Team-Based Learning and Student-Run Clinic Support Interdisciplinary Education
By Nazanin Kuseh Kalani Yazd The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus approaches interprofessional education in a manner that mimics the reality of working on an interprofessional team. To prepare students to work in a field that requires coordination across many different disciplines, the University of Colorado takes advantage of the diversity at its health … Continued
Medication Management Training Improves CMS Quality Metrics, New Study Finds
Scores improve in hospitalization, readmission and high-risk disease states A new study shows that medication management educational tools can improve key Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quality measures. Following a seven-month program developed by Prescriber’s Letter drug advisory service, Quality Independent Physicians (QIP) successfully decreased patient hospitalization across all disease states by 26%. … Continued
Medfusion Launches Mobile App to Simplify Healthcare Records
To provide patients with a single destination for all of their medical records, Medfusion—a patient engagement platform dedicated to facilitating the relationship between doctors and patients—has developed a consumer mobile application called Medfusion Plus. For decades, if patients wanted access to their medical records, they had to request and pay for a paper copy, which … Continued
Adverse Events: Recognizing, Reporting, Analyzing
While we must continue to emphasize to all members of the care team that they are the front line to preventing errors, taking a systems or holistic approach will greatly assist in making adverse events rarer. Aiding in the implementation of the latter are many companies that provide incident reporting, analysis, and review systems.
Health Systems and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Enter Joint Venture to Improve Population Health in New Hampshire
Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Elliot Health System, and Frisbie Memorial Hospital are entering into a joint venture with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care to form a new company that will improve the quality of healthcare in New Hampshire and reduce costs. The entity, called Benevera Health, will improve healthcare coordination by bringing together clinical, financial, and operational data from … Continued
CMS Extends Funding for Hospital Engagement Networks
On September 25, 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded $110 million to 17 national, regional, or state hospital associations and health system organizations to fund a second round of Hospital Engagement Networks (HEN), which will extend through September 2016. The contracts are part of the Partnership for Patients, a nationwide public-private … Continued
Quality Improvement
Process Improvements in the ED increase sepsis bundle compliance, reduce mortality Effectively treating any infection requires a certain measure of early identification and rapid response. Infections, by their nature, worsen over time, so hospitals with successful care processes that rapidly identify and treat infections often see the most success. Continue reading this article here. Integrating … Continued
NCQA’s Quality Compass Helps Plans and Consumers Compare Clinical Performance
Database features quality information for approximately 104 million insured lives. The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has released its latest version of Quality Compass 2015: Commercial. This comprehensive database of health plan performance compiles data from 400 publicly reporting commercial plan products, offering information on clinical performance and patient experience for approximately 104 million … Continued
Submissions Open for Eisenberg Awards Through October 30
Submissions are open through October 30 for the 2015 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. These prestigious awards, given annually by NQF and The Joint Commission, recognize major achievements to improve patient safety and healthcare quality by individuals and organizations at the local and national levels in separate awards. Self-nominations are welcome. “Each … Continued
Comment Through Oct 16 on ISMP’s Guidelines for Communication of Medication Information in Electronic Systems
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) invites healthcare practitioners to comment on its Draft Guidelines for the Safe Electronic Communication of Medication Information. To view and comment on the guidelines, visit www.ismp.org/tools/guidelines/SCEMI. Suggestions also can be submitted via email to ismpinfo@ismp.org. ISMP observes, “Health information technology vendors and users currently do not have a … Continued