AMA: Surprise Surveys Improve Mortality Rates
A new AMA study found that patients are less likely to die if they are treated on the same day as a surprise Joint Commission survey.
GOP Bill’s Unheralded Changes In Rules Could Undermine Health of Neediest
An under-the-radar provision in the Republican proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act would require the millions of Medicaid enrollees who signed up under the Obamacare expansion to renew their coverage every six months — twice as often as under current law.
Editor’s Note
An apology to our readers for the late arrival of PSQI to your inboxes. The last gasp of winter struck the New England area on Tuesday and our remote office was without power for almost 30 hours.
VA Shoulders Drug Diversion Blame
Drug diversion is a common problem that all healthcare facilities must combat and the VA has come under renewed scrutiny following reports that its response to drug theft by its own workers has been inadequate.
By Law, Hospitals Now Must Tell Medicare Patients When Care is ‘Observation’ Only
Under a new federal law, hospitals across the country must now alert Medicare patients when they are getting observation care and why they were not admitted — even if they stay in the hospital a few nights.
How Palomar Health Reduced Nuisance IV Alarms
People can grow used to anything, even alarms. Such is the danger of alarm fatigue; when excessive and nuisance alerts cause healthcare staff to become desensitized.
IHI, NPSF to Merge, ‘Re-energize’ Patient Safety Agenda
IHI CEO Derek Feeley will lead the combined organizations, which together are calling for a “coordinated system-wide effort geared at providing safe care delivery across all aspects of care.”
Joint Commission: Leaders Are Safety Culture Linchpin
Solid leadership is central to promoting and sustaining a culture of safety in any healthcare organization, The Joint Commission said in a Sentinel Event Alert published at the end of February, reminding leaders that it’s their job to identify and mitigate potential pitfalls on an organizational level.
ISMP’s Targeted Medication Safety Best Practices for 2017
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) released its 2016–2017 Targeted Medication Safety Best Practices for Hospitals guide in December 2015. This year there were five new best practices and two revised out of 11 total.
House GOP Health Bill Jettisons Insurance Mandate, Much of Medicaid Expanison
House Republicans unveiled their much anticipated health law replacement plan Monday, slashing the law’s Medicaid expansion and scrapping the requirement that individuals purchase coverage or pay a fine.