Opinion: Uniqueness is Not Unique
With all the regulatory and reimbursement changes occurring in our industry at an ever-increasing rate, one thing is for certain: Your organization is not unique. When speaking to organizations, I often hear things like, “Well, we don’t have the resources that the university hospital has” from community hospitals and then the university hospitals will … Continued
Federal Task Force Calls Cybersecurity a Public Health Concern
Staffing problems and outdated equipment and software are healthcare’s top cybersecurity challenges, according to a June 2 report released by the Health Care Industry Cybersecurity Task Force, a federal task force established to fulfill requirements of the 21st Century Cures Act.
Three Keys to Preventing Workplace Violence
This article originally appeared in the June issue of Patient Safety Monitor Jounal. This spring, Ann Scott Blouin, RN, PhD, FACHE, executive vice president of The Joint Commission, wrote a blog post detailing the need for a practical approach to healthcare’s endemic workplace violence (WPV) problem. In 2013, more than 70% of the 23,000 significant … Continued
Infusion Errors, Instrument Cleaning Lead ECRI List of Top Tech Hazards
The ECRI Institute published its annual list of the top 10 health technology hazards for the industry. Readers will note that several of the top hazards in 2017 are the same as those in 2016.
Data on Social Needs May Redefine Precision Healthcare
Data derived from the non-medical drivers of a patient’s health can improve quality of care and enrich the utility of so-called intelligent machines.
Hospitals Ramp Up Hyperbaric Therapy for Diabetics, Despite Concerns
The American Diabetes Association does not recommend the treatment. Some experts say hyperbaric therapy’s increased use for diabetic wounds owes more to hospitals’ pursuit of Medicare revenue than to the treatment’s proven value.
Hospital Successfully Fends Off OSHA Citation
More than 18 months after being cited by OSHA for allegedly failing to guard adequately against workplace violence, one of the largest public hospitals in the United States is claiming victory. Bergen Regional Medical Center (BRMC) in Paramus, N.J., defended its program and recently reached an agreement with federal officials, who dismissed the citation.
The New War on Sepsis
The sepsis program in the St. Joseph Hoang network seems to be working. The death rate for all of its hospitals from 2015-2016 has dropped from 15 percent to 12 percent for severe sepsis/shock, and from 12 percent to 9 percent for all sepsis cases.
CDC Updates SSI Guidelines for the First Time in 18 Years
Between 2006 and 2009, roughly 1.9% of surgical procedures in the United States resulted in SSI complications; however, it’s likely that number is much higher since about 50% of SSIs don’t become evident until after discharge. Estimated costs of SSIs range from $10,443 to $25,546 per infection, although it can cost more than $90,000 to treat an SSI involving a prosthetic joint implant or an antimicrobial-resistant organism.
Time Out Day for Patient Safety
June 14 is National Time Out Day , a Joint Commission and Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) campaign to promote patient safety before, during, and after surgery. The organizations are also reminding healthcare facilities to commit to conducting a safe, effective time outs for each and every surgery.