Shulkin Confirmed as Under Secretary of Health for US Department of Veterans Affairs
The U.S. Senate has confirmed David J. Shulkin, MD, as the Under Secretary of Health for Veterans Affairs. As the chief executive of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Shulkin will lead the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system with more than 1,700 sites of care, serving 8.76 million veterans each year. VHA is also the nation’s … Continued
Press Ganey Introduces Program to Help Provider Organizations Prepare for OAS CAHPS
Press Ganey has announced the launch of its Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) Early Adopter Program.
New Sentinel Event Alert Examines Safe Use of Health Information Technology
Safe use of health information technology (health IT) is the focus of a new Sentinel Event Alert recently released by The Joint Commission.
Obama Administration Releases National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
Despite antibiotics’ powerful ability to save millions of lives each year, drug resistant bacteria are a growing problem, making the treatment and prevention of diseases more difficult.
PDI Announces Call for Entries for Delivering the Difference Contest
PDI, a leader in infection prevention products and solutions, has launched Delivering the Difference, a contest recognizing industry professionals who display excellence in building collaborative relationships between infection prevention and environmental services teams in healthcare facilities.
ECRI Institute Advises Culturing of Duodenoscopes to Help Reduce Risk of Deadly Infections
News of patient deaths caused by outbreaks of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections is fueling media attention and putting the healthcare community on high alert regarding appropriate disinfection practices for duodenoscopes.
ECRI Institute Takes Steps in Improving Health IT Safety
The Partnership for Health IT Patient Safety, an innovative and collaborative multi-stakeholder effort, took important steps in improving health IT safety at its first in-person meeting held in September at ECRI Institute’s U.S. headquarters outside Philadelphia.
Vocera Addresses Population Health with Enhanced Care Coordination Solution
Vocera Communications, Inc., a provider of intelligent, real-time communication and collaboration solutions for mission-critical mobile environments, will provide a cloud-based secure text messaging solution as a benefit to all of its U.S. healthcare customers, at no additional cost, for use by any of their affiliated healthcare providers.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Reduces Alarm Fatigue, Increases Caregiver Compliance
The sound of monitor alarms in hospitals can save patients’ lives, but the frequency with which the monitors go off can also lead to “alarm fatigue,” in which caregivers become desensitized to the ubiquitous beeping.
The Joint Commission Presents 2014 Enterprise Champion for Quality Award
For the second consecutive year, The Joint Commission has presented BrightStar Care® with the Enterprise Champion for Quality award. The award recognizes BrightStar Care for its efforts to promote the delivery of high-quality home healthcare to its franchisees through Joint Commission accreditation.