Statewide patient safety initiative reaches 40 hospitals as demand for structured handoff solution grows

BOSTON, Mass. – June 21, 2025 – The I-PASS Kentucky Hospital Association Transitions and Communication in Hospitals (KHATCH) Program, a first-of-its-kind statewide initiative to improve patient handoffs and reduce preventable harm, has reached a major milestone: 50% of its eight-year enrollment goal has been achieved in under two years. With 40 hospitals now participating, the program continues to demonstrate high demand and engagement across Kentucky.

Launched in late 2023, the KHATCH Program is a joint effort between the I-PASS Patient Safety Institute and the Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) to bring standardized, evidence-based handoff communication tools to hospitals of all sizes. The initiative offers fully funded access to the I-PASS bundle, including digital tools, coaching, and implementation support, to up to 60% of KHA’s members, or approximately 77 hospitals, on a first-come, first-served basis.

The latest organizations to join the KHATCH Program and help push it over the halfway mark include:

• Taylor Regional Hospital
• Ohio County Healthcare
• St. Elizabeth Healthcare (Covington Hospital, Edgewood Hospital, Florence Hospital, Ft. Thomas Hospital, Grant Hospital)
• Murray-Calloway County Hospital
• Breckinridge Memorial Hospital 

“This milestone reflects what’s possible when a hospital association truly meets its members where they are,” said Deborah Campbell, Vice President of Clinical Strategy and Transformation at KHA. “We knew the appetite for practical, scalable safety improvements was there, and Kentucky hospitals have responded with urgency and enthusiasm. The KHATCH Program is no longer just a Kentucky story; it’s a national signal that statewide structured communication works, and that it can be implemented quickly and effectively with the right support.”

Together, these hospitals add more than 1,250 beds to the KHATCH Program’s impact footprint and underscore the growing appetite for scalable, systems-based patient safety solutions. The program’s rapid adoption across urban, rural, and critical access hospitals has exceeded all expectations. Initially targeting just nine hospitals in its first year, KHATCH is now operating in more than four times that number—proof of both its value and the need it addresses.

“This kind of progress in such a short timeframe is exceptional,” said Marshall Burkhart, CEO of the I-PASS Patient Safety Institute. “Hospitals want solutions that are proven, actionable, and intuitive for caregivers. That’s exactly what I-PASS offers. With continued support from KHA, we’re seeing not just adoption, but cultural change around communication and safety take root statewide.”

As KHATCH crosses the halfway mark toward its long-term target, program leaders are encouraging hospitals that have not yet signed on to act quickly. Enrollment slots are limited, and interest continues to rise as word spreads about the program’s results and member satisfaction.

To learn more about improving patient safety through better clinical care transitions, please contact info@ipassinstitute.com.

About I-PASS

The I-PASS Patient Safety Institute enables structured communications during clinical care transitions, and as a result, improves both patient safety and clinical outcomes. Founded by clinicians in 2016, the I-PASS Institute leverages expert mentorship paired with technology and digital tools to scale the I-PASS methodology. I-PASS is currently implemented in more than 100 healthcare institutions across the continuum of care. Learn more at www.ipassinstitute.com.

About Kentucky Hospital Association

The Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA), established in 1929, represents hospitals, related health care organizations, and integrated health care systems dedicated to sustaining and improving the health status of the citizens of Kentucky. Learn more at www.kyha.com.