Pikeville Medical Center joins I-PASS KHATCH Program, leveraging gold standard solution
to standardize care transitions and reduce medical errors and patient harm

BOSTON, Mass. – July 24, 2024— The Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) and I-PASS innovative partnership, a safety program designed to reduce medical errors through improved clinical communications during care transitions, has expanded to include a fourth organization. Today, Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) announced it has joined the I-PASS Kentucky Hospital Association Transitions and Communication in Hospitals (KHATCH) Program. The eight-year initiative, launched in late 2023, is designed to improve clinical handoffs statewide by providing a framework to capture critical patient information and prevent miscommunication.

Communication failure is the number one root cause of sentinel events and malpractice claims across care areas, playing a key role in 30% to 70% of all events and claims. The I-PASS KHATCH Program, the first statewide patient safety initiative of its kind in the country, enables the KHA member network to receive funded access to the full suite of I-PASS solutions, which includes coaching, consultation, and a collection of technological tools to increase the quality and reliability of verbal and written handoffs.

Joining 21 other participating I-PASS KHATCH hospitals, PMC will implement the clinical communication tool across its nearly 350-bed regional center to reduce medical errors and preventable adverse events.

“It is thrilling to welcome Pikeville Medical Center into the I-PASS KHATCH Program as it represents a significant milestone in our journey towards statewide adoption,” said Deborah Campbell, Vice President of Clinical Strategy and Transformation at Kentucky Hospital Association. “The addition of Pikeville Medical Center speaks to the commitment to improving patient safety that has been evident at Pikeville and I hope we will continue to see this program spread across the state. It also demonstrates the belief in the I-PASS solution and validates that this solution will meaningfully improve outcomes and reduce patient harm while supporting employee satisfaction.”

For nearly a century, PMC has provided comprehensive care and advanced health throughout Eastern Kentucky. As a tertiary care center with 1,750 caregivers and patient-facing roles, PMC offers more than 400 services, encompassing nearly every major specialty and most subspecialties. Nationally recognized for its work in patient safety, PMC is committed to minimizing opportunities for patient harm, such as miscommunication, to deliver higher quality care.

“Our team believes passionately in continuous improvement of patient safety, and we’re proud to participate in the I-PASS KHATCH Program to practice more effective handoffs and provide a structure proven to foster a safer healthcare environment,” said Michelle Rainey, Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer at Pikeville Medical Center. “The I-PASS framework will provide our staff with a standardized approach for care transitions, ensuring clinicians remain focused during critical moments. The I-PASS methodology significantly reduces communication failures and establishes a universal language for handoffs, ensuring lasting improvements in patient outcomes and quality of care.”

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

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About Pikeville Medical Center

Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) is a 348-licensed-bed regional referral center and Kentucky’s only level II trauma center. PMC offers over 400 services, including most major specialties and many subspecialties, and features the region’s most advanced medical technology. PMC employs more than 3,100 people and has more than 600 credentialed healthcare providers. Learn more at www.pikevillehospital.org/.

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.

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.