More Denominators
In the last issue of PSQH, I wrote about different takes on the concept of numerators and denominators. Kerry O’Connell leaves the comfortable world of uneventful patients (denominators) when he experiences preventable harm and joins the numerators. National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari, on the other hand, thinks of denominators as patients whose individual characteristics—including chronic and underlying conditions in need of treatment—may be invisible until brought to light through electronic records and analytics.
National Patient Safety Foundation Announces Recipients of the 2013 Stand Up for Patient Safety Management Award
The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) has announced the winners of the 2013 Stand Up For Patient Safety Management Award. The award for a hospital-based project will go to JPS Health Network of Fort Worth, Texas. The award for ambulatory care will be given to the 97th Medical Group, Altus AFB, in Altus, Oklahoma.
Physician Patient Safety Leader Named President of National Patient Safety Foundation
The Board of Directors of the National Patient Safety Foundation announced today that Tejal K. Gandhi, MD, MPH, will become the Foundation’s next president, effective July 1. The announcement came at the opening session of the 15th Annual NPSF Patient Safety Congress, which is being held this week in New Orleans.
PCORI Awards Funding for Comparative Effectiveness Research Projects
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has approved 51 new awards, totaling $88.6 million over three years, to fund patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) projects under the first four areas of its National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda. This brings the total that PCORI has awarded for projects addressing these priorities to $129.3 million. PCORI also has committed another $30 million in funding for a series of pilot projects.
Study Shows Hospital C-Suite and Risk Managers Struggle with Maintaining Patient Safety
Maximizing patient safety is the top priority for hospital C-Suite executives and Risk Managers in the United States – but, “lack of teamwork, negative culture and poor communication” will present barriers to patient safety in the future – according to a new survey commissioned by American International Group (AIG) in consultation with patient safety expert, Dr. Marty Makary, MD, MPH.
Florida Hospital Tampa Pilots Proactive Patient Monitoring System
Florida Hospital Tampa has adopted EarlySense, a bedside patient monitoring and centralized system. The EarlySense system offers medical professionals the ability to identify early warning signs of patient safety risk and a decline in health. Without ever physically touching the patient, the system measures heart rate, respiration rate, patient movement while in bed as well as how often a patient enters and exits the hospital bed by utilizing a sensor that is placed under the mattress of a bed.
Young Physicians Patient Safety Award Winners Announced
The Doctors Company Foundation, in partnership with the Lucian Leape Institute at the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF), has announced this year’s winners of The Doctors Company Foundation Young Physicians Patient Safety Awards, which recognize young physicians for their deep personal insight into the significance of patient safety work.
NPSF Announces Recipients of 2013 Stand Up for Patient Safety Management Award
The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) has announced the winners of the 2013 Stand Up For Patient Safety Management Award. The award for a hospital-based project will go to JPS Health Network of Fort Worth, Texas. The award for ambulatory care will be given to the 97th Medical Group, Altus AFB, in Altus, Oklahoma.
Diagnostic Errors More Common, Costly, and Harmful Than Treatment Mistakes
In reviewing 25 years of U.S. malpractice claim payouts, Johns Hopkins researchers found that diagnostic errors — not surgical mistakes or medication overdoses — accounted for the largest fraction of claims, the most severe patient harm, and the highest total of penalty payouts. Diagnosis-related payments amounted to $38.8 billion between 1986 and 2010, they found.
Bates County Memorial Hospital Joins Missouri Health Connection As Early Adopter
Missouri Health Connection (MHC) has announced that Bates County Memorial Hospital has signed up as the newest participant of Missouri’s statewide health information network (HIN).