Cybersecurity Is Patient Safety
Clinicians and other professionals who see patients on a daily basis aren’t necessarily thinking about cybersecurity from a patient safety standpoint. That makes password requirements, security education and training, and other requirements seem less directly connected to patient care and safety—even though they actually are integral to both.
How Advancing Automation Can Improve Medication Management
Automation in healthcare grows more present all the time. In the pharmacy, robotics and other automation systems now help us maintain inventories, dispense medications, and reduce time, cost, and errors. Because medicine cannot operate through these solutions alone, maintaining the human connection remains a priority. But how do we balance human and machine for the best patient outcomes?
COVID-19’s Impact on the Point-of-Care Ecosystem
COVID-19 profoundly changed the point-of-care ecosystem. Business as usual was no longer possible, and healthcare organizations had to reassess the point of care in order to keep staff and patients safe. Making the best of an unprecedented situation, the industry saw new ideas, new workflows, and new technologies emerge, enabling game-changing best practices that are set to continue long after the pandemic is over.
I-PASS Reaches Major Milestones
I-PASS has developed methods for improving communication during transitions—and the I-PASS Institute has just celebrated its fifth year using its process. Partnering with more than 100 U.S. hospitals, the I-PASS Institute and the I-PASS Study Group have seen significant successes over the past decade.
Preparing to Improve Infection Prevention After COVID-19
From infection prevention and control, to cleaning and disinfecting practices, to new and improved cleaning products, there’s a myriad of ways organizations will look to advance patient safety in a post-pandemic world.
How to Address Health Equity Issues in a Proactive Manner
Leveraging SDoH for VBC requires proper measurement and interpretation of available SDoH data. It is a complex problem due to the variety of structured/semi-structured/unstructured data sets coming from multiple sources, the lack of standardization in data collection and processing, as well as the need to capture a very large number of demographic, environmental, and socioeconomic metrics not yet measured today.
Four Ways Physicians Can Use E-Consults to Triage Post-Pandemic Care Needs
There is a significant backlog of patients waiting to see their provider or undergo a procedure. Innovative solutions like telehealth triage can enable healthcare organizations to improve timely access to care within the most appropriate setting. As a telehealth triage tool, an e-consult platform directs patients to the most appropriate care setting as hospitals and clinics tackle their backlog of patients.
Navigating the Tightrope
The past year has disrupted the normal cycle of planning and execution. Checkups and elective procedures were down during COVID-19, and now that case numbers are returning to pre-pandemic levels, there is the potential for a surge in volumes. The low volumes during COVID-19 will average together with the higher volumes as people emerge from the pandemic. From a planning perspective, things will likely return to the trajectory they were on a year ago.
Value-Based Healthcare: How It Expanded During COVID-19
Preexisting conditions became newly challenging during the pandemic, as chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension risked being untreated. Many patients fell behind on care, avoiding doctor visits and hospital stays out of concern of COVID-19 exposure—which added significant risks to those with preexisting conditions.
Analytics and Hospital Pharmacies: Building a Successful Program
There’s value to be found in the data related to hospital pharmacies, as well, but unlocking actionable analytics and insights from metrics reporting requires the right viewpoints and skill sets. Global medical technology company BD recently hosted a panel discussion inviting key pharmacy leaders and experts to talk about how analytics have impacted high-performing hospital pharmacy programs.