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Over 40,000 incidents of medical harm occur in the United States every day, making medical errors the fifth leading cause of death nationwide, according to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). To help implement and strengthen systems and safeguards that prevent such problems as hospital-acquired infections, adverse drug events, surgical errors, pressure ulcers and other complications, IHI launched the national 5 Million Lives Campaign, an effort to prevent five million incidents of harm over a two-year period. The Colorado Trust provides support for this campaign statewide in Colorado.
This campaign builds on the success of the 100K Lives Campaign, IHI’s national effort to help hospitals save 100,000 lives over an 18-month period by instituting six improvement practices within hospitals. In Colorado, The Trust supported 62 hospitals to participate in this initial campaign, representing 96% of all hospital beds in the state. The 100k Lives Campaign exceeded its goal – participating hospitals across the country saved an estimated 122,300 lives by implementing these changes in patient care. The new campaign supports the momentum and strong commitment of Colorado hospitals, care providers and health quality organizations to strengthen systems, save lives and improve health outcomes into the future.
FEATURED GRANTEE: Wray Community Hospital
A Common Sense Approach to Preventing Illness
 School principals have learned a simple lesson: children with the highest attendance rates do the best in school. And the easiest way to keep children in school is to keep them healthy. “If kids are here, it’s pretty logical that they’re going to learn more,’’ said Greg Fruhwirth, principal of Wray Elementary School in northeastern Colorado.
Fruhwirth said colds, flu and stomach ailments used to be rampant only in winter months. But, in recent years, he has found that infections can race from classroom to classroom any time of the year. In rural parts of Colorado, it’s not uncommon for entire schools to have to close for days at a time because so many students and staff are sick.
Thanks to the Colorado 5 Million Lives Campaign, Fruhwirth is getting help in the war against germs at his school in this close-knit ranching community. Nicole Salmans, a registered nurse and the quality manager/nursing director at Wray Community Hospital reached out to the schools and offered to place hand sanitizers in all the classrooms. She believes this seemingly small, common-sense step will make a big difference. “You’re going to prevent a wide range of diseases, and children won’t be taking illnesses home to their families,” said Salmans. “It affects everybody in our community, not just the children.’’
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