One of the most vital parts of providing adequate healthcare is the exchange of information between patient and caregiver. Without clear communication, it can be difficult, and even dangerous, to treat a patient. For patients who have limited English proficiency (LEP), as well as providers, the...
Since 2002, the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) has sponsored Patient Safety Awareness Week (PSAW) as a means of making caregivers, other types of hospital staff, and community members more aware of patient safety issues. This year, the event is being observed from March 7 to March 13...
As we move further into 2010, I’m excited about the opportunities for growth and improvement we have in store for our patient safety programs. The projects, improvement initiatives, and measures of success are neatly described on paper and await skillful execution. However, the sense of...
In 2007, The Joint Commission made an addition to Goal #8 regarding medication reconciliation: Along with compiling a list of medications upon admission, each patient must receive a list of his or her medications upon discharge. (This National Patient Safety Goal is set to be revamped this year...
Q: How should our organization meet compliance with educating patients and their families on multidrug-¬resistant organisms (MDRO), central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), and surgical site infections (SSI)? Should we discuss these topics with all patients and...
The National Quality Forum (NQF) released a set of 70 measures in January that guide the standardization of electronic data for quality improvement. The measures combine data from two or more electronic ¬sources, such as administrative claims or pharmacy systems.
