MACRA Targets Meaningful in Meaningful Use
By Barry P. Chaiken, MD, MPH The 2015 Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) opened the way for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to streamline the quality improvement and healthcare information technology programs it built over the past several years. Since the passage of the 2009 HITECH Act, the quality … Continued
Editor’s Notebook: Measures That Matter
Access to large amounts of data about care delivery and patient outcomes combined with increased concern for poor quality and high cost have led to the development of what Beth McGlynn, director of Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Effectiveness and Safety Research, recently referred to as the “quality measurement industrial complex.” As the number of measures … Continued
ISMP: Turn Short-Term Fixes Into Long-Term Remedies
Healthcare practitioners are repeatedly challenged by unexpected problems they encounter due to both large and small work-system failures that hinder patient care. The list of failures is varied and quite long, often making it difficult or impossible to execute tasks as designed (Edmondson, 2004).
Note From the Editor
It’s my pleasure to announce the newly redesigned Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare (PSQH) website! With the input of countless folks from the talented BLR Healthcare team, we’ve incorporated elements of both HealthLeaders Media and HCPro websites to create a streamlined, updated, and user-friendly site for our patient safety and quality readers and sponsors. The site has … Continued
An EHR Tailored for Pediatricians Closes Some Gaps
Modifying electronic health record software can help catch early signs of childhood obesity, problems with oral health, vision, and hearing, and the risk of developing autism, expert says.
Boston Hospital Warns Staff of Privacy Violations with Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go, the most popular mobile game app ever in the U.S., has captured the attention of players of all ages. But it could also be capturing sensitive images and information in hospitals, which could lead to a violation of HIPAA privacy rules.
Reducing Falls by Engaging Patients
When clinicians walk into a patient’s room at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, they only need a quick glance at a laminated, color-coded sheet of paper next to the bed to understand the fall risks of that patient.
Top Patient Safety Concerns Touch on IT, Patient Identification Issues
This year’s list of top patient safety concerns proves that health systems continue to battle health IT implementation issues, while also struggling with patient safety stalwarts like disinfection, medication errors, and even patient identification.
Working With Law Enforcement to Better Protect Your Healthcare Workers and Patients
One might argue that the most effective managers are those who don’t manage alone. Effective managers listen to their employees and customers and incorporate their feedback into training and future management decisions. They work with dependable partners to improve processes and conditions.
Q&A: Are Nursing Strikes on the Rise?
Labor disputes between nurses and hospitals are nothing new, but over the past few weeks we’ve seen a lot of national news stories about nurses going on strikes.