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Rise in Outpatient Care Leads to Rise in Community-Associated Infections

An October 2017 study in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, “Risk Factors for Community-Associated Clostridium difficile Infection in Adults: A Case-Control Study,” found that from 2011 to 2014, instances of community-associated C. diff infections in the U.S. grew from 35% of all C. diff infections to 41%.

Smart Pump Custom Concentrations Without Hard ‘Low Concentration’ Alerts Can Lead to Patient Harm

During our latest summit, we focused on optimizing use of the technology during administration of secondary and intermittent infusions, patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), epidural infusions, plain IV solutions, and perioperative/anesthesia medications; preparing for pump-electronic health record (EHR) interoperability; and library analytics.

Alternatives to Lifting Patients

According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) statistics, worker injuries from slips, trips, and falls are one of the agency’s biggest concerns, especially in hospitals. Injury and illness rates in healthcare, at 5.2 cases for every 100 workers, continue to be above the national average, which is 3.5 cases per 100.

Are Second Victims Getting the Help They Need?

A 2013 review of healthcare professionals as second victims, published in Evaluation & The Health Professions, concluded that nearly half of healthcare providers would fit this label at least once in their career. A 2017 survey of surgeons found that 80% recalled having at least one intraoperative adverse event within the past year of their practice. Those affected reported having experienced a substantial emotional impact on their well-being, including strong feelings of sadness, anxiety, and shame.

Infusion Pump Performance: Flow Accuracy and Continuity Often Don’t Add Up

Pumps undergo extensive pre-market testing, and vendor manuals provide detailed documentation of the results. However, pump performance in the real world often differs significantly from lab results, with a potentially significant impact on patient safety.

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CMS Announces Opportunities to Expand Mental Health Treatment
by PSQH, November 13, 2018

CMS reached out to state Medicaid directors to outline existing and new opportunities, including a new chance for states to receive authority to pay for short-term residential treatment services in an institution for mental disease for these patients.
CDC Highlights Antibiotic Awareness Week
by PSQH, November 13, 2018

At least 30% of the antibiotics in U.S. outpatient settings are prescribed unnecessarily, according to the CDC. Annually, at least 2 million people become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and 23,000 people die as a result.
Massachusetts Voters Say ‘No’ to Mandatory Nurse-Patient Ratios
by HealthLeaders Media, November 9, 2018

For months, the law has been hotly debated. Those in favor said it would improve patient safety and care. Those opposed said it didn’t account for patient acuity and would create a financial burden on hospitals and healthcare systems.
CMS Extends Time to Finalize Discharge Planning Proposal
by PSQH, November 7, 2018

CMS took the unusual step on October 30 of announcing a year’s time extension to publish the final rule. The extension runs through November 3, 2019.
Tapping Patient Engagement to Reduce Diagnostic Errors
by HealthLeaders Media, November 6, 2018

The research features an examination of 184 narratives from patients or family members about diagnostic errors collected in a new database maintained by the Empowered Patient Coalition.

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Rise in Outpatient Care Leads to Rise in Community-Associated Infections

Smart Pump Custom Concentrations Without Hard ‘Low Concentration’ Alerts Can Lead to Patient Harm

Alternatives to Lifting Patients

Are Second Victims Getting the Help They Need?

Infusion Pump Performance: Flow Accuracy and Continuity Often Don’t Add Up

Expanding a Telehealth Program to Serve More Patients

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