EHR Copy and Paste Best Practices Toolkit Released
Copying and pasting information in EHRs is a common practice that can save busy physicians and other staff valuable time, but it can also introduce significant errors into the record. In an effort to help physicians make the most of the copy and paste function while protecting the integrity of the record, the Partnership for … Continued
The Safety Culture Issue
The following is a guest article by Dan Scungio, MT (ASCP), SLS, a Laboratory Safety Officer for Sentara Healthcare, a multi-hospital system in the Tidewater region of Virginia. Editor’s Note: This piece originally appeared on HCPro’s OSHA Healthcare Advisor. On which side of the aisle do you stand on the subject of change? Things change … Continued
New 2017 National Patient Safety Goal Focuses on CAUTI Prevention
The Joint Commission today announced plans for a new National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) aimed at reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). The prepublication standards for the NPSG are online and cover standards for accredited hospitals, critical access hospitals, and nursing care centers. The NPSG is intended to align CAUTI treatment and prevention with the … Continued
FDA Proposes Ban on Most Powdered Surgical Gloves
On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed banning most powdered gloves in the U.S. While the use of these gloves is on the decline, the risks associated with them for both healthcare workers and patients, cannot be corrected through new or updated labeling, says the FDA. “This ban is about protecting patients … Continued
New York Moves to Electronic-Only Prescriptions
Next week, New York will become the first state to require all prescriptions be written electronically. Physicians who fail to comply will be penalized with fines and/or imprisonment. This is the second part of a 2012 state law, I-Stop, which was designed to help fight prescription opioid abuse. The first part of I-Stop went into … Continued
AHIMA Seeks Public Support for National Patient ID
By John Commins, HealthLeaders Media Advocates for a voluntary patient safety identifier envision a process that would allow patients to create a way for medical systems to recognize them quickly and accurately, in much the same way as financial sector businesses. A leading trade group for the nation’s health information technology sector is asking patients … Continued
Hopkins: ‘Cascading Accountability’ Boosts Ambulatory Quality, Safety
By Alexandra Wilson Pecci, HealthLeaders Media Johns Hopkins Medicine coordinates high-quality care across ambulatory care centers, using a model it says has resulted in improved metrics associated with breast cancer screenings, immunizations, and diabetes management. Johns Hopkins Medicine’s commitment to quality care is evidenced by a governance, oversight, and accountability model that is cascading throughout … Continued
Failure Recovery Tool Offers Guidance Amid the ‘Chaos and Shock’ of Medical Errors
This article appears in the March issue of Patient Safety Monitor. Hospitals need to have a structure in place to respond to patient safety failures Healthcare can be a stressful industry to work in, particularly when something goes wrong. Instead of relying on humans to react under pressure, one organization is offering a structured … Continued
Letter to the Editor: Did the FDA Say Duodenoscopes Were Safe? Part 2
A post on February 24, 2016 by PSQH was headlined “FDA: Duodenoscopes from three major companies now safe to use with updated instructions.” The article went on to say that “The announcement means that scopes from the three major manufactures…are now safe to use with their updated instructions.” However a proper reading of the FDA … Continued
Patient Safety Awareness Week is Underway
Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 13-19) presented by the National Patient Safety Foundation’s (NPSF) United for Patient Safety Campaign is underway. Healthcare facilities and leading patient safety organizations across the country are expected to participate in patient safety week. The United for Patient Safety Campaign, announced by the NPSF last month, encourages dialogue … Continued