer of Providigm and professor of medicine at the University of Colorado. At the same time, we are making advancements all the time in technologies and approaches that can help us monitor and reduce hospital acquired conditions.  The advancements proposed in the selected research projects address some of the most pressing hospital-acquired conditions and help to reduce associated risks for the aging patient population.  

Now in its third year, Medline has provided more than $1.6 million in grant funding through its Prevention Above All Discovery Grants Program to front-line healthcare workers researching evidence-based solutions and interventions that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has declared as preventable, including pressure ulcers, catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), ventilator-associated pneumonia, and others. The grant program is a key part of Medlines commitment to help the healthcare industry eradicate healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) through innovation and research designed to improve outcomes, increase patient safety and raise core measures throughout the healthcare industry. 

Each year, award applications are evaluated by an independent review panel whose members represent a breadth of research and practice knowledge. The studies selected for the 2011 grant cycle promote the gathering of clinical evidence and support implementation of targeted solutions in health care, including research aimed at CAUTI prevention, fall reduction and improved care for ventilated patients. 

Medlines investment in prevention interventions has been instrumental in helping accelerate progress toward the elimination of HAIs, says Sue MacInnes, chief marketing officer for Medline. We applaud the innovation, research, collaboration and dedication among health care professionals to invest their time in improving patient care.

Medlines 2011 Prevention Above All Discoveries Grant recipients are:

Pilot Grants: Up to $25,000 Awarded
1. Title: Quick Room Turnaround Time (QRTAT) Ultraviolet Light Disinfection for Decreasing HAI
Institution: Ohio State University Hospital Principal Investigator: Christina Liscynesky, MD & Julie E. Mangino, MD

2. Title: Sensor Technology for Tracking and Displaying Bed Elevation Data for Mechanically Ventilated Patients
Institution: University of Iowa Hospital Principal Investigator: Alberto Maria Segre, Philip Polgreen, Geb Thomas, Ted Herman

3. Title: Testing Patient Education Handbooks
Institution: Good Samaritan Hospital, Lebanon, PA Principal Investigator: Patricia Donley, RN, MSN, Stephanie Andreozzi, Doctorate in Physical Therapy

4. Title: Using GRASP as Home Treatment for Upper Extremity (UE) Paresis Post-Stroke
Institution: Abbotsford Regional Hospital, Canada Principal Investigator: May Chan, B.OT, Janice Eng, Ph.D. PT, OT, Shu-Hyun Jang, M.Sc.OT

5. Title: A Standardized Process of Preoperative Body Cleansing with Comfort Bath® Cleansing Washcloths Compared to Sage® 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) Cloths to Reduce Prosthetic Joint Infections at Cambridge Hospital
Institution: Cambridge Health Alliance Harvard Medical Center Principal Investigator: Lou Ann Bruno-Murtha, DO, Virginia Caples, RN, CIC and Diane Lancaster, RN, PhD

6. Title: Falls Risk Assessment Study
Institution: Provena St. Joseph Medical Center Principal Investigator: Jackie Medland RN, PhD

Empirical Grants: Up to $100,000 awarded

1. Title: Incidence of falls among oncology patients who are cared for by family caregivers within their home.
Institution: Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes Jewish Hospital Principal Investigator: Patricia Potter, RN, PhD, FAAN; Marilee Kuhrik RN, PhD; Nancy Kuhrik RN, PhD, Sarah Olsen RN, BSN.

2. Title: Warfarin Safety Pilot Program
Institution: Foundation for Quality Care Principal Investigator: Nancy Merlino Leveille, RN, MS and Darren M. Triller, Pharm.D.

3. Title: The Effectiveness of Team Training on Fall Reduction
Institution: Wellstar Health System
Principal Investigator: Bethany Robertson, LeeAnna Spiva & Marcia Delk, MD

4. Title: Recognizing early and rapidly treating potentially at-risk floor patients with an enhanced rapid response system
Institution: Kaweah Delta Development Foundation Principal Investigator: Dr. Geoffrey K. Lighthall and Dr. Sebat

Medline will be accepting letters of intent for the 2012 Prevention Above All Discovery Grants from May 1, 2012 through June 30, 2012.  More information about the grant program can be found at http://www.medline.com/events/prevention-above-all/grants.asp.