The patient safety movement is now 20 years old, if we tie its origin to publication of “Error in Medicine” by Lucian Leape, MD, in 1994. The movement has evolved, with an expanding agenda, deeper research, and increasing numbers of people from all walks of healthcare devoting themselves to improvement.

On May 15, winners of the inaugural John Q. Sherman Awards for Excellence in Patient Engagement were honored in award ceremonies at the 16th Annual NPSF Patient Safety Congress in Orlando, Florida. Nasia Safdar, MD, PhD, hospital epidemiologist for the University of Wisconsin Hospital, was recognized with the individual award of excellence.

  March/April 2014 THERE’S STILL TIME TO REGISTER: Getting Paid for Innovation and High Value Outcomes:The Path to Cost Effective, Accessible Health Care for All ABQAURP’s 37th Annual Health Care Quality & Patient Safety Conference Friday, May 2, 2014Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, Lake Buena Vista, FL As we move toward the implementation phase … Continued

Cellulitis is a common infection that affects the skin and subcutaneous tissues and results in significant morbidity and associated healthcare costs. In fact, more than $3.7 billion were spent on 240,000 inpatient admissions for cellulitis in the United States in 2004 (Solucient, 2006). In addition to these costs, more than 14.5 million individuals were treated in offices, hospital outpatient clinics, and emergency departments for skin infections in 2005 (Hersh, Chambers, Maselli, & Gonzales, 2008).

  January/February 2014 Quality Conundrums Lynn Helmer, MD, MBA, CHCQM • ABQAURP Diplomate since 1998 • http://www.drdnj.com Healthcare.gov — A Quality Conundrum? Regardless of your politics, we can all agree that leveraging technology in some way to enhance the quality and decrease the cost of health care is a logical approach. Although disagreement remains, recent … Continued

Management of medical device alarms has been a persistent challenge for decades (ECRI Institute, 1974). Histories of surveys, papers, and other initiatives to improve alarm safety have been compiled (Clark, 2005; ACCE Healthcare Technology Foundation, 2006; ECRI Institute, 2008), and yet the problem persists.

For more than 160 years, healthcare providers have understood that aspects of the built or physical environment of hospitals may deter healing or cause patients to develop new health problems, including infections, even as they seek help for existing illness and injuries.

Patients in today’s healthcare system benefit from expert caregivers who are supported by advancing technology. The majority of patient care is provided by nurses, who comprise the largest percentage of the healthcare workforce, with more than 3 million nurses practicing in the United States (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2013). Health information technology allows nurses to better monitor patient status, communicate with patients, collaborate with team members, evaluate available care options, and determine best practices.

In 1992, Microsoft released Windows 3.1, Johnny Carson made his final appearance as host of The Tonight Show, Bill Clinton was elected president, and the American Nursing Informatics Association (ANIA) was founded.

Principles of patient- and family-centered care (PFCC) have been ingrained in American culture since the days when house calls were made by the fictional Marcus Welby, MD, and the real Dr. W. Mayo (Clapesattle, 1990). It would be unusual for a modern medical practitioner to argue against these principles, but gradually over time, the practical application of patient- and family-centered care in clinical settings faded.