How to Protect Patients and Staff From What Could Be a Long Flu Season
The study, published in the October issue of the journal Science, presents evidence that flu incidence tends to fluctuate depending on environmental moisture levels, population density, and activity levels of the general population.
Study: More Than Half of Hospital Infections Could Be Prevented With Proper Protocols
The September release of the study was timed to coincide with Outbreak Prevention and Response Week, hosted by SHEA and key partners to raise awareness and provide resources to healthcare professionals, the infection prevention community, patients, and families on ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
Part One: ECRI Tech Hazards 2019
There are new additions to this year’s list, including retained surgical items and patient lift systems. Several experts discuss the top 10 issues and about steps that can be taken to prevent them to guide readers in the upcoming year.
CMS Looks Into Whether AOs Have Conflicts of Interest
On December 18, the federal agency pre-published a request for information on “Medicare Program: Accrediting Organizations Conflict of Interest and Consulting Services.”
TJC Releases Compliance and Sentinel Event Stats for First Half of 2018
The latest list, published in the September issue of Perspectives, shows the standards scored most frequently as “not compliant” during Joint Commission accreditation surveys and certification reviews from January 1 through June 30, 2018.
Nurses’ Union Supports Legislation to Prevent Workplace Violence
The bill would mandate that OSHA establish a national standard requiring healthcare and social service employers to create and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan.
Final Hazardous Waste Pharmaceutical Rule Issued by EPA
Three years after it was proposed, the final rule, now entitled “Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals and Amendment to the P0875 Listing for Nicotine” will likely be published in the Federal Register by the end of this month and go into effect six months after its publication in the Register.
Using Patient Engagement to Reduce Diagnostic Errors
The research features an examination of 184 narratives from patients or family members about diagnostic errors collected in a new database maintained by the Empowered Patient Coalition.
SHEA Issues Infection Control Guidance for Anesthesiology
Published in SHEA’s journal Infection Control & Healthcare Epidemiology, the guidance provides steps for improving infection prevention using increased hand hygiene, environmental disinfection, and continuous improvement plans.
IHI Releases Framework for Board Governance of Health System Quality
The framework and tool are designed to help the approximately 80,000 health system trustees in the U.S. navigate the complex world of overseeing quality.