The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a campaign to help bring attention to the dangers of sepsis, a condition that is fast becoming the number one cause of death in U.S. hospitals.
Called “Get Ahead of Sepsis,” the program was launched last August as an...
This past summer, a spotlight was shone on the risks posed by Legionella. The bacterium is frequently found in healthcare settings, and the diseases it causes (Legionnaire’s disease and Pontiac fever) are common and often life-threatening.
The NotPetya computer hack that hit healthcare facilities last summer is a warning to get creative about tightening up security.
In the last week of June 2017, foreign-born computer malware attacked the systems of several U.S. companies—including Princeton Community Hospital in Princeton...
How patients assess their own pain is a key component to how hospitals are expected to manage pain medications. But what about patients who can’t communicate their level of pain?
The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) has announced it intends to push back the compliance deadline for USP Chapter <800> “Hazardous Drugs; Handling in Healthcare Settings” from July 1, 2018, to December 1, 2019.
A patient handoff (also known as transitioning) is both the act of passing a patient between caregivers and the information exchanged between the sender (the provider giving away the patient) and the receiver (the provider taking the patient).
Editor’s note: This article was written by Janet Spiegel, MS, a Lean-certified management consultant in Portland, Maine, who has advised and coached several payer and provider organizations. For questions or comments, she can be contacted at ...
Controversy flared this fall in Salt Lake City after police body camera footage of the July 26 arrest of University Hospital nurse Alex Wubbels went viral. Wubbels had refused a police request to draw blood from a patient, citing hospital policy. Salt Lake City police detective Jeff Payne...
Every facility wants to give the best possible care to every patient who walks through its doors, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. But wanting to help people isn't the same as helping them or knowing what they need.
In 2016, 4.1% of the U.S. population identified as...
Review how clinicians and other staff interact with patients who have communication issues, such as deafness or limited English proficiency (LEP). Not only are communication issues receiving increased scrutiny from patients and the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR), but your hospital could lose...
