The Six C’s of CAUTI Prevention
Staff-driven bundles, judicious culturing lead to huge CAUTI decreases. As hospitals prepare for more rigorous Joint Commission standard, Mayo Clinic shows how regimented approach can reduce rates by as much as 70%. In early 2014, the medical intensive care unit at the Mayo Clinic Hospital contributed 25% of the facility’s catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). … Continued
ACS Lays Out Attire Guidelines for Surgeons
By Alexandra Wilson Pecci In addition to reflecting patients’ preferences for a professional manner of dress, the attire guidelines for surgeons also incorporate concerns over quality of care and patient safety. Wearing soiled scrubs in front of family members, letting surgical masks dangle, and leaving large sideburns uncontained during surgery are all no-nos for … Continued
Study: Culture of Safety Scores Have No Impact on Catheter Infections
Many hospitals have focused on improving the culture of safety in their institution through a patient safety culture survey provided to staff members.
Texas Institute for Patient Safety Takes Aim at Medical Students
New collaborative effort will focus on incorporating patient safety into medical school.
In May, the University of North Texas (UNT) Health and Science Center announced a new collaborative aimed at improving patient care throughout the state and reducing medical errors across the continuum of care.
ICU use for Cardiac Patients Linked to Higher Mortality Rates
Overreliance on the ICU for cardiac patients leads to worse outcomes, study finds. “We still have an open question of what to use the ICU for,” says one researcher.
APIC 2015 Film Festival Winner Points the Way Through a Dirty Day
Stop and think about all the surfaces a pair of hands experiences in a day’s time. Even better, watch Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center’s “Stop the Spread of Infection: It’s in Our Hands.” The video, which chronicles in GoPro® style the travels of hands through a typical day, won first prize at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology’s (APIC) sixth annual Film Festival
Strategies for Delivering LGBT-Inclusive Care
By Jennifer Comerford, MJ, OTR/L, CHC, HEM; and Cynthia Wallace, CPHRM Discrimination against individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) has been common in many contexts, including healthcare. Consider the following de-identified events reported to the ECRI Institute PSO, a federally certified patient safety organization (PSO), from January 2013 through mid-2015: Physicians … Continued
ISMP: Turn Short-Term Fixes Into Long-Term Remedies
Healthcare practitioners are repeatedly challenged by unexpected problems they encounter due to both large and small work-system failures that hinder patient care. The list of failures is varied and quite long, often making it difficult or impossible to execute tasks as designed (Edmondson, 2004).
An EHR Tailored for Pediatricians Closes Some Gaps
Modifying electronic health record software can help catch early signs of childhood obesity, problems with oral health, vision, and hearing, and the risk of developing autism, expert says.
Boston Hospital Warns Staff of Privacy Violations with Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go, the most popular mobile game app ever in the U.S., has captured the attention of players of all ages. But it could also be capturing sensitive images and information in hospitals, which could lead to a violation of HIPAA privacy rules.