Shulkin Confirmed as Under Secretary of Health for US Department of Veterans Affairs
The U.S. Senate has confirmed David J. Shulkin, MD, as the Under Secretary of Health for Veterans Affairs. As the chief executive of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Shulkin will lead the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system with more than 1,700 sites of care, serving 8.76 million veterans each year. VHA is also the nation’s … Continued
Root Cause Analysis: ‘We can do better.’
By Susan Carr Saying, “We can do better,” Jim Bagian declared that root cause analysis (RCA)—the subject of a new report by the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF)—offers uncommon potential to improve safety and that, in general, healthcare has not used it well and wasted opportunities to prevent future harm. Bagian and Doug Bonacum were … Continued
ABMRS Administers First Exam for MR Safety Certification
On Wednesday, June 24, 2015, the American Board of Magnetic Resonance Safety (ABMRS) administered the first examination to certify individuals with the credentials MR Medical Director/Physician (MRMD) and MR Safety Officer (MRSO). More than 100 radiologists, technologists, and medical physicists took the exam for either the MRMD or MRSO. Only licensed physicians may sit for … Continued
Shulkin Confirmed as Under Secretary of Health for US Department of Veterans Affairs
The U.S. Senate has confirmed David J. Shulkin, MD, as the Under Secretary of Health for Veterans Affairs. As the chief executive of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Shulkin will lead the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system with more than 1,700 sites of care, serving 8.76 million veterans each year. VHA is also the nation’s … Continued
National Program to Improve the Quality of Geriatric Surgical Patient Care Announced by American College of Surgeons and John A. Hartford Foundation
CHICAGO (June 11, 2015): Today, the American College of Surgeons (ACS), in partnership with the John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF), announced it will conduct a four-year initiative that will lead to improved care of older surgical patients through a standards and verification program for hospitals.
Learning About Safety from Other Industries
Healthcare sometimes looks to other industries to identify safety practices that are applicable to the mission of reducing adverse events and enhancing patient safety. Aviation has been popular in this regard. Far less often mentioned is the construction industry, which shares with healthcare the operation of a relatively dangerous enterprise. While construction usually does not have on-site customers, each person’s activities can present ample risk to others. Fellow workers are in a situation analogous to patients in that they rely on other people to keep them safe. Despite this, I had not given construction much thought from the healthcare safety perspective (falling cranes in New York City not withstanding) until I was recently in Brooklyn and saw a sign at the entrance to a construction site that read “Have you done your pre-task plan today?”
Learning About Safety from Other Industries
By William A. Hyman, ScD Healthcare sometimes looks to other industries to identify safety practices that are applicable to the mission of reducing adverse events and enhancing patient safety. Aviation has been popular in this regard. Far less often mentioned is the construction industry, which shares with healthcare the operation of a relatively dangerous enterprise. … Continued
Iatric Systems Accelero Connect Integrates Medical Devices with the EHR
Halifax Regional Medical Center reports streamlined workflows and enhanced patient care after working with Iatric Systems, Inc., a comprehensive healthcare IT integration company, to integrate Welch Allyn and Nihon Kohden medical devices with its electronic health record (EHR) in various hospital areas.
Press Ganey Introduces Program to Help Provider Organizations Prepare for OAS CAHPS
Press Ganey has announced the launch of its Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) Early Adopter Program.
ABQAURP News
The American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, Inc. (ABQAURP) is pleased to announce our formal alliance and collaboration with the American College of Physician Advisors, Inc. (ACPA).