Innovations in Patient Care: Lessons from the Field

With the health reform discussion in full swing, improving value for the money we spend on health care is an essential part of the debate. Nurses can play a prominent role in improving quality. A growing body of research points to the positive impact of nurses on coordinating care, reducing hospital readmissions and improving clinical outcomes – all with a potential to reduce costs.

What is the state of the evidence on nursing and quality improvement? How do nurse staffing ratios affect quality? What impact can nurses have on promoting quality? What safeguards need to be implemented to assure that patient care is not compromised by diffusing responsibility for care? What can be done to address the nursing shortage?

To address these and related questions, the Alliance for Health Reform, with support from the United Health Foundation, sponsored a July 11 briefing. Panelists were: Mary Naylor, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing; Audrey Nelson, Veterans Health Administration; Rick Kellerman, American Academy of Family Physicians; and Reed Tuckson, UnitedHealth Group. Ed Howard of the Alliance moderated.

Transcript

Full Transcript (Adobe Acrobat PDF)

Speaker Presentations

Audrey Nelson Presentation (PowerPoint)
Mary Naylor Presentation (PowerPoint)

Event Details

Speaker Biographies (Adobe Acrobat PDF)