Patient Safety Tools Designed to Minimize Risks from System Mergers and Acquisitions
Ariadne Labs and CRICO/Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions released a set of patient safety tools designed to help clinical leaders identify safety risks and prevent potential harm.
Denver Hospital Warns Surgical Patients of Infection Risk
The breach may have affected patients who underwent orthopedic or spine surgery between July 21, 2016 and February 20, 2018, according to a statement released by Larry Wolk, executive director and chief medical officer of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
CDC Warns of New Wave of Antibiotic-Resistant Germs in U.S.
These germs include those that cannot be killed by all or most antibiotics, are not common to a geographic area or the U.S., or have specific genes that enable them to spread their resistance to other germs, according to a CDC release.
Paper Highlights Link Between Infection Control and Antibiotic Stewardship
Healthcare facilities must ensure that infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship programs work together, according to a joint position paper released last week by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and the Society of Infectious Disease Pharmacists.
Lawsuit Alleges Sewage Leak in DC Hospital’s OR Led to Patient Death
The lawsuit was filed by the husband of Carol Leonard, who died at the age of 70 from a postoperative infection sustained during what was supposed to be a routine procedure.
Researchers Discover New Class of Antibiotics
Published in Nature this week, the study identified two compounds called synthetic retinoids that can help the body fight against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA).
Study: Usability of EHRs May Contribute to Patient Harm
Researchers from the National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare in Washington, D.C., examined reports from the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority database collected from 2013 to 2016. The study analyzed 1.7 million reports of possible patient harm that explicitly named an EHR vendor or product.
CDC Warns of Second Wave of Flu Cases
The devastating flu season has started to wane, but the CDC’s weekly surveillance report found that the previously prevalent A-strain H3N2 flu virus is now less reported than B viruses.
Study: Treating Antibiotic-Resistant Infections Costs $2 Billion Annually
A new study finds that in addition to being a deadly killer of patients, antibiotic-resistant infections are costing U.S. hospitals more than $2 billion each year.
CMS Cites Baltimore Hospital for Abandoning Patient in January
A Baltimore hospital was cited by CMS in a report released this week for its actions in removing a mentally ill patient from its emergency room (ER) on a cold January night and leaving her at a bus stop wearing just a hospital gown.