Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 13-19) presented by the National Patient Safety Foundation’s (NPSF) United for Patient Safety Campaign is underway. Healthcare facilities and leading patient safety organizations across the country are expected to participate in patient safety week. The United for Patient Safety Campaign, announced by the NPSF last month, encourages dialogue … Continued

Complete P.T., Pool & Land Physical Therapy, Inc. (CPT), a California-based physical therapy practice, agreed to a corrective action plan and a $25,000 resolution amount to settle allegations that it disclosed protected health information (PHI) as part of a video testimonial campaign, HHS says. The settlement is the result of a complaint lodged with Office … Continued

By Annie Callanan and Frank Mazza, MD

Measurement has proven foundational to advancing individual and collective performance in every business endeavor, vocational pursuit, professional sport, and recreational hobby. People do not always appreciate being measured, and some fear the implication more than others. But every successful advancement over the past century has been aided, and ultimately affirmed, by metrics that authenticate comparative achievement.

Measurements serve as foundational pillars underlying performance in every facet of our lives. They form the basis of compensation structures, bragging rights, passions, and failures. Measurements define individuals for whom they are and how they evolve and progress. A systematic approach to measurement has even permeated 21st-century philanthropy, thanks in no small part to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which counts deep inroads toward the ultimate elimination of malaria as a victory of actionable assessment (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2010; What we do, n.d.).

For many healthcare facilities, a new year means new goals. As we say goodbye to 2015, patient safety experts from around the country share their focus areas for the coming year. Improving EHR systems After spending the last several years implementing, launching, and optimizing a system-wide electronic medical record (EMR) system, Henry Ford Health System … Continued

CMS penalizes 758 hospitals for patient safety infractions The CMS has fined 758 hospitals across the country for high rates of patient safety incidents including infections, sepsis, and hip fractures. More than half of the hospitals that were fined in 2015 also received fines the previous year, according to Kaiser Health News. Hospitals will pay … Continued

A new tool offers a straightforward approach to improvement A new tool endorsed by the National Patient Safety Foundation aims to streamline patient safety and quality improvement efforts using a simple, evidence-based model. “The Healthcare Adventures Graphic Gameplan for Patient Safety,” released in October 2015, offers a standardized approach both leaders and clinicians can use … Continued