ONS Signs on to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections

Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) joined the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services along with hospitals, healthcare providers, and other organizations in the Partnership for Patients to make hospital care safer, more reliable, and less costly.

Partnership for Patients seeks to decrease preventable hospital infections by 40% and hospital readmissions by 20% by the end of 2013 as compared to 2010. Doing so could mean saved lives and prevented injuries for millions of Americans as well as $35 billion in cost savings. By joining the partnership, ONS has pledged to reduce harm and preventable readmissions and improve care transition and coordination.

In support of the goals of Partnership for Patients, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released Partnering to Heal: Teaming Up Against Healthcare-Associated Infections, an interactive learning tool that promotes effective communication about infection control practices.

Partnering to Heal teaches students, healthcare professionals, and patients and families infection prevention by putting them in the place of one of five characters who make decisions that impact health risks.

Learn more about Partnership for Patients by visiting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.