AHRQ Data Shows Drop in Hospital-Acquired Conditions
The AHRQ National Scorecard on Hospital-Acquired Conditions estimated that 350,000 HACs, including adverse drug events and injuries from falls, were avoided and the rate was reduced by 8% from 2014 to 2016.
FDA Issues Recommendations to Prevent Surgical Fires
The FDA says healthcare workers who perform surgical procedures should be trained in practices to reduce surgical fires, including learning about factors that increase the risk of surgical fires, how to manage fires, periodic fire drills, how to use carbon dioxide fire extinguishers on or near patients, and evacuation procedures.
For Immunosuppressed Sepsis Patients, Hospital Experience Matters
The researchers analyzed medical records of 350,183 patients with sepsis at 60 hospitals. One of five of those patients was classified as being immunocompromised based on being HIV-positive or having an intrinsic immune disorder, having a blood cancer or being prescribed an immunosuppressive drug for certain medical conditions while hospitalized.
Dead Woman Found in Stairway of SF Hospital Building
The Los Angeles Times reported that a hospital staff member discovered the body at about 1 p.m. last Wednesday. Hospital officials said the woman was Ruby Anderson, 76, a dementia patient who went missing from a nearby mental health facility on May 20.
Outpatient Colonoscopy Infection Rates Much Higher Than Previously Thought
Using an all-payer claims database, the researchers examined 2014 data from six states — California, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, New York and Vermont — to track infection-related emergency room visits and unplanned inpatient admissions within seven and 30 days after a colonoscopy or EGD.
What’s Your Biggest Challenge to Creating a Culture of Quality in Patient Care?
By: Evan McLaughlin, Minitab The role of quality improvement in healthcare is more critical today than it ever has been. It is a top driver at any clinic or hospital system, regardless of size. It’s a major factor not only when it comes to the performance of a department or institution, but also overall patient … Continued
Alleged Healthcare Consulting Huckster Released on Bond in California
Sonja Emery, 52, who has been known to use a long list of aliases, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit on 11 counts of fraud and tax evasion, for a scam that ran from 2011 through 2014. She’s been accused of continuing to deceive her employers since.
AOHP Asks Healthcare Organizations to ‘Consider’ Mandatory Flu Shot Policies
AOHP, which calls itself “the only national professional organization with the exclusive mission of addressing the needs and concerns of occupational health professionals in healthcare settings,” recently released a position statement that recommends annual flu shots along with other mandatory vaccinations, including hepatitis B and MMR, for healthcare workers.
Report: Medication Errors Led to Patient Death at Boston Children’s Hospital
The errors took place between January and November 2017, involving two medications and leading CMS surveyors to threaten Boston Children’s with potential termination from the Medicare program.
Study: AHRQ Program Helps Hawaiian Hospitals Cut SSI Rate
Between January 2013 and June 2015, all hospitals across Hawaii participated in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) Safety Program for Surgery. The 15-hospital collaborative were part of an AHRQ-funded effort to improve surgical care across the country.