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In the aftermath of reports that some surgical hospitals called 911 when patients developed complications, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a Survey & Certification letter clarifying that all hospitals are required to appraise medical emergencies, provide initial treatment, and provide referral when appropriate, regardless of whether the hospital has an emergency department.
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On May 2, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a formal request that Shelhigh in Union, NJ, recall all of its medical devices, including hospital inventories, because of sterility concerns. Shelhigh has responded that it will not initiate a recall.
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A Florida hospital has significantly strengthened its policies requiring proper identification for all staff in response a recent incident in which a woman was able to impersonate to an emergency department staff member.
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Risk managers know that communication errors often are a root cause of sentinel events in surgery, and a new study is reporting that specimen labeling is a common error that can threaten patient safety.
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The vast majority of adverse drug events are side effects from a drug that was prescribed as intended, rather than being the result of a drug administration error, according to recent research.
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A 2003 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulation that interpreted the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) does not apply to inpatients does not have the "force and effect of law," according to a recent decision by a U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico.
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With National Public Radio, Oprah, and other media outlets covering patient awareness during anesthesia, many providers report an increasing number of questions about the issue from their patients.
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An uninsured man presented to the hospital complaining of chest pain. Doctors determined that he required heart-valve replacement surgery, but they discharged the patient until he could receive treatment for other conditions that could have complicated the heart surgery if left untreated.
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