When Parents Bring Children to Appointments, Does Treatment Suffer?
The researchers found that for 70% of doctor’s visits, patients came with their kids. This occurred far more frequently for scheduled appointments than emergency visits. Parents quickly lost their focus on the primary task, while caregivers became distracted by repeated interruptions.
Patient Safety Awards Hold Hospitals Accountable
The Leapfrog report found that if all hospitals had an avoidable death rate equivalent to “A” hospitals, 50,000 lives would have been saved, versus 33,000 lives that would have been saved by “A” level performance in 2016.
Disposal of Sharps: Can You Leave Them in the Bin for Central Accumulation?
We do not know of any regulations that would prohibit moving red biohazard bins containing sharps to a RCRA hazardous waste central accumulation area, provided the generator of the sharps is in compliance with the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) and any applicable state regulations addressing medical waste and hazardous waste.
FDA Addresses Device Safety Process, But Will It Be Enough?
The 510(k) process is required by the FDA when introducing a medical device to the market for the first time, changing the indications for a previously cleared device, or making significant modifications to a previously cleared device.
Medicaid-Covered C-sections Pose Higher Risk of Infection
Researchers found that women who delivered via C-section and were covered by Medicaid had a 1.4-fold increase in infections compared to those covered by private insurance.
How Can We Better Protect Hospital Workers From Hazardous Drugs?
NIOSH recognizes that hazardous drugs are of major concern, estimating that about 8 million U.S. healthcare workers are potentially exposed to them. This figure includes pharmacy and nursing personnel, physicians, operating room personnel, environmental services workers, and shipping and receiving personnel.
Using High Harm Debriefs to Improve Event Reporting
The debriefs are led by a trained operations leader, including the staff and providers involved in the event. The HHD is meant to implement immediate stopgaps or actions to reduce patient harm and the risk of harm to other patients.
Eliminating the ‘Weekend Effect’ Will Improve Maternal Outcomes
A 2015 study by researchers at Northwestern University found adverse or potential adverse events occurred in approximately one in five women admitted to the hospital labor and delivery unit.
Companies Work to Help Combat IV Infiltrations
Peripheral veins are the most common IV therapy line access method in both hospitals and paramedic services, as they’re generally the least invasive way to get fluids in and out of the body during therapy. By some accounts, more than 25 million patients in the United States get a PVC each year.
Case Study: Automating Sepsis Alerts at Harborview Medical Center
Sepsis mortality rates increase quickly when the condition is left untreated, even for just a few hours. However, there isn’t a simple test for sepsis. Instead, providers have to watch for patterns and symptoms that could indicate sepsis. As a result, it’s common to have misdiagnoses or delays in diagnosis.