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Could Medical Device Security Depend Upon Clinicians?

For nearly a decade, healthcare professionals and medical device manufacturers have been aware that medical devices, including insulin pumps and pacemakers, can be hacked. While some strides have been made in securing these types of devices, the growing interconnectivity of smart medical devices continues to outpace security.

Safety Enhancements Every Hospital Must Consider in Wake of Another Tragic Neuromuscular Blocker Event

This type of error could happen anywhere given current system vulnerabilities frequently found in hospitals, particularly when using automated dispensing cabinets. In fact, ISMP has observed many of the same system vulnerabilities in other hospitals, and they are frequently at the root of a variety of medication errors reported to the ISMP National Medication Errors Reporting Program.

Industry Focus—Infection Control: Examine Your Dialysis Space to Ensure Room to Separate Infectious Patients

Among other infection control practices for hemodialysis, surveyors will be observing water and dialysate testing, medication storage, preparation and administration, and “patient placement in full view of staff during dialysis treatment,” according to a Joint Commission official.

Industry Focus—Culture of Safety: Just Culture…It’s Much More Than an Algorithm

In a high-reliability culture, a paradigm exists that simply states that it is not realistic to expect zero human error. Human error is ubiquitous; it is inevitable. As much as we dictate policy and guidelines, as much as we practice and train, humans will commit errors; it is a constant.

Lessons Learned From a Death Outside a Hospital’s Doorstep

DeMarco's refusal to accept the hospital’s silence, a desire for accountability, and ultimately a simple request for the hospital’s administration to sit down with him and apologize for the mistakes made were enough to make the hospital change its ways.

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Mobile Stroke Units Quicken Surgical Treatment by 10 Minutes
by HealthLeaders Media, August 20, 2019

In research published recently by Stroke, mobile stroke units were associated with a 10-minute gain in a key IAT workflow metric: emergency room arrival to treatment time, or door-to-puncture-time.
New EPA Rule Bans All Sewering of Hazardous Waste Drugs
by PSQH, August 19, 2019

The August 21 ban on the sewering of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals is the first deadline set out in new regulations published by the EPA in a final rule in February that overall sets up a new category, Subpart P, under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
New Sentinel Event Categories Focus on Post-Discharge Suicides
by PSQH, August 19, 2019

While suicide overall often has been in the top sentinel events, this breakdown includes two categories that split suicide events into those involving an inpatient and events involving a patient within 72 hours of discharge.
Penn State Leader on Physician Burnout: ‘It’s Time to Act’
by HealthLeaders Media, August 14, 2019

Shapiro and several colleagues recently published a journal article about a five-tier hierarchy that they developed to help healthcare administrators prioritize interventions that address medical staff burnout.
Senator Reintroduces Bill to Fight Spread of Superbugs
by PSQH, August 13, 2019

The bill targets the misuse and overprescribing of antibiotics, which has led to resistant bacteria and a shortage of effective antibiotics.

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Could Medical Device Security Depend Upon Clinicians?

AI: Augmented Intelligence or Electric Sheep?

Safety Enhancements Every Hospital Must Consider in Wake of Another Tragic Neuromuscular Blocker Event

Industry Focus—Infection Control: Examine Your Dialysis Space to Ensure Room to Separate Infectious Patients

Industry Focus—Culture of Safety: Just Culture…It’s Much More Than an Algorithm

Lessons Learned From a Death Outside a Hospital’s Doorstep

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