Hospital Peer Review – July 1, 2003

July 1, 2003

• JCAHO’s clinical alarm safety goal requires teamwork, collaboration

  As quality improvement professionals tackle the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations patient safety goals, one of the goals is proving to be more challenging and confounding than the others.

  Read more about JCAHO’s clinical alarm safety goal requires teamwork, collaboration - Hospital Peer Review – July 1, 2003

• Walking tour could reveal problems with clinical alarms

  A walking tour of each patient care area that includes clinical alarms could reveal both problems and solutions you might not otherwise consider, says Britton Berek, CCE, MBA, associate director of the standards interpretation group for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

  Read more about Walking tour could reveal problems with clinical alarms - Hospital Peer Review – July 1, 2003

• Reader Question: Satisfaction data essential tool in accreditation

  Question: Our hospital routinely surveys patients and family members to gauge satisfaction with our services, but so far we havent really used those results in our accreditation efforts.

  Read more about Reader Question: Satisfaction data essential tool in accreditation

• QI project cuts patients’ chronic pain dramatically

  A quality improvement project at a Michigan long-term care facility resulted in a decrease in the prevalence of chronic pain among its residents from 33% in March 2000 to 18% currently.

  Read more about QI project cuts patients’ chronic pain dramatically - Hospital Peer Review – July 1, 2003

• Research institutions prepare for accreditation

  The Partnership for Human Research Protection recently announced the approval of final standards for a new accreditation program to safeguard the interests of human subjects participating in research efforts.

  Read more about Research institutions prepare for accreditation - Hospital Peer Review – July 1, 2003

• The Quality-Cost Connection: Before implementing changes . . . simulate!

  Whether your organization is seeking to reduce process inefficiencies or eliminate the chance of unintended patient harm, action taking is a critical step in the improvement cycle. The cycle involves devising a new or improved process, implementing changes, monitoring the effects of changes, making further adjustments where necessary, and continuing to monitor.

  Read more about The Quality-Cost Connection: Before implementing changes . . . simulate! - Hospital Peer Review – July 1, 2003

• Discharge Planning Advisor: System’s LOS shrinks as DP, UM functions are combined

  Daily bed alerts, emergency department (ED) case management, and an express admit unit for direct admits from physician offices are among the initiatives that help streamline operations at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network in Allentown, PA.

  Read more about Discharge Planning Advisor: System’s LOS shrinks as DP, UM functions are combined - Hospital Peer Review – July 1, 2003

• Discharge Planning Advisor: CHF readmissions decline as med needs addressed

  A discovery that came out of a congestive heart failure (CHF) project led to a Medication Mission that is improving quality of life and reducing readmission rates for patients at St. Joseph Health Center in Warren, OH.

  Read more about Discharge Planning Advisor: CHF readmissions decline as med needs addressed - Hospital Peer Review – July 1, 2003

• Patient Safety Alert Supplement

  Read more about Patient Safety Alert Supplement - Hospital Peer Review – July 1, 2003