The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia conducts studies and maintains statistics on many hospital-related issues. Research by the CDC indicates that Emergency Room (ER) wait times in the U.S. have increased by approximately 25% over the last decade while ERs across the country have been closing; leaving patients with fewer […]
For the Obama Administration, healthcare reform has been at the forefront. A large part of that reform is the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, (HITECH) which rewards physicians and facilities that utilize electronic health records systems (EHR) to properly enhance medical care and patient safety in the US. Let’s discuss the […]
In the medical community, there are a lot of important and dangerous things that can become a part of the healing process. It
When one has to be admitted to hospital due to illness or to have a surgical procedure performed, it is usually expected that the patient will be safe throughout their stay. However, according to information provided by numerous nurses throughout the United States, China and Britain, just over 40% of them are claiming that the […]
The National Patient Safety Foundation is preparing for Patient Safety Awareness Week. This will be held from March 3-9 and will emphasize health care safety and culture, as well as medication safety. In fact, the theme for this year is Patient Safety 7/365, reminding health consumers and professionals that delivering safe care requires a commitment […]
The Patient Protection and the Affordable Care Act and its provision, CMS Meaningful Use is affecting Hospitals with Medicare and Medicaid Patients nationwide. Many are wrestling with meeting the demands of the Meaningful Use provisions, specifically meeting the substantial list of criteria contained in Stage 1. Once complete, Stage 2 will need to be tackled […]
Image Source: Creative Commons Flickr/cookipediachef A patient safety manager is an important individual found in many hospitals and healthcare centers. This individual is responsible for directing process improvements and correcting errors that can lead to adverse patient outcomes. The most common responsibilities of this position are described below. 1: Provide Safety Assessments The patient safety […]
In order to better monitor patient safety and keep track of things such as accidents, infections and errors in hospitals around the country, the Leap Frog Group, a national non-profit organization, has announced the release of the Hospital Safety Score app. This application will make it much easier for consumers to understand the quality of […]
Image Source: Creative Commons Flickr/miss pupik As many people are aware, the amount of misdiagnoses, patient errors or even baby swaps in hospitals has been steadily increasing over the past few years. That is why more and more maternity wards are implementing the use of bar coded wristbands for babies as well as their mothers. […]
Medication management involves monitoring all medications a patient takes ensuring that the correct dosages are taken at the proper times and with food or liquids. It is important to watch patients for side effects from certain medications or dangerous drug interactions from medication combinations. Step #1: Keep Updated Records There is little more important in […]