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In light of the ever-increasing diversity in patient populations, The Joint Commission (TJC) is proposing revised and additional standards to address communication, cultural competence, and patient-centered care in hospital settings.
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A study completed by researchers at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine suggests that many patients who are hospitalized do not fully understand all the steps involved in cardiopulmonary resuscitation or their chances of surviving an in-hospital cardiac arrest.
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In light of the growing adoption of electronic medical records and the fact that its current policy does not address "physicians' ethical responsibilities in the event the security of electronic records is breached," according to a report of its Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs the American Medical Association has adopted four guidelines for physicians in such cases.
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NIH announces guidelines on stem cell research; CDC says 129 older adults in EDs for fractures daily; Congresswoman introduces legislation regarding in-office imaging loophole;
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Manoj Jain, MD MPH, an infectious disease physician and writer, in Memphis, TN, admits he was skeptical when his hospital embarked on a quality improvement initiative to reduce hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and he admitted it openly in a column in the Washington Post.
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In issuing its 2009 safe practices, the National Quality Forum (NFQ) recommends more pharmacist involvement. Safe Practice 18: Pharmacist Leadership Structures and Systems reads: Pharmacy leaders should have an active role on the administrative leadership team that reflects their authority and accountability for medication management systems performance across the organization.
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) just added new information to its Hospital Compare site death rates and readmission rates relating to heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia.
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If clean hands can save lives, why aren't more health care workers complying with hand hygiene guidelines? The answer isn't singular in nature and neither are the methods suggested for improvement, but one thing is certain: Compliance is lacking. In response, The Joint Commission recently published a 262-page monograph, "Measuring hand hygiene adherence: Overcoming the challenges," to identify best practices for measuring adherence.
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In the photograph, a young boy in a hospital bed looks unflinchingly at you, one hand on his chest. And in big type it reads, "You could kill me with your bare hands." Novant Health's message to its staff in 2005 was clear. Hand hygiene compliance is a matter of life and death.
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Do you understand the new Joint Commission scoring methodology? According to Susan Mellott, PhD, RN, CPHQ, FNAHQ, CEO/health care consultant, Mellott & Associates in Houston, the changes and their impact are still unclear to many quality professionals, and there is a lot of information still to be gleaned to prepare your facility.
