IHI Hosts Panel to Develop Patient Safety Action Plan
The committee was established in the wake of last year’s call to action issued by the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF), which merged with the IHI in 2017. The call to action urged a coordinated response from the healthcare and public health sectors to reduce medical harm.
OSHA Cites Facility for Failing to Protect Staff From Workplace Violence
In the latest announced penalty, an acute care inpatient behavioral health facility in Bradenton, Florida is facing more than $71,000 in fines for “failing to institute controls to prevent patients from verbal and physical threats of assault, including punches, kicks, and bites; and from using objects as weapons,” according to information released by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Use Checklist to Reduce Self-Harm Risks in the ER
With the renewed focus on ligature and self-harm, facilities need to undergo a complete reassessment of the physical environment where patients with behavioral or mental health problems are cared for.
Annual Industry Survey: The Challenges of Data Analytics
Judging by the responses to the 2018 Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare Industry Outlook Survey, organizations are still working on mastering the use of data. Asked how they would rate their use of data analytics to improve patient safety and change behavior, only 23% of respondents said they were highly effective.
Study Finds Overworked Nurses Can Lead to 40% Increase in Patient Death Risk
When the workload was above the optimal level, the study found the risk of a patient safety incident grew by 8% to 32%, while the risk of patient mortality increased by 43%.
ISMP Survey Shows Provider Text Messaging Often Runs Afoul of Patient Safety
ISMP conducted this survey to gain insight into the practice of texting medical orders given the ongoing debate regarding its use. Technology-savvy healthcare professionals have embraced the convenience of this 21st century form of communication, while opponents feel it is too informal to properly document patient care. They also have concerns about data security and the potential impact on patient safety with texting medical orders.
Ultrasound Guidance Improves Neuraxial Anesthesia Safety
The path to effective neuraxial anesthesia delivery has existed for decades—ultrasound visualization. But practical issues in implementation have intervened. As a result, even in today’s technological age, highly trained anesthesia providers continue to deliver neuraxial—and most prominently epidural—anesthesia wearing a virtual blindfold, using spinal palpation alone to determine the optimal site for injection.
FDA Unveils Medical Device Safety Plan
The Medical Device Safety Action Plan outlines the FDA’s vision for device and patient safety.
Study: Patient Care Improves When Docs Have Malpractice Immunity
Published in Health Management, Policy and Innovation, the study found there was no negative impact on patient safety when approximately 900 University of Miami Health System physicians were given sovereign immunity from medical malpractice claims while working at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami
Patient Safety Tools Designed to Minimize Risks from System Mergers and Acquisitions
Ariadne Labs and CRICO/Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions released a set of patient safety tools designed to help clinical leaders identify safety risks and prevent potential harm.