Data Analytics: Maximizing Its Power by Focusing on Simplicity
Data is available in many forms from many sources, but it needs to be collected and organized in a way that turns it into actionable information. That is the challenge and the opportunity for healthcare IT and providers: to collaboratively assemble the right, easy-to-use systems for data collection and analysis while maximizing benefits and minimizing the headaches of manual processes.
PSQH: The Podcast Episode 52 – How the ASC Industry’s Growth is Improving the Surgical Process
On episode 52 of PSQH: The Podcast, Dr. Alexander Sah talks about the growth of the ambulatory surgery center market and how it’s improving the surgical process.
Using Patient Acuity to Inform Care Placement
Accurately and consistently assessing patient acuity is important not only for workload balancing, but also for placing patients in the correct level of care. In many instances, low-acuity patients receive treatment in high-acuity hospitals, even though they would be better placed in another facility. Utilization review research has shown that many acute hospital bed days do not meet the criteria for an acute level of care, and a significant portion of medical emergency admissions remain in the hospital for non-acute care.
Teaming Up to Improve Interpersonal Communication in Healthcare
Oklahoma State University teamed up with Crucial Learning to address interpersonal communication among its medical students in three main categories: assumptions of incompetence, poor teamwork, and disrespect. The effort focused on the seven most crucial conversations in healthcare, with the goal of empowering staff to better communicate with each other.
How New Health Plan Initiatives in Equity Could Reshape Patient Care and Experience
Currently, many health plan members are not achieving their optimal health outcomes, and this can be manifested by missed preventive care opportunities, less activation in their care, or rating health plans poorly on quality measurement surveys. For health plans and their provider partners, now is the time to shift this dynamic by devoting greater resources toward improving health equity, in combination with other calls for change, including equity initiatives espoused by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and new accreditations offered by the NCQA.
How Structured Reporting Can Lead to Better Patient Outcomes
A coalition of 14 professional societies, led by the American College of Cardiology and by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, estimates that only 10% of United States cardiac catheterization labs use structured reporting to improve efficiency and bolster patient outcomes.
Physicians Eager to Help Address Patients’ Social Drivers of Health
The survey was conducted by The Physician Foundation from Feb. 2 to Feb. 11. Data was collected from more than 1,500 physicians. One-third of the physicians who responded to the survey practice primary care, which was defined as family medicine, general practice, internal medicine, or pediatrics. The remaining survey respondents practice in one of two dozen specialties.
Patient Safety Awareness Week Resources From PSQH
Here’s a recap of the content we ran for Patient Safety Awareness Week. Thanks to our partners this week for their support: GOJO, the makers of Purell; Nuance; PDC; and the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission.
PSQH Innovation Awards Winner: SCL Health Improves Process for Prone Positioning of COVID-19 Patients
The fourth annual PSQH Innovation Awards recognize healthcare organizations who overcame patient safety or quality improvement challenges. In this article, we highlight the winning submission selected from SCL Health in Broomfield, Colorado. Thanks to Patricia McGaffigan, RN, MS, CPPS, vice president of safety programs at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, for her help in evaluating the submissions.
Key Trends and Cautionary Tales: Staffing Shortages and Patient Safety
Ask any healthcare executive to name the biggest issue that will demand their attention in 2022, and the response will be staffing shortages and their impact on patient safety. Those focused on improving care quality might consider how key trends will play out and the impact of current industry challenges on their healthcare ecosystem.