NPR’s ‘Morning Edition’ Profiles Institute for Healthcare Improvement President Dr. Don Berwick

NPR's "Morning Edition" on July 16 profiled Don Berwick, president of the not-for-profit Institute for Healthcare Improvement and a physician and professor of health policy at Harvard Medical School. Berwick has built IHI to be a "considerable force for change," NPR reports. IHI works with physician offices and hospitals worldwide to implement reform efforts, such as reducing surgical infections, eliminating medication errors, cutting costs and increasing patient access to physicians. NPR reports that IHI's initiatives are "making some headway" and bringing cost savings, decreases in medical errors and better management of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. For example, a recent collaboration between IHI and the largest system of Iowa hospitals and providers resulted in a 65% decrease in patient complications caused by medication errors, NPR reports (Arnold, "Morning Edition," NPR, 7/16).

The full segment will be available in RealPlayer Audio online after noon ET.