Building on its highly successful 100,000 Lives Campaign, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) has announced a similar campaign to prevent 5 million incidents of medical harm over a 24-month period (ending in December 2008). Called the 5 Million Lives Campaign, the new initiative promotes 12 improvements in care that can save lives and prevent injuries.

The campaign includes six interventions promoted in the 100,000 Lives Campaign, plus six new ones:

* prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection by implementing proven infection control practices.

* reduce harm from high-alert medications, starting with anticoagulants, sedatives, opioids, and insulin.

* reduce surgical complications by implementing recommendations from the Surgical Care Improvement Project.

* prevent pressure ulcers by implementing evidence-based practice guidelines.

* deliver reliable, evidence-based care for heart failure to reduce readmissions.

* get hospital boards of directors on board by defining new processes that will accelerate improvements.

The IHI aims to enlist 4,000 hospitals in the campaign and challenges them to implement at least 1 intervention (but preferably all 12) and report on outcomes throughout the campaign. For more about the 100,000 Lives and 5 Million Lives Campaigns, go to http://www.IHI.org