Why So Little Coverage of Improvement?
On May 7, the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) reported on the effects of federal efforts to decrease the rates of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) and readmissions. These efforts, implemented through a system of Hospital Engagement Networks (HENs), have been supported with funding from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), starting with grants to the HENs in October 2011.
New HHS Data Show Quality Improvements
The Department of Health and Human Services announced that new preliminary data show an overall nine percent decrease in hospital acquired conditions nationally during 2011 and 2012. National reductions in adverse drug events, falls, infections, and other forms of hospital-induced harm are estimated to have prevented nearly 15,000 deaths in hospitals, avoided 560,000 patient injuries, and approximately $4 billion in health spending over the same period.
Medical Devices: Who Needs to Read Device Instructions?
Essentially all medical devices used in hospitals come with a user instruction manual, commonly called Instructions for Use (IFU) or Directions for Use. Typically an IFU includes basic operational “how to” information as well as pages of warnings, cautions, and other general or device-specific information beyond simply how to operate the device.
Longer Nurse Tenure on Hospital Units Leads to Higher Quality Care
When it comes to the cost and quality of hospital care, nurse tenure and teamwork matters. Patients get the best care when they are treated in units that are staffed by nurses who have extensive experience in their current job, according to a study from researchers at Columbia University School of Nursing and Columbia Business School.
Borgess Health Implements Nuance Solution to Drive Improved Quality Scores
Nuance Communications, Inc. has announced that Borgess Health, which provides care to nearly one million people across southwest Michigan, has secured $9 million in additional appropriate revenue within one year of implementing the Nuance Compliant Documentation Management Program (CDMP®), part of the Nuance Clintegrity 360 | CDI solution.
AHA Launches Symposium for Healthcare Quality Leaders to Increase Patient Safety Improvements
To further cement its commitment to improve quality and patient safety in America’s hospitals, the American Hospital Association is launching a new forum – the Symposium for Leaders in Healthcare Quality (SLHQ). SLHQ provides healthcare improvement professionals a setting to collaborate and share best practices to improve quality and patient safety.
Patient Portal Certification Helps Health Systems Meet Meaningful Use Requirements
Harris Corporation’s FusionFX Patient Portal has been certified to enable health system customers to meet important Meaningful Use requirements and qualify for related government funding.
2013 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award Recipients Announced
The National Quality Forum (NQF) and The Joint Commission have announced the 2013 recipients of the annual John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. The four awards will be presented on February 13, 2014, during a luncheon at the 2014 NQF Annual Conference and Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C.
New Tool Shows Promise in Helping Surgical Teams Predict Home Discharge for Their Patients
Frequently predicted surgical outcomes primarily focus on adverse outcomes such as complications and death, but most patients also want to know about good outcomes, including whether they will return home after a surgical procedure, or, conversely, if they will need to prepare for a lengthy rehabilitation process at a care facility. Now, research published in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that a new type of surgical risk calculator can accurately predict postoperative home discharge.
Excel Medical Electronics Introduces AlarmNavigator™ to Address Alarm Fatigue
Excel Medical Electronics (EME), developers of the BedMasterEx data acquisition and reporting system, has introduced an AlarmNavigator product for supporting hospitals in their efforts to comply with The Joint Commission’s 2014 National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) on alarm safety.