Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1541944
15 QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT HCA's AI-backed safety strategy By Mackenzie Bean N ashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare is applying artificial intelligence to reframe patient safety work as a predictive, systemwide discipline, according to an Oct. 16 blog post from the American Hospital Association. e health system has embedded AI into its safety infrastructure to generate digital risk markers and identify near-miss events before harm occurs. is approach shis safety monitoring beyond traditional hospital reporting, which focuses on downstream events like infections or falls, according to Chief Quality Officer Randy Fagin, MD. "AI becomes not just an enabler, but I believe it is going to accelerate our ability — and likely even create an ability we wouldn't otherwise have — to advance our safety model using these high-impact, cross- industry, safety practices," he told AHA News. HCA is also using AI tools to reduce clinical variation. By identifying inconsistencies in clinical decision-making, patient presentation and geography, the health system aims to standardize care practices across its national footprint. Dr. Fagin said the system also has a robust governance structure in place to assess AI use cases, which includes leaders across operations, finance, marketing, supply chain and clinical teams. n Sickest Medicare patients least likely to have social risks documented: Study By Mackenzie Bean H ospitals infrequently document social risk factors using Z codes, particularly for clinically complex patients, according to research from the University of Pennsylvania's Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. Researchers examined inpatient claims for more than 7 million Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized in 2022, 86% of whom were over age 65. Just 2% of patients had at least one Z code — a set of billing codes used to flag social risks such as food insecurity or housing instability that could influence health. Hospitals are not required to collect Z codes for reimbursement ree more study findings: • Z codes were documented for 1.5% of high-complexity patients, compared to 2.8% of low-complexity patients. • Patients with the highest 30-day mortality risk were least likely to have Z codes documented. • Patients with Z codes in their records had a nearly 1% lower risk of death aer discharge. e study authors warned that limited and uneven Z code documentation may misrepresent the true scope of patients' social risk. By undercoding the sickest and most vulnerable patients, hospitals may unintentionally distort data used to guide funding, quality improvement and value-based payment models — potentially leaving high-need populations underserved, they said in an Oct. 16 news release. n New Joint Commission model lets hospitals guide survey support By Mackenzie Bean H ospitals accredited by The Joint Commission will soon have access to a new optional support model designed to strengthen performance between surveys, the organization said Oct. 29. Three things to know: 1. The optional "Continuous Engagement" model will launch Jan. 1 as part of the organization's overhauled accreditation process, Accreditation 360. 2. Participating hospitals will connect with a Joint Commission survey specialist virtually or on-site between accreditation surveys. These meetings will give hospital leaders a chance to ask questions, identify improvement opportunities and collaborate on strategies to boost quality and safety. 3. Hospitals can choose the timing and format of their meetings, which are not intended to monitor performance or compliance. n