Datix, UHC partner to improve patient safety and quality in U.S. hospitals

At the National Patient Safety Foundation Congress beginning today in Washington, D.C., two leaders in their respective healthcare areas have joined forces to improve patient safety.

UHC, an alliance of 116 academic medical centers with 264 affiliated hospitals in the U.S., and Datix, a U.K.-based provider of patient safety technology solutions, today announced a strategic collaboration to deliver new patient safety software and improve quality in U.S. hospitals. 

The collaboration of UHC and Datix will provide UHC members with access to additional patient safety information that can help improve overall hospital quality. The partnership will build on Datix's advanced software development expertise and extensive tool suite and UHC's current Patient Safety Net® program, including deep patient safety knowledge, use of Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) common formats, and Patient Safety Organization (PSO) services.

"In response to a request from our members for a broader suite of patient safety tools, we undertook a comprehensive search for a technology partner that could provide the right solutions that our members are looking for," said Irene M. Thompson, UHC's President and Chief Executive Officer.  "Our vision is to help members attain leadership in healthcare by gaining excellence in quality, safety and cost effectiveness. Working together, we can find ways for continuous improvement on patient safety initiatives like this."

One of the key areas of the partnership is the expansion of UHC's Patient Safety Net® -- one of the largest repositories of patient safety event data, and a unique analytical and benchmarking tool -- to include information about claims and complaints.

"We selected Datix because it is the global leader in safety and risk management solutions with a proven, long-standing commitment to advancing patient safety," said Thompson.

Datix software is used by many of the largest public and private healthcare providers internationally, including the U.S. Department of Defense's Military Health System. Datix opened its first U.S. office in March 2012 in Chicago, near UHC's headquarters.

"This collaboration agreement with UHC gives us an opportunity to enhance patient safety across three continents," said Jonathan Hazan, Chief Executive at Datix. "The values and goals of our two organizations with respect to patient safety and quality are fully aligned, and we look forward to a long and productive partnership that brings meaningful improvement to the top hospitals across the U.S."