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Health Research & Educational Trust

January 8, 2009

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HRET Vision and Mission

VISIONA society of healthy communities, where all individuals reach their highest potential for health.

MISSIONTransforming health care through research and education.

•Established in 1944

•501(c)(3) affiliate of the American Hospital Association

•20 FTEs, $5 million budget

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HRET Research Focus• Patient Safety/Quality of Care/Efficiency

• Leadership/Organizational Structure/Workforce

• Payment/Reimbursement

• Continuum of Care

Identifying best practicesEvaluating programsDeveloping and testing new modelsDeveloping case studiesAnalysis of data

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HRET Research Projects• National Implementation of the Comprehensive Unit-Based Safety Program (CUSP)

to Reduce Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections (CLABSI) in the Intensive Care Unit (AHRQ/ACTION) In partnership with the Johns Hopkins University Quality and Safety Research Group and the Michigan Health & Hospital Association Keystone Center for Patient Safety and Quality, HRET is implementing a program proven to reduce central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) in hospital ICUs, in collaboration with 10 state hospital associations and 10 hospitals within each state.  HRET is also directing the evaluation of the effectiveness of this national program. 

• Improving Patient Flow and Reducing Emergency Department Crowding (AHRQ/ACTION) HRET is evaluating strategies for improving patient flow and reducing emergency department (ED) overcrowding at six hospitals.  This project will advance the development of quality measurement and promote the spread of promising practices to a wide audience of hospitals and providers. 

• Identifying Best Practices to Improve Multi-Hospital Health System Performance (Commonwealth) HRET is analyzing data and surveying the leaders of multi-hospital health systems on the effective practices and use of improvement drivers such as financial incentives, measurement and reporting systems and other structures and processes to produce knowledge on system dimensions that will strengthen the quality of care.   

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HRET Research Projects• Medicare’s Payment Policy for Hospital-Acquired Conditions and Its Impact on

Safety Net Hospitals (Commonwealth Fund) In partnership with Brandeis University, HRET will analyze 2006 Medicare claims data to examine the potential impact of the new payment policy on safety net and non safety net hospitals.  Additionally, HRET will conduct telephone interviews with chief executive officers and chief quality officers from 90 hospitals to explore how hospitals are responding to the policy.

• Annual Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and HRET Employer Health Benefit Survey KFF and HRET conduct an annual survey of employer health benefits for over 1,900 small, medium and large employer groups.  The analysis of the survey provides current information about benefit trends including premiums, cost sharing, availability of coverage and new benefit options. 

• Promoting Safety and Quality through Human Resource Practices (AHRQ/ACTION) This project is a partnership led by The Ohio State University, Rush University Medical Center and HRET that is examining the link between workforce practices and quality and safety in health care.  The AHA's American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) is collaborating with HRET in publicizing and disseminating the results.  

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HRET Contributions to the Field