Articles Tagged With:
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Should All Pregnant Women Be Screened for Hepatitis C?
In this cost-effectiveness analysis using Markov modeling, investigators found that universal antenatal screening for hepatitis C was cost-effective, with a mean incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of approximately $3,000 per quality-adjusted life years gained compared to risk-based screening.
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Press Ganey Finds Higher Engagement Tied to Better Outcomes
Having healthcare employees who are more engaged with their jobs leads to better quality scores, according to Press Ganey’s recent 2019 Strategic Insights white paper, “Accelerating Transformation: Translating Strategy into Action.” -
Staged Preeclampsia Screening in Early Pregnancy
The use of 150 mg of daily aspirin from 11 to 14 weeks through 36 weeks of gestation reduces the rate of early preeclampsia (PE) in approximately 90% of at-risk pregnancies. In addition, aspirin also provides the benefit of reducing the risk of PE < 37 weeks by about 60% and the length of NICU stay by about 70%, primarily by reducing the number of neonates delivered before 32 weeks. What constitutes a high-risk patient and what quantifies patient-specific risks before PE develops remain to be answered.
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Quick Wins in Quality: Hand Hygiene, Disinfection, Sepsis Reduction
Quality improvement professionals are reporting more “quick wins” in which a relatively simple change in processes and procedures yields significant advances in patient care and safety. Germ-zapping robots and handwashing monitors can both be introduced with minimal effort and bring great advances in quality of care. -
The Changing Face of Labor Management
Throught the years, clinicians' understanding of the conduct of labor has undergone periodic re-evaluation. In the 1950s, cesarean delivery was a major operation. Today, the procedures are shorter, accompanied by less surgical fanfare, and associated with fewer days in the hospital. Nevertheless, as the only other option to vaginal delivery, the operation, performed in 35% of cases for failure to progress, still should be considered “major” considering its potential for maternal complications.
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Analysis Finds ABCDEF Bundle Is Game-Changer for ICU
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN, and other institutions assessed the ABCDEF bundle in 2018 and concluded that it “represents one method of approaching the organizational changes that create a culture shift in treatment of ICU patients.” The benefits outweigh the associated costs and required coordination, the researchers concluded. -
ABCDEF Bundle Improves Care in ICU, but EHR Can Be Hurdle
The ABCDEF bundle is gaining acceptance as an effective way to improve the care of critically ill patients, but some hospitals find implementation difficult. One hospital’s experience illustrates some of the challenges — and the strategies that can help overcome them. -
Study Finds Variety of Methods to Reduce Telemetry Use
A recent report in JAMA Internal Medicine found that hospitals are using various approaches to reducing unnecessary telemetry for cardiac monitoring, but not enough are using the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines.
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Overmonitoring Addressed With EHR Order Set, Adherence to Best Practices
A Minnesota hospital is addressing the problem of overmonitoring patients with an order set in the electronic health record that prompts clinicians to limit monitoring and unit assignments to only what is needed. Introducing the system was not without challenges, however.
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CMS Changes Nursing Home Compare, May Drop Star Ratings
CMS recently announced significant changes to Nursing Home Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System. The agency also says that it is considering abandoning the star ratings for hospitals completely.