Press Ganey Associates, Inc., a recognized leader in health care performance improvement, has released a new research study indicating hospitals that perform better on patient experience of care measures have lower patient readmission rates.

The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the relationship between patients and their clinical caregivers and maintaining the human connection in healthcare, is now accepting letters of interest from U.S. healthcare organizations developing innovative programs and initiatives to promote compassionate care within the patient-centered medical home setting.

Crystal Run Healthcare (Crystal Run), a NY-based multispecialty group with more than 300 providers that is one of the fastest growing physician groups in the country, announced that it has entered into a partnership agreement with AMC Health to improve care coordination and outcomes for patients with chronic conditions.

By Keith Dayton

Despite Medicare being a target in common for both Democrats and Republicans during the past elections, there are many bigger problems plaguing our healthcare system. Now, in order to bring healthcare inefficiencies in check amid the specter of a Fiscal Cliff in January, it is going to be incumbent on Washington politicians and healthcare executives to tackle these larger issues, such as unneeded care, a glut of paperwork and other waste. To say that all of these are costing us dearly is an understatement.

The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) and the Cautious Patient Foundation have announced a collaboration to help patients avoid diagnostic errors in their own care. Diagnostic error, defined as wrong, missed or delayed medical diagnosis, occurs in 10% to 15% of diagnostic encounters, is the largest contributor to medical malpractice claims, and is responsible for 40,000 – 80,000 deaths per year in the United States.

By Miriam Marcus-Smith

Over the last few months, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know one of the Coalition’s new individual members, Gary Fasso, and have been learning from what may seem an unlikely source of wisdom about patient safety: the trades. Gary is with the Pacific Northwest Council of Carpenters and trains the members in safe practices for when they are working in occupied healthcare buildings (e.g., remodeling hospitals or clinics). I’m learning so much from him about what is transferable from construction to healthcare.

By Susan Carr

Among the events I look forward to each fall, the MITSS Annual Dinner holds a special place because of the loyal and diverse community of people who gather to support and celebrate the work of Linda Kenney, Winnie Tobin, and many others who pursue the MITSS mission, to “support healing and restore hope to patients, families, and clinicians impacted by adverse medical events.” At this year’s dinner (the 11^th annual), held Thurs., Nov. 29, in Boston, MITSS honored Thomas Gallagher, MD, with the HOPE Award, given each year to Honor Outstanding People Everywhere who have furthered MITSS’s mission. Sanjay Malaviya, president and CEO of RL Solutions, the award sponsor, presented Dr. Gallagher with this year’s honor.

HIMSS honors Dr. Jeremy Bradley Family Practice located in Owensboro, Ky., as a winner of the 2012 Ambulatory HIMSS Davies Award of Excellence. Since 1994, the Nicholas E. Davies Award recognizes excellence in health information technology, specifically excellence in use of the EHR to successfully improve quality of care and patient safety while achieving a demonstrated return on investment.

North Mississippi Health Services was named as one of four U.S. organizations to receive the 2012 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest Presidential honor for performance excellence through innovation, improvement and visionary leadership.