Technology Applications: Informed Consent Enters a New Age
Informed consent serves an important role in hospitals across the country. Typically packaged as a single form or series of forms, the informed consent process ideally serves as a way to educate patients about conditions, treatment alternatives, benefits, and risks of a procedure.
Software Implementation: How Much Pain is Normal? How Can Clinicians Help?
Healthcare software will continue to be a strong driver in improving the quality of care for patients. This good news for patients often comes with its own set of challenges for the caregivers who use the software, especially during implementation.
Self-service Registration: Leading the Way to Safer, More Effective Care
When it comes to improving the quality and safety of healthcare, few organizations classify the patient registration process as a top priority. But with the introduction of patient self-service technology that automates the check-in process…
Proceedings from the Quality Colloquium: Patient Safety Officers Roles and Responsibilities
Is it realistic to expect to reduce mishaps by 50% in five years? Yes! In 1980, after being commissioned as an aircraft accident investigator in the newly formed Israel Air Force…
One Couple: Same Name, Same Date, Same Surgery
Since the release of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, the advent of the JCAHO Sentinel Event program, and the issuance of the National Patient Safety Goals, hospitals have dedicated themselves to reducing errors and preventing harm.
Patients: How Safe do Patients Feel?; Sidebar – Communicating With Patients
General initiatives for informing patients: Recognize and compensate for different degrees of patient literacy…
Patients: How Safe do Patients Feel?
Ever since publication of the Institute of Medicine’s To Err Is Human (1999), concerns about patient safety have taken a prominent place in debates about American healthcare.
Ethics Toolbox: Healthy Advice from the 4th Century BC
Most of us think we know who Hippocrates was. Certainly no one disagrees with “not doing harm.” We want to do what we think is best for the patient, based on good science and consistent with the art.
Editor’s Notebook: Swiss Cheese Model Applies to Publishing, Too
Unfortunately, what I have learned about designing systems for safety didn’t protect this magazine from some nasty errors in the last issue.
Procedings from the Quality Colloquim: Culture Improves Safety Reducing Adverse Drug Events
OSF St. Joseph Medical Center began its journey to patient safety by focusing on reduction of adverse drug events (ADE). For help in this venture, the medical center became involved with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) ADE Reduction Collaborative.