New York’s Pediatric Sepsis Protocol Lessens Death Risk 40%
When clinical sepsis protocols mandated by New York State are followed within an hour of detection, the odds of death fall 40%, according to an analysis conducted by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Agitated Patients Face Wide-Ranging Risks in Emergency Departments
The researchers, who published their study this month in Annals of Emergency Medicine, screened 43,838 ER patients and found 1,146 (2.6%) were in an agitated state.
Survey: 36% of Facilities Struggle to Meet TJC MRI Standards
The standards, which are in effect for hospital and ambulatory care programs, require that MRI facilities should collect data on incidents where ferromagnetic objects unintentionally entered the MRI scanner room and injuries resulting from the presence of ferromagnetic objects in the scanner room.
When Nurse Staffing Lags, ER Performance Does, Too
In a retrospective observational review of the electronic medical record database from a high-volume, urban public hospital, researchers compared nursing hours per day with door-to-discharge length of stay, door-to-admission LOS, and the percentage of patients who left without being seen.
ECRI Resuscitates Healthcare Clearinghouse Data
A senior director at ECRI Institute said ECRI has the opportunity to replicate much of NGC’s vast trove of evidence-based medical research and guidelines because it has played an ongoing role in the development and maintenance of the database since its inception in 1998.
IHI Report Calls for Improved Home Care Safety
The report was produced by a panel of subject matter experts convened by IHI and funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. It notes that the increase of care provided in the home requires healthcare organizations to be cognizant of the many risks of harm in that setting.
CMS Revises Memo on Requirements to Reduce Risk of Legionella Infection
While there are no new expectations for hospitals or critical access hospitals, be aware it does add a specific statement that “facilities must have water management plans” as well as a new note that testing for waterborne pathogens is left “to the discretion of the provider,” according to the letter to CMS’ Quality, Safety and Oversight group, formerly the Survey & Certification group.
Workplace Culture Could Drive Physician Burnout, Medical Errors
One study by researchers at the NYU School of Medicine found that physicians who work in small, independent primary care practices with five or fewer physicians report dramatically lower levels of burnout than the national average.
Innovative Wound Dressing Could Reduce $10B Cost of Surgical Site Infections
A study published July 4 in Nanomedicine found that electrospun nanofiber-based wound dressings loaded with a bioactive form of vitamin D spur production of an antimicrobial peptide that fights infection naturally.
Hospital Occupancy Impacts Infection Risk in Unexpected Ways
After analyzing data for a new study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine, they found some surprising results. Patients were more at risk for C. diff infections when the hospital was moderately full.