According to The Joint Commission, retained surgical items resulting in death or permanent loss of function were the most frequently reported sentinel event in 2010 and 2011.
Cyber attacks. Data thefts. System breaches. They're all on the rise, and healthcare is the no. 1 field at risk, according to a just-released Internet Security Threat Report 2011 Trends from Symantec Corp.1 Consider these recent examples from the outpatient surgery field:
The benefits of regular physical activity are well known. Encouraging individuals to be active through recreational and competitive athletics while preventing and treating injuries is the role of the sports medicine physician.
All manner of electronic devices are common in any healthcare setting, and individuals increasingly are likely to use their own smart phones, tablets, and other personal electronics while at work. The proliferation of electronics is leading some patient safety experts to worry that patient safety might be threatened by "distracted doctoring."
