Envision Healthcare, a leading national medical group, today released its performance data, revealing it outperformed national benchmarks from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on key quality metrics for safe, timely, effective, patient-centered care in 2020. The group continues to drive improvements in the delivery of care and address crucial health concerns, including opioid misuse and abuse, sepsis treatment and hospital readmission rates.
"We provide patient care based on a culture of safety and continuously evaluate clinical protocols and develop best practices to improve care delivery. By prioritizing patient-centered and evidence-based treatments, we will continue enhancing patient outcomes and satisfaction while making care more accessible."
"Envision cares for 32 million patients every year and is uniquely positioned to improve the health of communities across the country," said Chan Chuang, MD, FCCP, FACP, Chief Medical Officer at Envision Healthcare. "We provide patient care based on a culture of safety and continuously evaluate clinical protocols and develop best practices to improve care delivery. By prioritizing patient-centered and evidence-based treatments, we will continue enhancing patient outcomes and satisfaction while making care more accessible."
Data was collected from the care provided in communities throughout 45 states and the District of Columbia. It revealed that in 2020:
- Envision's emergency department wait times were 50 percent lower than the national average
In an emergency, time is of the essence, and the sooner a patient is treated, the better. Envision follows evidence-based protocols to provide patients the most appropriate care in a timely manner. Short wait times demonstrate Envision's focus on clinical operations, team coordination and communication within the department. - Envision's hospital readmission rates were 27 percent lower than the national average
Envision's teams continue to emphasize care coordination and returning patients to health by focusing on 30-day readmissions. Low readmission rates and reductions in unnecessary readmissions result from clinicians identifying at-risk patients appropriately, diagnosing and treating conditions in an effective and timely manner and coordinating care across multiple specialties inside and outside of the hospital. It is also the result of enhanced post-discharge planning and care transitions that, in accordance with CMS' Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, set up patients for a successful recovery after they return home. - Envision's radiology turnaround times remained below the national standard of 30 minutes
Theaccurate and prompt read of a radiologic image and identification of pathologies are critical for the management of various time-sensitive conditions like a stroke, traumatic injury or pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung). The turnaround time for strokes, one of the most crucial diagnoses, was 27 percent lower than the national benchmark, allowing for faster cross-specialty clinical decision making, such as the administration of thrombolytics (clot busters), that leads to better recovery from strokes. - Envision sets high standards for care in newer clinical focus areas where national benchmarks have yet to be determined
- Opioid Avoidance- With the opioid epidemic the country is facing, Envision is focusing on clinical pathways in its various specialties, such as anesthesiology, emergency medicine and pain management, to help communities address this public health crisis. In emergency medicine, Envision had a 99 percent adherence rate to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) opioid measures, which encourage the use of opioid alternatives when clinically appropriate toward the treatment of conditions like migraines and lower back pain. MIPS is a CMS program that recognizes clinicians for their exceptional adherence to clinical best practices and care quality.
- Sepsis Treatment - Sepsis is the result of the body's response to an infection that can lead to complications in the clinical course. The initiation of timely and appropriate management of sepsis has been shown to reduce adverse clinical outcomes. Envision demonstrated a 99 percent adherence rate to the MIPS initiation of the sepsis bundle - a series of interventions, including tests, treatments and medications - that have been proven effective at improving patient outcomes.
Envision's commitment to safety and clinical quality is evident through its robust quality program. The medical group operates a Patient Safety Organization certified by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The group also has a Qualified Clinical Data Registry approved by CMS to help with quality measure development, data collection and performance reporting. These platforms help Envision's clinicians and healthcare partners drive toward safe, reliable and high-quality care in the communities they serve.
"With clinicians from multiple specialties caring for patients in all types of communities, we're able to learn from a very comprehensive and diverse dataset to improve patient care," said N. Adam Brown, MD, MBA, FACEP, Chief Impact Officer at Envision Healthcare. "Our clinicians' ability to exceed national benchmarks during a pandemic speaks volumes to our protocols and commitment to patients."
In 2020, Envision's 25,000 physicians and advanced practice providers were faced with the enormous task of creating access to and caring for record numbers of critically ill patients while striving to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in their communities. Envision clinicians changed hospital protocols, cared for one out of every 10 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, provided testing for the virus and traveled to hard-hit communities throughout the country. During all of that, the team has continued to provide high-quality, compassionate care and make a meaningful difference.