Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is one of seven organizations nationwide picked to receive $1.9 million grants as part of an initiative that could change the way health care is delivered.

        The money will go to pay for the second phase of a $20.9 million study that examines the way health care is delivered and ways that could change to make it better for patients.

        Dr. Uma Kotagal, vice president for quality and transformation at Children's, said the study is a result of two national reports that found the country's health-care system is failing patients.

        Children's is the only pediatric facility chosen to receive the grant, from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, called “Pursuing Perfection: Raising the Bar for Health Care Performance.”

        “This puts us right at the front of designing and understanding how we can meet the patients' needs,” Dr. Kotagal said.

        “What we're doing is building portions of the (health care) system and seeing if it improves” the existing system, Dr. Kotagal said. “The effect of the changes will be recorded and measured.”

        More than 200 health care organizations applied for the first phase of the grant, which began in May 2001. Children's Hospital established two pilot projects, which focused on children with bronchiolitis and cystic fibrosis.

        • Bronchiolitis: Records were made easily accessible so parents could chart their child's progress. The hospital also reduced the time taken to discharge patients.

        • Cystic fibrosis: Patients and parents helped design and implement a health-care plan. Adolescents admitted to the hospital helped create a daily schedule, and parent and patient goals for routine outpatient visits were solicited.

        “Our goal is to create a health-care delivery system that is timely, efficient, effective, safe, patient-centered and equitable,” said James Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Children's Hospital, in announcing the award.

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