Cardinal Health Launches Innovative Barcode Administration to Help Hospitals Bridge Medication Safety Gaps
New Orleans— At the 46th Annual Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), Cardinal Health launched BarCode360, a solution that supports hospitals’ medication safety initiatives by making it easier, more timely and cost efficient to order medications and ensure more unit-dose medications can be scanned at the patient bedside.
EScreenz™ Improves Communication and Enhances Patient Safety
Rochester, New York—EScreenz™ is a new internal communication solution that transforms screensaver technology into an effective communication medium. Originally developed for hospitals, EScreenz broadcasts multiple slide show messages on desktops, laptops – even big screens – throughout a facility across various locations. Intranet, Internet and SharePoint sites are enhanced because users can click on the screensaver to directly access any web page or document online.
Clinical Decision Support Tools’ Impact on Healthcare Still Expanding
New Orleans—With new EMR infrastructure under their heels and tightening budgets under their belts, providers are looking to new clinical decision support (CDS) tools to give better—not more—healthcare. But do CDS tools deliver? For the new KLAS report, Clinical Decision Support 2011: Understanding the Impact, KLAS interviewed 344 providers to rate their CDS tools’ performance and better understand the influence of these new CDS tools on patient care.
PharMEDium Adds O.R. Medication Verification System
New Orleans—PharMEDium announced the first generation solution designed to support medication safety and documentation in the Operating Room (O.R.). PharMEDium has developed the first bar code scanner to support medication verification administration.
Northwest Michigan Surgery Center Selects RTLS from Versus
Traverse City, Michigan—Michigan’s largest surgery center, Northwest Michigan Surgery Center recently selected the Versus Advantages™ Real-time Locating System (RTLS) to help improve the patient care experience. Key focus areas include relaying patient status information to families in the waiting room and automated process flow management for clinical staff.
GE, Microsoft to Launch Joint Venture Aimed at Global Healthcare System Transformation
Barrington, Illinois, and Redmond, Washington—General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), through its healthcare IT business, and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced plans to create a joint venture aimed at helping healthcare organizations and professionals use real-time, system-wide intelligence to improve healthcare quality and the patient experience.
Don Berwick Receives 2011 Picker Award for Excellence
Orlando, Florida—The Picker Award for Excellence, which recognizes outstanding achievement in promoting and furthering patient-centered care, was awarded to Dr. Don Berwick on Wednesday, Dec. 7, the last day of the 23rd annual national forum hosted by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, which Dr. Berwick cofounded in 1989.
ISMP Announces 14th Annual Cheers Awards Recipients
Horsham, Pennsylvania—The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) announced its 14th Annual Cheers Awards winners and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. 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. The winners of this year’s awards are:
IHI Announces Pilot Program with CDC to Improve Antibiotic Use in Hospital
Cambridge, Massachusetts—The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) announced the launch of a pilot testing program designed to avoid overuse and misuse of antibiotics in hospitals. Designed in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the program focuses on a new jointly developed initiative, the CDC/IHI Driver Diagram and Change Package for Antibiotic Stewardship.
The Leapfrog Group Announces Annual Top Hospitals List for Highest Quality Care in America
Washington, D.C.—Sixty-five hospitals have earned The Leapfrog Group’s annual “Top Hospital” designation, equaling 2010’s record-setting total. The “Top Hospital” designation, which is the most competitive national hospital quality award in the country, recognizes hospitals that deliver the highest quality care by preventing medical errors, reducing mortality for high-risk procedures like heart bypass surgery, and reducing hospital readmissions for patients being treated for conditions like pneumonia and heart attack.