Unraveling Diagnostic Error: Delving Deeply to Identify Hidden Human Factors
The challenges we face in improving patient safety and decreasing healthcare-related harm and death remain urgent, compelling, and undeniable. Despite our considerable efforts over the past 15 years, and some very notable advances, mostly resulting from increased standardization of processes and the use of checklists, the overall magnitude of the problem remains enormous.
3 Essential Factors for Reducing Vascular Access Infection Risk
By Pat Parks, MD, PhD Healthcare leaders and care providers charged with the difficult task of preventing infections are no strangers to the incredibly unfortunate loss of life and staggering financial burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Some of the deadliest HAIs are central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) and catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI). According to the … Continued
5 Types of PPE and How Your Staff is Misusing Them
By John Palmer Train your workers how to use the tools that protect them. One of the first things that a student learns in medical school, one of the first thing a worker learned on the job, and perhaps the most important thing you, as a safety professional can be a pest about with your … Continued
As the Threat of Sepsis Intensifies, Experts Push For a Faster Response
A deadly infection that has lingered throughout healthcare for the last several decades is finding a foothold at the national level thanks to recently updated definitions that offer clinicians a more targeted approach for detection and prevention.
U.S. Blood Collection System Faces Multiple Threats
Less-invasive surgeries and new drugs have stanched demand, but more government oversight is needed to safeguard the supply of blood to hospitals.
HHS: New HAI Targets for 2020
This October, the Department for Health and Human Services (HHS) announced ambitious, new targets for reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, and ambulatory surgical centers.
Deadly Superbug Linked to Four Deaths in The U.S.
A deadly new drug-resistant fungus has been linked to the deaths of four hospital patients in the U.S., according to a report released Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The fungus, called Candida auris, preys on the sickest patients and can spread in hospitals.
Hospitals Explore a New Approach to MRSA and VRE: Eliminating Contact Precautions
Amid mounting evidence that contact precautions may not be necessary to prevent the transmission of certain infections, experts are calling for hospitals to reconsider what has been a staple of infection prevention guidelines for decades.
Nudge Helps Practices with Antibiotics
A new study finds programs that appeal to the competitive spirit of physicians are effective in getting them to reduce their incidence of prescribing unnecessary antibiotics.
UN Declares Drug Resistance a Global Threat
The fight against antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections has become a hot topic in 2016, and the United Nations (UN) has now joined the fray. This year, The Joint Commission and CMS making antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) mandatory for all healthcare facilities. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, 74 drug makers, 11 diagnostic test manufacturers, and … Continued
