How Health Systems Can Battle the Rise of Superbugs
By placing an emphasis on early screening as well as new innovations in remote monitoring supported by predictive algorithms to detect infections earlier, health systems can minimize risk to other patients in the hospital. By Peter Ziese, PhD, MD For years, the U.S. has feared the arrival of superbugs, otherwise known as strains of bacteria … Continued
The Impact of Cybersecurity on Patient Safety
There has been a worrying jump in successful ransomware attacks in the U.S. as healthcare organizations are prime targets for other types of malware and computer viruses, too, because they are relatively easy targets and have the resources to pay off hackers.
Structured Patient Handoffs: The Movement Toward Adverse Event Reduction in the Perioperative Unit
Clinician handoffs spiked in 2011 after the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education implemented rules to limit the number of hours residents worked.
Bit, Kicked, And Hit
More than 70% of significant WPV injuries occur in healthcare and social service settings. That number has been on the rise, and the victims are primarily healthcare workers, according to the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety Foundation.
Ready For A Disaster? If Not, It Will Cost You.
Orlando Health’s corporate manager of emergency preparedness talks about his experience with the Pulse nightclub shooting and how healthcare leaders can better prepare their organizations to handle disasters.
Q&A: CDC Town Hall Addresses Preventing Legionella Contamination
In early June, CMS issued a new memo to surveyors on the importance of reducing cases of Legionella infections. Not long after, the CDC issued a Vital Signs report underlining the bacterium’s risk to patients. The following is an edited Q&A from the CDC Vital Signs Town Hall, “Health Care-Associated Legionnaires’ Disease: Protect Patients With Prevention and Early Recognition.”
Double-Booked: When Surgeons Operate On Two Patients At Once
Critics of the practice, who include some surgeons and patient-safety advocates, say that double-booking adds unnecessary risk, erodes trust and primarily enriches specialists. They say surgery is not piecework and cannot be scheduled like trains: Unexpected complications are not uncommon.
Transitional Care Gets a Room of Its Own
As emergency rooms see long lines and post-discharge patients roam hallways, dedicated space for transitional care is once again on the minds of many care quality advocates.
Opinion: Uniqueness is Not Unique
With all the regulatory and reimbursement changes occurring in our industry at an ever-increasing rate, one thing is for certain: Your organization is not unique. When speaking to organizations, I often hear things like, “Well, we don’t have the resources that the university hospital has” from community hospitals and then the university hospitals will … Continued
Federal Task Force Calls Cybersecurity a Public Health Concern
Staffing problems and outdated equipment and software are healthcare’s top cybersecurity challenges, according to a June 2 report released by the Health Care Industry Cybersecurity Task Force, a federal task force established to fulfill requirements of the 21st Century Cures Act.