The Way Forward: Coronavirus Remains Focal Point for Healthcare Organizations
Now that COVID-19 has reached an endemic phase, one of the biggest challenges facing healthcare organizations is keeping communities focused on containing the virus, says Janet Tomcavage, MS, executive vice president and chief nurse executive at Geisinger Health.
Using Technology to Improve Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
The cutting edge of digital health and home testing is bumping up against norms in society and medicine as the healthcare industry tackles a substance abuse epidemic. An organization that epitomizes this challenge is Bicycle Health, a Boston-based provider treating more than 8,000 patients in 29 states for opioid use disorder.
Researcher: ‘The Levees Have Broken’ at Emergency Departments
The new studies examine boarding of patients in emergency departments before they are moved to inpatient beds and patients who left without being seen (LWBS), the latter presumably because of ED crowding and long wait times. The Joint Commission has deemed extended boarding of patients in the ED as a patient safety risk, with boarding recommended not to exceed four hours. Relatively high LWBS rates can have significant negative consequences for patients if they are deferring care for acute conditions.
Study: Pediatric Epilepsy Patients Responded Well to Telemedicine During Pandemic
The Epilepsy Neurogenetics Initiative at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia reported that across nearly 50,000 visits, patients continued to use telemedicine effectively, even when outpatient clinics reopened a year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
PSQH: The Podcast Episode 63 – Getting Back to Basics With Hand Hygiene
On episode 63 of PSQH: The Podcast, Megan DiGiorgio, senior clinical manager at GOJO Industries, talks about getting back to basics with hand hygiene.
Male Physicians Receive Higher Payments from Medical Companies than Female Physicians
The new research article, which was published by JAMA Surgery, features data from the Open Payments Database for female and male physicians who received the most payments from the 15 highest-grossing U.S. medical supply companies from January 2013 to January 2019.
Call 911! Emergency Department Doctors, Nurses Need Help Now Against Violence
Assaults in the emergency department are on the rise with nearly one-fourth (24%) of emergency physicians reporting being assaulted multiple times a week, according to the findings of a new poll from the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Discuss Any Revisions to Masking Policies With Your Staff, IC Experts
The CDC recently revised its guidance on COVID-19 universal masking, but consult with your staff and infection control experts before making changes to your organization policies. The guidance from CDC and CMS has been revised several times over the last few months, including the final days in September.
Researcher: Paxlovid is ‘Game Changer’ in Treatment of COVID-19
The recent study examined data from more than 560,000 patients who could have been treated with Paxlovid from March 1, 2022, to Aug. 1, 2022. Among these patients, 146,000 received Paxlovid and 421,000 did not receive the oral antiviral medication.
Sentara Healthcare Boosts Efforts to Address Social Determinants of Health
Sentara Healthcare has launched a community care program to provide neighborhood-level access to services for people who are on Medicaid or are uninsured or underinsured. A primary focus of Sentara Community Care is to help patients address social determinants of health such as housing, food security, and transportation, which have a pivotal impact on the physical and mental health of patients.