A tight glycemic control initiative in a surgical intensive care unit and hospitalwide.

Background: In 2002, tight glycemic control (TGC) was mandated at Henry Ford Hospital (Detroit) to reduce surgical site infections (SSIs). THE FIVE STEPS FOR IMPROVEMENT: The TGC initiative was developed in terms of the five primary steps of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) framework for leadership for improvement to drive practice change and maintain continuous improvement. In terms of Steps 1-3 (set direction, establish the foundation, and build will), in April 2002 the chief executive officer of the Henry Ford Hospital (Detroit) announced a hospitalwide initiative to reduce SSIs.

Reducing hospital standardized mortality rate with early interventions.

Henry Ford Hospital is undertaking multiple initiatives to reduce patient mortality. One such project is the deployment of a rapid response team (RRT). Rapid response teams contribute to reducing in-patient mortality rates by identifying and treating patients at risk for physiological deterioration outside the intensive care unit (ICU) setting.