In 2017, a Missouri hospital found out the hard way that when not addressed quickly, restraint and seclusion deficiencies can spiral out of control. Twice in one year, CMS ruled that Mercy Hospital Springfield was putting patients in immediate jeopardy after inspectors found problems with the...
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, West Virginia, and Heritage Valley Health System in Beaver, Pennsylvania.
Phishing emails aren’t just aimed at getting credit card numbers, usernames, passwords, and (in the case of hospitals) patient records and data. They are also used to spread ransomware, like the WannaCry virus in 2017. Consider testing how well staff practice safe email infection control by...
There was plenty of patient safety–related news in 2017. This story index of all the PSMJ articles that ran last year will help you quickly find what you need.
Providers that have been confused about how to handle patients’ requests to access their medical records have a new tool: a model records request form, courtesy of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
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.
