How Southcoast Health leveraged digital tools to transform patient safety

As a Digital Health Most Wired Level 10 award-winner, Southcoast Health exemplifies how digital maturity fuels safer, more efficient patient care. By aligning its strategy with the DHMW framework and using data to guide every step, Southcoast achieved dramatic improvements in patient safety—cutting hospital-acquired infections by 52% and reducing safety-related costs by 30%, all while saving more than $660,000 annually.

This case study reveals how:

• Digital tools and real-time analytics transformed clinical quality and outcomes

• The DHMW benchmarking process informed strategic decisions

• A culture of safety and high reliability was built—and sustained

• Measurable improvements in CLABSI (↓56%) and CAUTI (↓52%) were realized

The measurable impact:

• 52% reduction in hospital-acquired infections

• 42% improvement in patient safety indicators

• 30% drop in safety-related costs

• $660K+ annual savings

Southcoast’s success shows how health systems can leverage DHMW insights to elevate care quality and achieve operational excellence.