Hospital
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Improved Patient Handoffs Require Comprehensive Approach
Hospitals are paying more attention to patient handoffs as a crucial element in quality and patient safety, with an evolution toward seeing them as not just a distinct task, but more as a comprehensive strategy.
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They're Back! CMS Audits Are Ratcheting Up
Hospitals have had a reprieve from record requests, denials, and appeals, but that’s about to change as CMS ramps up its auditing programs.
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For Better Patient Care, Communicate Early and Often
In today’s healthcare world, communicating with other clinicians in the hospital and in post-acute provider organizations is essential to ensure patients receive the care they need to stay out of the hospital and the ED.
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No Crystal Ball Needed to Know Where CMS May Focus
To get a good idea of what diagnoses CMS will add to the readmission reduction program or other value-based purchasing programs, look no further than the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program components.
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Under New Leadership, CMS Continues Emphasis on Quality
Despite all of the changes in Washington, DC, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services remains committed to providing high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective care.
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‘Ever-Expanding Options’ Prolong Life, but Spark Conflicts
Surrogates may be struggling to let go of a loved one, may not understand clinical realities, or may have religious or cultural beliefs about withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining medical interventions. Regardless of the reason, families sometimes want to “do everything” when the clinical team feels it’s time to stop.
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Study: Only About One-third of Adults Completed Advance Directives
Only about one-third (37%) of U.S. adults had completed any type of advance directive, found a recent review of studies.
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Revised Common Rule Is Changing Informed Consent
The recently updated Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, also called the Common Rule, is changing informed consent practices in two important ways.
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Can Intoxicated Patients Provide Informed Consent for Research?
It’s not uncommon for ED patients to present with acute intoxication. This complicates not only their clinical care, but also the informed consent process. A recent study set out to determine to what extent acute alcohol intoxication affects capacity to assent, consent, or refuse research participation.
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Unethical Marketing Practices for Stem Cell Treatments Continue
Recently passed legislation allows Texas clinics to bypass FDA approval for investigational stem cell treatments for patients with certain severe chronic diseases or terminal illnesses. The law alarmed ethicists who have been monitoring these practices.