White House Urges Healthcare Facilities to Open, But Safely
The White House is also cautioning hospitals and other facilities to check with state and local authorities to ensure your area meets the “gating criteria” of fewer reported symptoms, fewer confirmed cases and hospital capacity to handle potential new patients with COVID-19 along with non-emergent care.
Managing Medication Adherence During COVID-19
Since medication nonadherence already accounts for 50% of treatment failures, approximately 125,000 deaths, and up to 25% of hospitalizations each year, it has become more important than ever for physicians, pharmacists, and insurance companies to work together to keep patients on their prescriptions.
FDA Bans Certain Respirators From Being Decontaminated, Reused
The FDA now says that decontamination systems can only be used on non-cellulose-compatible N95 respirators. Banned from reuse are any respirators that have exhalation tubes, or N95 masks made in China. The latter has been banned due to quality control issues. And, as always, the FDA stressed that decontaminated respirators should only be used when new respirators are unavailable.
Nearly 600 — And Counting — U.S. Health Workers Have Died Of COVID-19
There is no other comprehensive accounting of U.S. healthcare workers’ deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has counted 368 COVID deaths among healthcare workers, but acknowledges its tally is an undercount. The CDC does not identify individuals.
Healthcare Leaders Choose Collaboration Over Competing During COVID-19
By Rhonda Collins, DNP, RN, FAAN, Chief Nursing Officer, Vocera As the chief nursing officer at Vocera, I have the opportunity and privilege to speak with nurses all over the world. While it may sound cliché, the stories I have heard from the frontlines are nothing short of remarkable. Despite fears and fatigue, they are … Continued
PSQH: The Podcast Episode 4 – High Reliability During a Pandemic
On episode 4 of PSQH: The Podcast, host Jay Kumar talks to Anne Marie Benedicto, vice president of the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare, about how hospitals have used high reliability practices to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coronavirus: How Dartmouth-Hitchcock Is Reopening Paused Services
As the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic spread across the country in March, many health systems and hospitals suspended some outpatient services and most elective surgeries. Now, most of these organizations are seeking to reactivate paused services without endangering patients and staff. Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s strategy could serve as a blueprint for other health systems that were not innundated with COVID-19 patients.
Cal/OSHA Issues Guidance for Hospitals on Aerosol Transmissible Disease Standard
California’s Aerosol Transmissible Disease standard requires that employers protect workers at healthcare facilities and other services and operations from airborne diseases like COVID-19 and tuberculosis, influenza, and pertussis (whooping cough). There is no corresponding federal standard.
Physician Advocate: Coronavirus Pandemic Shows Need to Ease Regulatory Burdens
The pandemic has compounded the stress and burnout physicians were already experiencing from regulatory burdens, he says. “Prior to the pandemic, onerous regulations made it difficult to enjoy practicing medicine and hindered the physician-patient relationship, which 78.7% of physicians regard as the most satisfying part of their job, according to our 2018 Survey of America’s Physicians.”
Telehealth Expansion During Coronavirus Pandemic Changing Physician-Patient Relationship
In March, when the pandemic took hold in the United States, telehealth visits increased 50%, according to Frost and Sullivan. With in-person medical visits associated with the risk of coronavirus infection, virtual visits emerged as a safe and effective way for patients to meet with their doctors in many circumstances.