Hays Med is one of nearly 90 Kansas hospitals participating in the Hospital Engagement Network to improve patient care and reduce health care costs throughout the state.

The “HEN” project kick-off meeting is today in Topeka.

It’s coordinated by the Kansas Hospital Association as part of the federal Partnership for Patients Campaign.  The goal is to improve patient safety and reduce the incidence of harm related to 10 specific hospital acquired conditions.

The 10 conditions are:

* Adverse drug events

* Catheter-associated urinary tract infections

* Central line-associated blood stream infections

* Injuries from falls and immobility

* Obstetrical adverse events

* Pressure ulcers

* Surgical site infections

* Venous thromboembolism

* Ventilator-associated pneumonia

* Preventable readmissions

“Of the hospital associations involved, Kansas has one of the highest participation rates with 88 of the state’s 127 hospitals signed up,” KHA president Tom Bell said. “This is yet another example of the priority we assign to safer care for our patients.”

Participating hospitals include:

* Cheyenne County Hospital, St. Francis

* Citizens Medical Center, Colby

* Decatur Health Systems Inc., Oberlin

* Goodland Regional Medical Center, Goodland

* Gove County Medical Center, Quinter

* Grisell Memorial Hospital, Ransom

* Hays Medical Center, Hays

* Ness County District No. 2 Hospital, Ness City

* Norton County Hospital, Norton

* Osborne County Memorial Hospital, Osborne

* Phillips County Hospital, Phillipsburg

* Rawlins County Health Center, Atwood

* Rooks County Health Center, Plainville

* Russell Regional Hospital, Russell

* Sheridan County Health Complex, Hoxie

* Smith County Memorial Hospital, Smith Center

* Trego County Lemke-Memorial Hospital, WaKeeney

There are more than 1,600 hospitals in 34 states participating nationwide, working with their state hospital associations in partnership with the Health Research and Educational Trust.