CMS Proposes Opioid Prescribing Limits For Medicare Enrollees
Pharmacies would have new limits on filling opioid prescriptions for Medicare beneficiaries under regulations proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Judge Orders New Olympus Trial Over Superbug Death
At the initial Bigler trial last year, jurors rejected claims that the design of the company’s top-selling gastrointestinal scope hampered cleaning and declined to award punitive damages to the family. Instead, the jury ordered Olympus to pay the Seattle hospital involved $6.6 million in damages. In turn, the hospital, Virginia Mason Medical Center, had to pay the family $1 million.
Joint Commission to Roll Out New Maternal Care and Infectious Disease Requirements
The elements of performane are intended to reduce the risk of diseases like HIV and syphilis being passed from mother to child during birth.
The Joint Commission Releases 2018 Patient Safety Goals
The Joint Commission has released a list of its 2018 Ambulatory Health Care National Patient Safety Goals.
CMS: Providers Can Text, Just Not Medical Orders
CMS is clearing up recent confusion on what medical providers can text each other. The agency confirmed care team members are allowed to text patient information over a secure messaging app. However, texting medical orders is still verboten.
Infection Lapses Rampant in Nursing Homes But Punishment is Rare
Basic steps to prevent infections — such as washing hands, isolating contagious patients and keeping ill nurses and aides from coming to work — are routinely ignored in the nation’s nursing homes, endangering residents and spreading hazardous germs.
In Era of Increased Competition, Hospitals Fret Over Ratings
Hospitals take their ratings seriously, despite hospital industry experts’ skepticism about their scientific methodology and studies showing that scores may not have a huge influence on patient behavior.
Joint Commission Releases List of 2018 National Patient Safety Goals
The NPSGs cover eight different accreditation programs: ambulatory, behavioral care, critical access hospital, home care, hospital, laboratory services, nursing care center, and office-based surgery.
CMS Emergency Prep Rule Is Now Enforceable By Surveyors
Facilities have had over two years to prepare for this rule, and the agency has already said it won’t be accepting excuses for noncompliance.
Hospitals to Sue CMS Over 340B Drug Program Cuts
Despite opposition from many stakeholders, a bipartisan contingent of Congress, and CMS’ own advisory panel, the agency is moving forward with its plan to drastically cut payments for drugs acquired through the 340B drug discount program, according to the 2018 OPPS final rule, released November 1.