Healthcare Benchmarks and Quality Improvement Archives – June 1, 2003
June 1, 2003
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Process improvement: Scarce resources make prioritizing a must
It would be nice if all quality issues could be solved at once, but the truth is that improvement is an evolutionary process. Since you simply cant fix everything at the same time, this places a premium on the ability to set priorities, quality experts say. -
System improved heart attack care in study
By incorporating a system of reminders, standing orders, and checklists into routine care, hospitals in Michigan significantly improved the percentage of patients receiving certain proven treatments and lifestyle counseling for heart attack patients. -
Heart Attack Facts
Background on heart attack and heart attack treatment from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in Bethesda, MD. -
NICU study: Best practices are not always followed
A new nationwide review of more than 13,000 premature and other medically complex newborns reveals a dramatic variation of care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), with treatment often deviating from medical literature and leading to less than optimal outcomes for newborns and their families. -
Center uses web images to aid diabetes treatment
Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN, is using the Internet and high-speed telephone lines to transmit digital photographs of diabetes patients eyes to centralized evaluation centers, where technicians then look for evidence of disease. -
E-diaries help migraine sufferers predict attacks
A multicenter study of 97 patients found that 72% of those who reported premonitory (before the attack) symptoms (i.e., fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and a stiff neck) experienced a migraine headache within 72 hours at least half the time. This ability to predict migraines could one day lead to the development of preemptory treatment.