CMS Reverses Plan to Cut Reporting of HAIs
A new rule, published last week, restores reporting of data through the Inpatient Quality Reporting Program, including infection rates of Clostridium difficile, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and post-surgery sepsis.
ECRI Report Details How IT Can Reduce Testing and Med Errors
Health IT Safe Practices for Closing the Loop was put together by a Partnership-convened work group that sought to address safety issues related to tracking diagnostic tests and medication changes.
International Graduates Will Help Fill the Gap With U.S. Physician Shortages
With the U.S. healthcare system already feeling the effects of the shortage, some estimates say that the country needs 14,000 new doctors to enter the workforce in order to rid the country of primary care shortages in rural and urban environments.
Improving Language Access for Limited-English-Proficient, Deaf, and Hard-of-Hearing Patients
Several hospital systems and long-term care facilities across the country have started to implement electronic interpreter systems, called video remote interpreting devices, in their health centers.
When Nurse Staffing Lags, ER Performance Does, Too
In a retrospective observational review of the electronic medical record database from a high-volume, urban public hospital, researchers compared nursing hours per day with door-to-discharge length of stay, door-to-admission LOS, and the percentage of patients who left without being seen.
ECRI Resuscitates Healthcare Clearinghouse Data
A senior director at ECRI Institute said ECRI has the opportunity to replicate much of NGC’s vast trove of evidence-based medical research and guidelines because it has played an ongoing role in the development and maintenance of the database since its inception in 1998.
How Healthcare Artwork Can Strengthen Connections Between Patients, Providers, and Community
As art becomes more central to the healing experience, it’s important to get designers and artists involved early in renovations and new construction projects to create works that meet facilities’ varied needs.
Q&A: Photos and Wristbands for Patient Identification
Austin F. Mount-Campbell, PhD, is a patient safety fellow at the Center for Medical Product End-user Testing in the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. He’s done previous studies on the efficacy of patient ID wristbands and patient handoffs.
The Importance of Bringing a Nursing and Clinical Perspective to Facility Design
After adverse event investigation sessions, actions and processes are developed and put into place to help prevent recurrence. That’s why those who were involved in the event—generally frontline caregivers—should always play a role in the original design process as well as the resolution process. Doing so could prevent events not just from recurring, but from ever occurring at all.
Construction Miscommunication
Administrators can encourage this storytelling approach to ensure that designers, contractors, and maintenance staff better understand how their decisions may impact all of a building’s occupants.