NEWS
Welcome to our News page. Here you will find the latest information about Remaking American Medicine and the national outreach campaign including National Partner and local coalition activities and special promotional outreach events that PBS stations are undertaking around the country, many of which you may want to adopt in your own community. As we near the broadcast date, watch this page for broadcast dates and times in key markets.
Also visit the RAM Partner and QIO News page for the latest news, information and newsletters from RAM Partners and QIOs. Of course, we also invite you to subscribe to our monthly online E-Newsletter.
News Updates
Septmeber 2006
NEW! - Watch preview clips of each of the four programs.
Program 1 Program 2 Program 3 Program 4
July 2006
National Alliance for Hispanic Health joins Remaking American Medicine campaign as a National Partner.
Health Care Quality Leaders Join Forces
AQA and HQA Collaborate to Expedite National Quality Strategy
WASHINGTON -- Two key health care quality alliances, the AQA alliance and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA), have formed a new national Quality Alliance Steering Committee to better coordinate the promotion of quality measurement, transparency and improvement in care. Through the joint efforts of the AQA – an alliance of 135 physician organizations, consumers, employers and health plan representatives that makes available quality information about physician care – and the HQA – a coalition of hospitals, nurses, physician organizations, accrediting agencies, government, consumers and business that shares quality information about key aspects of hospital care – Americans will have helpful information on health care available through the Internet.
June 2006
IHI President and CEO Donald Berwick announce that hospitals in the 100,000 Lives Campaign have saved an estimated 122,300 lives, exceeding the original goal. Read the June 14 press release.
JCAHO and Patient Safety Featured at Quality Colloquium - http://www.qualitycolloquium.com/
May 2006
The four-part series, Remaking American Medicine™…Health Care for the 21st Century, will be broadcast on PBS nationally every Thursday at 10 p.m. in October. The line-up includes:
Program One - Silent Killer - October 5
Every year at least 98,000 Americans die - and countless more are injured - as a result of medical errors. This program begins by profiling the efforts of Sorrel King, whose 18-month-old daughter Josie was killed at one of the most respected hospitals in the world, Johns Hopkins. King has gone from grieving victim to engaged activist, partnering with Johns Hopkins to make safety a top priority at the institution. Now she has joined forces with Dr. Donald Berwick, a nationally recognized patient safety advocate, to save 100,000 lives in American hospitals.Program Two - First Do No Harm - October 12
This program focuses on the impact of medical errors in two hospitals and follows the efforts of physicians who are challenging their colleagues to live up to their oath to First Do No Harm. In Pittsburgh, Penn., Chief of Medicine Dr. Richard Shannon is confronting an epidemic of hospital-acquired infections that are shattering the lives of their victims. Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey is engaged in an effort to totally transform the way the institution delivers care. The goal is to ensure that the people trusted to provide safe and effective medical treatment do not harm patients.Program Three - The Stealth Epidemic - October 19
Chronic diseases like diabetes and congestive heart failure affect nearly 100 million Americans, and treatment of these illnesses consumes nearly 70 percent of all health care resources. Yet doctors are often unable to prevent needless suffering or even death, and these failures are threatening the viability of our entire health care system. This program looks at groundbreaking efforts in two very different communities -- Los Angeles, Calif. and Whatcom County in the state of Washington -- that are fundamentally transforming the physician-patient relationship ... and offers a glimmer of hope for patients across the country who are struggling with their chronic conditions.Program Four - Hand in Hand - October 26
As medicine continues to become more and more technologically sophisticated and the systems that deliver medical care become more complex, the relationship between providers, patients and families is more important than ever. This final program tells the story of patients and families who have formed a unique bond in a teaching hospital in the small town of Augusta, Georgia to transform the institution into a nationally recognized facility where partnership is a guiding vision to the care it delivers.
April 2006
NEW! - CrossKeys Media announces host for Remaking American Medicine Series
Award-winning journalist John Hockenberry has agreed to be the host for the four-part Remaking American Medicine television series. Find out more about Mr. Hockenberry here.
Final Meeting of the RAM National Awareness Advisory Committee (NAAC)
On May 9, the RAM NAAC will meet to discuss and finalize the major tasks of the final months of the RAM public awareness campaign leading up to the series broadcast.
National Partnership for Women & Families Release New Health Care Booklet
Compare Your Health Care: Become An Informed Consumer, a new booklet intended for consumers and health care quality advocate, is designed to raise awareness about health care quality issues and to help patients and their families become more educated health care consumers.
The National Partnership for Women & Families is leading efforts to improve health care quality and is pleased to be a Remaking American Medicine (RAM) National Partner. A PDF version of the booklet can be downloaded from the National Partnership web
site: www.nationalpartnership.org.A direct link is available here
March 2006
AHRQ Launches New Web-Based Tool for States To Measure Performance on the Quality of Health Care Across America
HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality today released a new interactive Web-based tool for States to use in measuring health care quality. The new State Snapshot Web tool is based on the 2005 National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR) and the 2005 National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR), originally released on January 9, and provides quick and easy access to the many measures and tables of the NHQR from each State’s perspective. See entire release.
To view the State Snapshot tool, go to http://www.qualitytools.ahrq.gov/qualityreport/2005/state.
Joint Commission Unveils Redesigned Web site for Consumers, Health Care Organizations
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations launched its redesigned web site, www.jointcommission.org, featuring ‘one-click navigation’ that means consumers and health care organizations can tap into the latest information on health care quality and safety. The retooled site uses advanced behind-the-scenes technologies that enable users to more easily and quickly find the information that they want.
IOM Calls for Strengthening QIO Program -AHQA endorses the Institute of Medicine report on the Quality Improvement Organization program.
February 2006
Feb 28 - JANET M. CORRIGAN, PhD, MBA, SELECTED TO LEAD NEWLY RECONSTITUTED NATIONAL QUALITY FORUM
The National Quality Forum & National Committee for Quality Health Care
Join Together to Focus on Coordination & Collaboration of Quality Efforts
Across the Nation - Read the release here
February 7, 2006
MedQIC, an online resource for Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) and healthcare professionals has released the latest version of the Web site, MedQIC 2.1.
Find out more at: www.medqic.org
January 2006
National Governors Association joins Remaking American Medicine Campaign
We are pleased to announce that The National Governors Association has joined the Remaking American Medicine campaign as a National Partner.
AHRQ Releases 2005 National Healthcare Quality And Disparities Reports
Quality of health care for Americans has continued to improve at a modest pace, and health care disparities are narrowing overall for many minority Americans. But for Hispanics, disparities have widened in both quality of care and access to care, according to reports by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The findings are contained in the 2005 National Healthcare Quality Report and its companion document, the 2005 National Healthcare Disparities Report. These reports, issued annually, measure quality and disparities in four key areas of health care: effectiveness, patient safety, timeliness, and patient centeredness.
The 2005 National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR) is a comprehensive national overview of quality of health care in the United States.
The 2005 National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) tracks disparities in both quality of and access to health care in the United States for both the general population and for congressionally designated priority populations.
The reports are available online at www.qualitytools.ahrq.gov,
October 2005
Coalition Leaders Call -
On October 25, a facilitated teleconference with leaders and others involved in RAM coalitions will take place from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (ET). The purpose is to share information about the outreach campaign and provide examples of some of the exciting work being planned in communities around the country.
Several PBS stations and Quality Improvement Organizations will make brief presentations. They include Larry Jopek of WEDU/Tampa and Dave Ruscitti, Florida Medical Quality Association; Gail Thomas Strong, WFYI/Indianapolis and Ellen Murphy, Health Care Excel; Jennifer Trotter, New Mexico Medical Review Association and Tish Bravo, KNME/Albuquerque; and Jennifer Lawson, WHUT, Washington, D.C.
Marc Boutin, VP of Policy Development and Advocacy, National Health Council, and Carolyn Pare, CEO, Buyers Health Action Group, who serve as co-chairs of the Coalition Subcommittee, will also participate.
A transcript of the teleconference and the accompanying Power Point presentation is now available in the Resources section.
The 100,000 Lives Campaign Bus Tour -
From September 26 through October 14, 2005, the 100,000 Lives Campaign was on a coast-to-coast bus tour to celebrate the unprecedented national health care quality improvement network developing in the US.
Read all about it and see photos.
September 2005
RAM Campaign Releases Patient- and Family-Centered Care
White Paper
Intended to help RAM coalitions -- includes a series of strategies and
tactics to help engage local communities.
Download 
or go to the Resources section to find out more.
August 2005
IHI - PRESS RELEASE
2,500 HOSPITALS HAVE JOINED IHI’S CAMPAIGN TO SAVE 100,000 LIVES
THROUGH HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT
July 2005
IHI's "100,000 Lives" Campaign Featured in U.S. News & World Report
Read an eight-part special report on IHI and the 100,000 Lives Campaign in the U.S. News & World Report "America's Best Hospitals 2005" issue.
PDF version of report
Link to report on U.S. News Web site
RAM Coalitions Now Forming!
More than 30 RAM Coalitions are now actively participating in the campaign. Coalitions are working with more than 250 local/regional groups and that number continues to grow. See a map and a list of where these coalitions are located. Get involved now!! Go to the "Connect with Others" Database and find a coalition near you.
Donald Berwick Honored by Queen Elizabeth II
July 13, 2005 - Donald M. Berwick, MD, MPP, President and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), has been appointed an honorary KBE (Knight Commander, Order of the British Empire) by HM Queen Elizabeth II. The award, announced today, was made to Dr. Berwick, in his capacity as President and CEO of IHI, in recognition of his “distinguished service to healthcare improvement in Britain’s National Health Service.”
Read Press Release from IHI
Read Press Release from British Consulate
CDC joins Remaking American Medicine Campaign
We are pleased to announce that The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) has joined the Remaking American Medicine campaign as a National Partner. CDC is one of the 13 major
operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS). CDC is involved in a number of health quality improvement
initiatives, many with several of the National Partners and QIOs. To learn more about the CDC, please go to National Partners and link to their Web site.
PBS Grantees and Remaking American Medicine in the News
KRWG's work for Remaking American Medicine highlighted in the New Mexico Business Journal. Read the story here.
See Press Release from New Mexico QIO.
KETC's work for Remaking American Medicine highlighted in the St. Louis Business Journal. Read the story here.
National Organizations Join Remaking American Medicine Campaign
We are pleased to announce that four new organizations have joined the
Remaking American Medicine campaign as National Partners. Among those
who have recently joined this 39 member group are the American
Association of Colleges of Nursing, American Organization of Nurse
Executives, Mid-America Coalition on Healthcare, and the National
Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. To learn more about each,
please go to National Partners and link to their respective Web sites.
RAM Campaign's Searchable Database
Remaking American Medicine is dedicated to spotlighting advances in quality
improvement taking place community by community around the country. To
see some examples of innovative work in improving heart care, go to the
search function in “Connect with Others” and type in “Best Practices” in the
keyword box. You’ll find a number of results oriented activities being
undertaken by QIOs in partnership with a variety of hospital providers.
Contact names are provided for additional information.
June 2005
AARP Hosts National Awareness Advisory Committee (NAAC) Meeting
AARP, a RAM National Partner graciously hosted the June 9 NAAC meeting in their state-of the-art Cy Brickfield Conference Center in Washington, DC. Thirty of the National Partners were represented at the meeting. The agenda included an update on the series and campaign and presentations by the three Washington metro area PBS stations that received incentive grants to participate in the campaign.
The late morning and afternoon portions of the meeting sessions were devoted to a lively exchange of ideas and suggestions regarding how local coalitions can use the series and campaign to accelerate the transformation of health care quality in their community. The next NAAC meeting will be held in October 2005.
May 2005
National Organizations Join Remaking American Medicine Campaign
We’re pleased to welcome five new National Partners to the RAM outreach
campaign. They include the American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons; National Association of Home Care and Hospice; National
Business Coalition on Health; National Business Group on Health (formerly
Washington Business Group on Health); and the National Health Council.
Each of these organizations is committed to improving the quality of health
care as demonstrated through their various programs and activities. To
learn more about each, please go to National Partners and link to their Web
sites.
PBS Incentive Grants Award Winners Announced
Many PBS stations from around the country submitted applications to the
Remaking American Medicine PBS-incentive grants program. RAM’s lead
corporate sponsor, the Amgen Foundation, generously donated funds to
provide funding for the 22 PBS stations who received grants. See the grant
recipient list and their project descriptions.
New Campaign Promotional Tools Released
National Partners were recently emailed a series of promotional materials for use on Web sites and in publications. Included were: a feature story that introduces RAM, a sidebar description of the series, a sidebar list of national Partners and a sidebar Champion of Change story. Also included were the RAM Style Guide, RAM logos in color and Black and White and selected photographs from the series. Partners can access this material by visiting their password-protected area and clicking on download. If you don’t have a password contact webmaster@RAMcampaign.org.
The third edition of the PBS Primer, intended to help National Partners and
QIOs plan an effective public outreach campaign in partnership with local
PBS and NPR stations has just been posted on the site. Visit the Resources
and go to the "Remaking American Medicine Tools" section. Click on
"Primer" to access this latest version.
Campaign Announces New Funders
The Amgen Foundation, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation® and the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation have recently awarded grants to the series and outreach campaign.
The Amgen Foundation is the lead sponsor for Remaking American Medicine. Their generosity is helping fund the series and will also underwrite the PBS Incentive Grants Program that is providing resources for stations to more fully participate in local coalition activities. In addition, the National Symposium on Quality Health Care Improvement, is made possible through Amgen.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the major underwriter for Remaking
American Medicine. This is their second grant to this project. This new grant
will be used to underwrite the National Partnership Program, which includes
work to link partners nationally and locally to create new improvement
efforts or join existing efforts. It also supports an expansion of
For more information about all the campaign's funders visit the Underwriters
page.
Nathan Cummings Foundation Challenge Grant Met
A major grant from the Nathan Cummings Foundation has been awarded to Remaking American Medicine. The gift was made possible after a campaign donation target was reached. Crosskeys Media®, producers of the series have earmarked the funds for use between the series and the outreach campaign.
Crosskeys Media® Completes Pursing Perfection in Health Care Video Series
Pursing Perfection, a unique and compelling seven-part video series, that
focuses on the goal of improving patient outcomes will be unveiled during the Institution for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) National Forum December 12-15 in Orlando, Fla. Produced by Crosskeys Media, these 20-minute motivational videos are designed to improve the quality of American health care by stimulating a will for change in health care organizations across the country.
The videos draw on the experiences of seven major health care institutions in the Pursuing Perfection initiative, a program supported by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and under the direction of IHI. Some of the stories within the series will be featured in Remaking American Medicine.
More information on the series can be found at IHI's Web site www.ihi.org and also in the Resources section of this site under Across the Board Quality Issues.
