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Hospital boards of directors have started to connect CEO bonuses to patient safety performance and improvement, according to a Boston Globe article.

The goal is to make CEOs and executives more involved in increasing patient safety within the hospital. Such incentive systems are commonplace in other industries, such as hotels and food service, according to the article.

An example used in the article shows that Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center CEO Paul Levy could lose nearly a third of his bonus if he fails to meet patient safety targets.

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Physicians who completed the American College of Physician Executives' (ACPE) 2007 Quality of Care Survey said they saw several obstacles to improving patient safety. One commenter said his or her hospital reused disposable equipment as a way to save money, according to an ACPE press release.

The major obstacles cited include:

• Lack of resources and money
• Patient compliance and awareness of healthy habits
• Poor communication among physicians, nurses and paraprofessionals
• A desire to maintain the status quo

Other responses outlined instances in which hospital executives asked physicians to err on the side of admission rather than discharge as a way to increase revenue. The additional admissions tie up hospital beds and reduce patient flow, which reduces patient safety.

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An experimental home in Florida has 50 medical devices built into the structure. Officials hope the available equipment will translate into patients closely following instructions and increasing their own safety, according to a Chicago Tribune article.

The equipment can be monitored by health professionals. The house was designed to keep patients in safe care without having to leave their home. By doing so, officials hope patients will follow physician instructions because they have the tools needed to do so.

When the homeowner uses the devices, he or she can send the report to care providers for analysis.

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