GAO Asks HHS for Universally Aligned Quality Measure
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) sent a report on October 13 to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) urging for better alignment of healthcare quality measures.
3 State Hospital Associations Form Safety Pact
Great Lakes Partners for Patients pool resources to improve patient safety and reduce HAIs and readmissions.
Patient Engagement – Iora Health’s Innovative Model Builds Deep Relationships with Patients
By Joel Lazar, MD, MPH When Mary first presented to our primary care practice, she was burdened by chronic illnesses and felt jaded by her unsuccessful attempts to manager them. She frankly acknowledged her lack of trust in conventional healthcare, and even her loss of faith in her own abilities. Weighing close to 300 pounds, … Continued
California Man Dies After Apparent Failure of Artificial Heart Compressor
The Food and Drug Administration is investigating repeated problems with a portable compressor for artificial hearts that may have played a role in the death earlier this month of a 57-year-old Orange County, Calif., man.
Study: Examining Shorter Readmission Intervals a Better Indicator of Hospital Quality
When looking at the link between readmissions and hospital quality of care, it may be best to focus on patients who return to the hospital seven or fewer days after discharge.
Primary Care Physicians Bench Themselves in Battle Over Opioid Crisis
Española, N.M. – For years, this town has withstood a torrent of opioid-related deaths, and now claims one of the highest rates of opioid overdoses in the country.
What Do Rankings Mean for Patient Safety?
Just as it has every year for the last 26 years, U.S. News & World Report recently released its hospital rankings for 2016-2017. This year, the organization named Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, the best hospital in the country.
CMS Launches New Physician Engagement Initiative
On October 13, CMS announced a push to improve physician engagement and their experience within the Medicare system. To achieve this goal, the agency is trying to reduce the reduce administrative burdens that physicians have to handle with the new Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
Hospitals Explore a New Approach to MRSA and VRE: Eliminating Contact Precautions
Amid mounting evidence that contact precautions may not be necessary to prevent the transmission of certain infections, experts are calling for hospitals to reconsider what has been a staple of infection prevention guidelines for decades.
3 Tips for Safer Patient Handling
Take time, educate patients, and use assistive technology to curb injuries, says a nurse honored for reducing workplace injuries.