Docs Say Telehealth Provides Effective Access During Pandemic
The 48-question survey was conducted between July 13 and August 15. Most respondents (87%) were medical doctors and 13% were nurse practitioners, psychologists, physician assistants, and social workers.
PSQH: The Podcast Episode 16 – The Challenges of PPE Use and Improving Worker Communication
On episode 16 of PSQH: The Podcast, host Jay Kumar talks to Dr. Benjamin Kanter about the challenges of PPE use and how technology can help improve communication with frontline workers dealing with COVID-19 patients. This episode is in partnership with Vocera.
AMA Sets New Policies on Bullying Prevention in Healthcare and Racism
According to The Joint Commission, intimidating and disruptive behavior in healthcare settings is associated with medical errors, poor patient satisfaction, and preventable adverse outcomes. In June, the AMA Board of Trustees recognized the health consequences of violent police interactions and called racism an urgent threat to public health.
TJC: Revised Survey Process and Tougher Job for LSC Surveyors
During one of the ever-popular sessions at the American Society for Health Care Engineering annual conference, top TJC executives reviewed problems and solutions, and offered a rundown of what facility and compliance managers can look forward to during upcoming surveys.
Sleep Disorders in Healthcare Professionals Linked to Higher Odds of Burnout
The recent research article, which was published by JAMA Open Network, features data collected from more than 1,000 staff members at an academic medical center. Healthcare professionals were assessed for obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, restless legs syndrome, and shift work disorder. Burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory.
Nurse Leaders Aspire for Greater Role in Decision-Making During and Post-Pandemic
Nurse leaders throughout the nation were advocating with the U.S. government to loosen the restrictions on nurse licensure requirements from state to state so that nurses from the Midwest who weren’t being immediately affected by the pandemic could go to New York and help, for example.
RAND: Boost Efforts to Integrate Family Caregivers Into Healthcare Teams
The new report says there are multiple clinical benefits from integrating home caregivers into formal healthcare teams, including improving patient access to services, reducing unmet needs of patients, boosting quality of care, and delaying patient institutionalization.
Five Important Questions About Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine
Pfizer’s vaccine consists of genetic material called mRNA encased in tiny particles that shuttle it into our cells. From there, it stimulates the immune system to make antibodies that protect against the virus. A similar strategy is employed in other leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates. If mRNA vaccines can protect against COVID-19 and, presumably, other infectious diseases, it will be a momentous piece of news.
ECRI: Half of Disposable Isolation Gowns Don’t Pass Muster
The alarming results of the test evaluating 34 models of disposable gowns from foreign or non-traditional suppliers prompted ECRI to issue a high-priority hazard alert to warn healthcare organizations about its safety concerns.
Coronavirus: Northwell’s 10-Step Recipe for Addressing Patient Surges
The health system, which features 23 hospitals and 800 ambulatory sites, treated about 20,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients during the spring surge, says Mark Jarrett, MD, MBA, senior vice president, chief quality officer, and deputy chief medical officer at Northwell.