HHS Extends COVID-19 PHE Another 90 Days
The 90 days is up on October 18, but could be extended again. HHS has promised to give states at least 60-days notice before lifting the PHE, which allows among other things waivers or flexibility on certain CMS requirements for participating in Medicare.
Black Patients Suffered Worse Patient Safety Outcomes Than White Patients in the Same Hospitals
Black adults experience higher rates of adverse safety events compared to White patients treated in the same hospital, according to a new analysis released today by Urban Institute researchers and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
RNs to Hold National Day of Action July 21 Demanding Patient, Nurse Protections
Tens of thousands of NNU RNs are in the process of bargaining contracts that govern safe patient care conditions and their own workplace safety. The RNs say it is crucial to win these protections in writing to hold employers to prioritize occupational and public health and safety, NNU said in a press release.
Consensus Statement Sets 10 Leadership Imperatives for Recovery Phase of Pandemic
According to a novel model for the pandemic and other global crises, there are four progressive stages in a crisis: escalation, emergency, recovery, and resolution. The co-authors of the consensus statement say the pandemic has reached the recovery phase, which includes leadership challenges such as balancing competing priorities, maintaining staff engagement, and avoiding burnout.
From Crisis to Opportunity: Partnering to Address SDOH, Health Disparities
Creshelle Nash, MD, MPH, CHIE, medical director for health equity and public programs at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield recently spoke with HealthLeaders about how she saw these disparities first-hand, and how the COVID-19 crisis has given the national healthcare system a vehicle to address social determinants of health (SDOH) and health disparities.
Should OSHA’s New COVID-19 Protections Become Permanent? Comment Until August 20
OSHA announced on July 8 that it was extending the comment period until August 20 on the interim rule that creates a new Subpart U in the OSHA standards. The federal agency is asking, among other things, whether the emergency temporary requirements should become permanent.
Hospital-at-Home Program Slated to Start Next Month at UMass Memorial Health
The technology backbone of UMass Memorial Health’s Hospital at Home program, provided by Current Health, will provide real-time insight into patient health and coordinating in-home clinical care and services. Current Health will enroll UMass Memorial Health patients eligible for the program through Current Health’s platform and configure everything patients need to remotely engage with their care teams, including monitoring equipment, in-home connectivity, and a tablet for chat and video communication.
Nurses Urge CDC to Reinstate Universal Masking
Noting that the “COVID-19 pandemic is far from over,” with most states seeing increasing cases, National Nurses United (NNU) sent a letter Monday to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asking the agency to once again recommend that masks be worn in public to reduce the increasing spread of the virus.
OIG Cites CMS for Poor Risk Assessments
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently investigated The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to check whether the agency, which oversees patient safety at hundreds of U.S. hospitals, considers national security as part of its enterprise risk management (ERM) process.
PSQH: The Podcast Episode 32 – How to Transform the Patient-Physician Journey
On episode 32 of PSQH: The Podcast, Dr. Barry Chaiken, clinical lead for Tableau, talks about how information technology can help solve healthcare’s biggest problems.