With the COVID-19 pandemic still fresh in people’s minds, the CDC released updated recommendations for respiratory virus protection on March 1. The guidance recommends vaccinations, hygiene, and good air quality to help prevent respiratory viruses. It also tells readers when a sick person can...
The Joint Commission (TJC) has released its annual list of the most challenging standards for laboratories and other healthcare facilities. In 2023, many laboratories were noncompliant when it came to investigating testing errors, performing preventive maintenance and competency assessments,...
CMS now allows texting of patient orders, but roll out its implementation carefully, say compliance experts. Policies will need to be updated with specifics on when and how orders can be texted and what kinds of information may or may not be included in a text. Then physicians, nurses, and...
On March 18, the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety (NIOSH) and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation released the Impact Wellbeing guide as part of a federal campaign to take action on healthcare worker burnout. The guiding principles of the document are building trust...
Scott Wytosick, a fire and life safety consultant at Jensen Hughes, catches up this month with Healthcare Safety Leader to discuss topics such as adapting Life Safety Code® (LSC) compliance for a post-pandemic world, the future of remote inspections by authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ), and...
Having bopped around a fair amount of the nation over the last 6 months or so, I heard a fair number of stories from folks working in healthcare of the many and varied travails they faced during the winter months as whatever powers one might attribute to nature wandered very far afield. Folks...
Laboratories are a unique workplace of scientific inquiry and diagnosis, but they also pose specific risks to those who work within their confines. One significant concern is the potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens, which can lead to serious infections and health complications if not...
The history of SDOH reaches back to 1967, when the Whitehall study examined more than 17,500 male civil servants between the ages of 20 and 64 in London, England, analyzing data over a period of 10 years. Data was gathered on physical health and habits, including blood pressure, height, weight,...
The official start of hurricane season is almost here. Hurricanes, especially the monster storms, have taught American hospitals some big lessons, and if you haven’t put those lessons into your resiliency plan, then you’re behind the game. For an example, just look to New Orleans.
What is the best way to prepare for patients each and every day? The best way is to create a safe, effective, and efficient system for providing patient care. It is to become knowledgeable and identify issues in an effort to minimize risks and maximize best outcomes. It is to be prepared.