CMS to Use Joint Commission Recommendations on Ligature Risk as Guide
Regardless of what organization you might use for accreditation, assess your hospital’s suicide prevention compliance against Joint Commission recommendations with a detailed risk assessment and mitigation plan.
Review Your Water Management Plan as CMS Intensifies Focus on Legionella
CMS recently updated a memo to its survey teams on reducing the risk of Legionella to specifically note that facilities must have a water management plan that surveyors can review. That plan should be written and managed by a multidisciplinary committee of people from throughout the hospital with a stake in water use.
Florida Health System Defends Its Handling of Nurse Accused of Raping 3 Patients
The system, which goes by Lee Health, has until September 28 to hand the records over to a patient who’s suing the organization for its failure to protect her from Jeovanni Hechavarria, RN, who allegedly raped her while she was admitted overnight at Cape Coral Hospital in 2016.
Hospitals Can Improve Their Infection Prevention Strategies, Study Finds
Published in the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America’s (SHEA) journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the study points out that hospitals can do much more to reduce infections.
PSS-3: Three-Question Suicide Screener for the ER
The tool consists of a short introduction and three questions, with an optional fourth item if the person has previously attempted suicide. It’s meant to be given during triage or primary nursing assessment and has been validated for use on patients 18 and older.
Joint Commission Surveyor Focus Remains on EC, Life Safety, Ligature Risks
Officials highlighted the need for improved compliance with safety standards at The Joint Commission’s annual Hospital Executive Briefings held September 14 in New York City.
FDA Unveils Proposed Hospital Subscription Plan for Antibiotic Use
The FDA, which also rolled out a new antimicrobial resistance information page, is in talks with CMS and other agencies to develop this and other approaches to reduce antimicrobial resistance.
Physician Burnout Impacts Safety, Professionalism, Patient Satisfaction
The research, which was published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found burnout increased the likelihood of patient safety incidents, care deficiencies linked to low professionalism, and lower patient satisfaction.
Do Pediatric Adverse Events Occur More Often in Teaching Facilities?
In their examination of 3,790 records, the researchers found that not only did AE rates in pediatric inpatients not improve during the six-year period examined, but those rates “were substantially higher in teaching hospitals” compared to community hospitals.
AAMC: Doc Shortage Will Cause Changes in Safety, Analytics, and Risk Management
The need for physicians is driven by many factors; among them, 10,000 baby boomers are reaching the age of 65 every day, and millions of new patients now insured under the Affordable Care Act are starting to make appointments to see the doctor.