New Solutions Decrease Risk of Colorectal Surgical Site Infection
A project to reduce colorectal surgical site infections (SSIs) saved more than $3.7 million in costs for 135 avoided SSIs. The two-and-a-half year project included seven hospitals and was directed by the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare in collaboration with the American College of Surgeons.
Designed Environment’s Impact on Falls in Patient Rooms Examined
15th Annual Cheers Awards Recipients Announced
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) recently announced its 15th Annual Cheers Awards winners. The Cheers Awards honor individuals, organizations, and companies that have set a standard of excellence for others to follow in the prevention of medication errors and adverse drug events.
Sharp Healthcare, GetWellNetwork Launch Interactive Patient Whiteboard
GetWellNetwork, Inc.®, the leading provider of interactive patient care™ (IPC) solutions, has partnered with Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award winner Sharp Healthcare, Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego, Calif., to launchGetWellNetwork’s Interactive Patient Whiteboard™, the industry’s first collaborative patient whiteboard.
Never Mind Cutting Medicare, It’s Time to Take a Closer Look at Wasteful Spending Areas in Healthcare
Despite Medicare being a target in common for both Democrats and Republicans during the past elections, there are many bigger problems plaguing our healthcare system. Now, in order to bring healthcare inefficiencies in check amid the specter of a Fiscal Cliff in January, it is going to be incumbent on Washington politicians and healthcare executives to tackle these larger issues, such as unneeded care, a glut of paperwork and other waste. To say that all of these are costing us dearly is an understatement.
Radiology – Peer Review: Why Current Models Undermine Safety Culture
The field of radiology is known for its rapid innovations in technology. We continually offer up exciting new ways to image the body, but when it comes to improving the accuracy of professional interpretations, little meaningful progress has been made in the last 50 years. This is true in part because current radiology peer review models are insufficient, and in some circumstances, even harmful to quality improvement efforts.
Preventing Wrong-Site Surgery in Minnesota: A 5-Year Journey
Preventing Wrong-Site Surgery in Minnesota: A 5-Year Journey
While rare, surgeries and invasive procedures on the wrong body part (wrong-site procedures) are proving to be one of the most intractable patient safety issues. Despite years of effort at the state, national, and individual facility levels, these preventable events continue to occur.
Better Care for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Three-Part Approach
Better Care for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Three-Part Approach
Some 2.6 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, a leading cause of hospitalization in the United States. Each year, 300,000 new cases of this form of cardiac arrhythmia are diagnosed, often due to the chest pain, palpitations, syncope, and exacerbation of heart failure associated with the condition. It is a condition that requires careful management: atrial fibrillation causes 20% of all strokes, and these are more likely to be the most severe, life-altering strokes.
Quality in Healthcare: A Five-Dimensional View
Quality in Healthcare: A Five-Dimensional View
Readers may be familiar with John Godfrey Saxe’s poetic version of the Asian Indian legend concerning the six blind men who each tries to describe an elephant by reaching out and touching the part closest to where he is standing. One touches the trunk, another a leg, one the tusk, and so on; and each describes the pachyderm by what his sense of touch has revealed, and of course none of them accurately describes the elephant.
Rapid Change with Clinical Performance Groups: Define, Design, Implement
Rapid Change with Clinical Performance Groups: Define, Design, Implement
An analysis of current practice indicated few of our facilities had policies regarding elective deliveries at less than 39 weeks, and those that did were not following them consistently. It became clear to the CPG this was an area that could be positively impacted in a short period of time.