Study: 71% of Reusable Scopes Tested Positive for Bacteria
The study found problems in scopes used for routine operations such as colonoscopies and kidney stone removal.
‘Orangeworm’ Virus Targets Healthcare Sector
Kwampirs was found on software used for X-Rays and MRIs, and the malware also targets systems used to assist patients in completing consent forms for required procedures.
Orangeworm’s motives with the Kwampirs malware are not clear, but Symantec says it is likely the work of an individual or a small group of hackers, and the goal is corporate espionage.
Leapfrog Report Card Finds Improvement in Errors, Accidents, Infections
Leapfrog issues the report cards twice a year, grading hospitals on an “A through F” scale based on their patient safety efforts.
Study Questions Effectiveness of Performance Measures
The study notes that a recent survey found that 63% of physicians said that current performance measures do not capture the quality of the care physicians provide.
Analytics: Act Like an EIS Officer
The key to making analytics valuable to an organization requires managers to apply surveillance techniques, first proven effective by Epidemic Intelligence Service officers 60 years ago, to their reports.
ISMP Survey Shows Provider Text Messaging Often Runs Afoul of Patient Safety
ISMP conducted this survey to gain insight into the practice of texting medical orders given the ongoing debate regarding its use. Technology-savvy healthcare professionals have embraced the convenience of this 21st century form of communication, while opponents feel it is too informal to properly document patient care. They also have concerns about data security and the potential impact on patient safety with texting medical orders.
Ultrasound Guidance Improves Neuraxial Anesthesia Safety
The path to effective neuraxial anesthesia delivery has existed for decades—ultrasound visualization. But practical issues in implementation have intervened. As a result, even in today’s technological age, highly trained anesthesia providers continue to deliver neuraxial—and most prominently epidural—anesthesia wearing a virtual blindfold, using spinal palpation alone to determine the optimal site for injection.
Gutting HAIs: Ambitious Goals for 2020
The Department of Health and Human Services has given hospitals aggressive goals on HAI reduction. By 2020, the department wants CAUTI rates to be cut 50% in acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, and ambulatory surgical centers.
FDA Unveils Medical Device Safety Plan
The Medical Device Safety Action Plan outlines the FDA’s vision for device and patient safety.
Report: American Hospitals Show Improved Emergency Preparedness
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) this week released the 2018 National Health Security Preparedness Index, which found that the U.S. scored a 7.1 out of 10 for preparedness, up 3% over the last year and almost 11% since the Index was begun in 2013.