Ohio-Based International Children’s Hospitals’ Patient Safety Effort Saving Lives with More Than 30,000 Spared from Harm

Columbus, OHIO – The Ohio-founded international pediatric patient and employee safety effort, Children’s Hospitals’ Solutions for Patient Safety (SPS), announced today that it has spared more than 30,109 children from serious harm since its inception. This significant safety milestone has also resulted in an estimated savings of $668.4 million in healthcare costs.

Standing in the Ohio Statehouse, where the effort was launched in 2009, Ohio leaders joined SPS to honor the 16 years of collaboration, growing from the eight original members to more than 150 hospitals in North America that have transformed pediatric healthcare with their dedication and work toward the goal of zero serious harm. Early efforts included a partnership with the Ohio Business Roundtable, with foundational support from the Cardinal Health Foundation. The hospitals in the network share information and data regularly to learn best practices that are then spread across the network and shared publicly, along with results, on the network’s website.

“If your child has visited a children’s hospital in the United States or Canada, you have been directly impacted by the work we have been doing over the last 16 years,” said Nick Lashutka, CEO, Children’s Hospitals’ Solutions for Patient Safety (SPS). “Importantly, we applaud this incredible milestone in pediatric and employee safety but know that our work continues as we strive toward our goal of zero serious harm.”

“Ohio is known for innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit – and this effort demonstrates how our children’s hospitals come together and put these principals in motion to save lives,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “Ohioans can be immensely proud of our outstanding children’s hospitals and how we are exporting their expertise and experience throughout the world.”

"The importance of hospital safety cannot be understated, and I look forward to collaborating on impactful legislation to support that goal,” said Senator Bill Reineke, President Pro Tempore, Ohio Senate.

“I applaud the collaborative effort over the past 16 years to improve hospital safety and ultimately the wellbeing of Ohio children,” said Representative Gayle Manning, Speaker Pro Tempore, Ohio House of Representatives.

Ohio’s children’s hospitals – Akron Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati Children’s, Cleveland Clinic Children’s, Dayton Children’s, Mercy Health Children’s Hospital, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, ProMedica Russell J. Ebeid Children’s Hospital, and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital – took a risk 16 years ago in January of 2009, when leaders decided to put aside competition, transparently share data and work together to eliminate serious safety events in their hospitals. The effort – now known across the globe as the Children’s Hospitals’ Solutions for Patient Safety – had never been done before – and was even described by Ohio hospital leaders as “herculean” in scope.

In fact, the effort was so unique that it required an act of the State of Ohio and Ohio General Assembly to protect the peer review process and allow the hospitals to share learning and data in ways that drive change quickly and effectively.

“It’s highly likely that without the cooperation and support of Ohio policy makers, we would have been unable to overcome the legal barriers to transparently sharing our safety data,” said Lashutka. “We are incredibly fortunate that Ohio leaders shared our vision, understood the barriers that needed to be removed and took swift and appropriate action to do so.”