HealthCare Benchmarks and Quality Improvement articles from March 2006

HealthCare Benchmarks and Quality Improvement archives from March 2006

End-of-life care a balance between customization, standard processes: tools that identify care goals are key part of a successful approach.
March 1, 2006... Key Points * Regularly revisit patient goals as the patient's condition changes. * Total elimination of pain is a legitimate quality issue. * More palliative care is needed in the hospital setting, experts say. Quality...

Computer system helps nurses in care delivery: system first implemented with residents.
March 1, 2006... Key Points * Sign-out module is incorporated into hospital's electronic medical record. * Fields populated with patient demographic and admit-discharge-transfer data; medical team information; allergies; active medication lists; and...

Program helps to boost co-pay collections: program includes courtesy discounts.(Children's Hospital of Alabama co-pay collections)
March 1, 2006... Key Points * Co-pays, when required, are collected at bedside during a visit by a facilitator. * Patient phone surveys address staff care and compassion, responsiveness, communication, friendliness, and courtesy. * Staff who meet...

Study: quality improving at a modest pace: greatest gain seen in patient safety measures.
March 1, 2006... Key Points * Study shows 10.2% improvements in patient safety core measures. * Worst performer among 44 core measures was ED patients who left without being treated. * Hospital procedures generally performed better than prevention...

Health care disparities narrow for many.
March 1, 2006... The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has just released its "National Healthcare Disparities Report," which indicates that health care disparities are narrowing overall for many minority Americans. But for Hispanics, the...

Usage of CPOE steadily increasing, Leapfrog says: but top exec is disappointed with rate of adoption.(computerized physician order entry systems)
March 1, 2006... Key Points * By the end of 2006, about 10% of all hospitals will have completed CPOE implementation. * Few statistically significant organizational factors were correlated to the variability in CPOE implementation. * P4P will help...

CDC issues updated TB prevention guidelines.
March 1, 2006... The Atlanta, GA-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued updated guidelines for preventing the transmission of tuberculosis in health care settings. The report, "Guidelines for Preventing the Transmission of...

AHRQ: spending on trauma surpasses heart disease.
March 1, 2006... U.S. spending to treat trauma-related disorders nearly doubled between 1996 and 2003 to surpass heart disease as the leading medical expenditure by condition, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported. Over the same period,...

JCAHO recommends reconciling med lists.
March 1, 2006... The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has encouraged health care organizations to reconcile a patient's medications as the patient transitions from one care setting or practitioner to another to help prevent...

On-line report available for our subscribers.
March 1, 2006... Readers of Healthcare Benchmarks and Quality Improvement who recently have subscribed or renewed their previous subscriptions have a free gift waiting. As a special bonus, HBQI is offering a free on-line report to subscribers. Those who...