AMA: Surprise Surveys Improve Mortality Rates
A new AMA study found that patients are less likely to die if they are treated on the same day as a surprise Joint Commission survey.
FDA Ban On Powdered Medical Gloves In Effect
The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ban on powdered medical gloves went into effect on January 18. It’s now forbidden to use, advertise, and market powdered surgeon’s gloves, patient examination gloves, and absorbable powder for surgeon’s gloves at medical clinics and hospitals.
Patient Safety Stories: How One Hospital Leveraged Interdisciplinary Collaboration to Tackle a Flawed Medication Management System
While all organizations face their own set of challenges when it comes to ensuring operational excellence and patient safety, one particular issue rose to the top at this facility requiring immediate attention: Like many small, rural facilities, the hospital didn’t have a 24/7 pharmacy, and relied on automated dispensing cabinets (ADC) to provide most medications on the acute care floor. Unfortunately, these machines were often inadequately stocked, resulting in a host of issues for nursing staff.
GOP Bill’s Unheralded Changes In Rules Could Undermine Health of Neediest
An under-the-radar provision in the Republican proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act would require the millions of Medicaid enrollees who signed up under the Obamacare expansion to renew their coverage every six months — twice as often as under current law.
Editor’s Note
An apology to our readers for the late arrival of PSQI to your inboxes. The last gasp of winter struck the New England area on Tuesday and our remote office was without power for almost 30 hours.
VA Shoulders Drug Diversion Blame
Drug diversion is a common problem that all healthcare facilities must combat and the VA has come under renewed scrutiny following reports that its response to drug theft by its own workers has been inadequate.
By Law, Hospitals Now Must Tell Medicare Patients When Care is ‘Observation’ Only
Under a new federal law, hospitals across the country must now alert Medicare patients when they are getting observation care and why they were not admitted — even if they stay in the hospital a few nights.
How Palomar Health Reduced Nuisance IV Alarms
People can grow used to anything, even alarms. Such is the danger of alarm fatigue; when excessive and nuisance alerts cause healthcare staff to become desensitized.
State Opioid Database Links with EHR in Pilot Program
In an effort to encourage physicians to use the databases, a pilot program has linked the Colorado Prescription Drug Monitoring Program with the University of Colorado Hospital’s EHR/EMR.
IHI, NPSF to Merge, ‘Re-energize’ Patient Safety Agenda
IHI CEO Derek Feeley will lead the combined organizations, which together are calling for a “coordinated system-wide effort geared at providing safe care delivery across all aspects of care.”