Joint Commission Alerts Organizations to Tubing Misconnection Risks
The Joint Commission has issued a new Sentinel Event Alert that addresses the risks of accidental medical tubing misconnections that can cause severe patient injury or death.
What Does New CMS Guidance on Monitoring Post-operative Patients Receiving Opioids Mean for Hospital Practice?
New guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recommends monitoring of patients receiving opioids.
A Culture of Safety at the CDC
I had the radio on as I drove to the market, but I wasn’t really listening until I heard “It’s very important to have a culture of safety that says, if you’ve got a problem, talk about it.” I didn’t recall ever having heard the phrase “culture of safety” outside of safety improvement circles.
AAMI, ECRI Institute Report Guides Senior Executives on Meeting Key Healthcare Technology Safety Challenges
The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and ECRI Institute have joined forces in a first-of-its kind effort to help medical device and healthcare delivery executives identify and monitor trends related to technology safety issues.
FDA Guidance on Medical Devices for Home Use
Home use of medical devices includes both prescription and over-the-counter products. Among prescription devices, some may be intended by the manufacturer to be used at home, and others may not have that intent but are provided nonetheless to patients by or through prescribers. All home use devices raise basic questions.
The Joint Commission Alerts Healthcare Industry to Prevalence of Unsafe Injection Practices
atients visiting a clinic for an injection to relieve their pain or for chemotherapy don’t expect to leave with a new condition such as hepatitis, but unfortunately thousands of patients have been adversely affected in this way when they received an injection at their doctor’s office or in the hospital.
Medical Recliners Help Healthcare Providers with New Care Act Requirements
Sometimes a chair is much more than a chair. Champion Manufacturing’s recliners have acquired added value for healthcare providers as they try to meet new standards of patient care created by the Affordable Care Act.
The Joint Commission Releases New Speak Up Infographic on Anesthesia and Sedation Safety
Nearly 40 million anesthetics are administered annually in the United States. To raise awareness of the risks of anesthesia or sedation and precautions that should be taken, The Joint Commission released a new Speak Up™ infographic for patients and consumers titled “Speak Up: About Anesthesia and Sedation.”
Hospital Health System Shares Lessons Learned in its ISO Certification Journey
There is a growing trend across the U.S. for hospitals to seek ISO: 9001-2008 certification as a key component in their continuing commitment to be a highly reliable organization.
CPS Shows Commitment to Improving Patient Safety and Quality in Pre-Hospital Care
The Center for Patient Safety (CPS) has landed its first national contract from Air Evac Lifeteam, a subsidiary of Air Medical Group Holdings, announced Becky Miller, executive director, CPS. Air Evac Lifeteam, an air ambulance company, currently has 115 bases in 15 states. The three-year participation agreement was executed on April 1, 2014.