CMS Urges Hospitals to Take Violence Prevention Steps

To provide care in a safe setting for both patients and healthcare workers, hospitals need to identify patients at risk for intentional harm to themselves or others, CMS recommended in its November 28 memo, as well as identify environmental safety risks for such patients and provide education and training for staff and volunteers. CMS said it expects hospitals to demonstrate how they identify patients at risk of self-harm or harm to others and what steps they are taking to minimize those risks.

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Presbyterian Healthcare Services CMO Talks Strategy, Patient Safety, and Workforce

Mitchell leads more than 1,100 physicians and advanced practice clinicians. He also provides clinical oversight for the Albuquerque, New Mexico­—based health system’s medical staff operations at nine hospitals. HealthLeaders recently talked with him about a range of topics, including clinical leadership at PHS, healthcare worker burnout, patient safety at PHS, and workforce shortages.

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Healthcare Leaders Share Thoughts on How Hospitals Can Invest in Workplace Safety

Incidents of workplace violence cost hospitals approximately $2.7 billion in 2016, according to a study from the American Hospital Association. Additionally, 13% of employee sick time is the result of workplace violence, according to the American Nurses Association. Workplace violence-related absenteeism can cost hospitals $53.7 million a year, according to the AHA report.

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Mass General Brigham Issues Patient Code of Conduct

Under a newly imposed Patient Code of Conduct, patients and visitors who disrupt care, make verbal or physical threats — including racist, sexist, discriminatory or disrespectful comments about clinicians, other hospital staff, other patients and visitors — could face a verbal reprimand, and even expulsion from the Boston hospital and possible suspension of future care access.

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ECRI: Healthcare Organizations Must Address Racist Behavior in the Workplace

The majority of the racist incidents involved patients and family members making inappropriate comments related to race or ethnicity. These comments can have a negative impact on the mental health of healthcare providers—leading them to consider leaving their jobs at a time when workforce shortages are a significant problem at healthcare organizations.

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