HealthCare Benchmarks and Quality Improvement articles from November 2005

HealthCare Benchmarks and Quality Improvement archives from November 2005

Larger role in disaster planning seen for quality managers: skills in planning, safety seen as assets for emergency management.
November 1, 2005... When a disaster occurs, otherwise routine health care delivery can be complicated in a number of unexpected ways--and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, it seems, were on a different level than disasters that had occurred in the past. As more than...

A new compliance reality when disaster strikes: concentrate on providing safest, best care.
November 1, 2005... Quality managers involved in disaster planning and response should not be overly concerned with following the letter of compliance law if a disaster occurs, says Joe Cappiello, BSN, MA, vice president of accreditation field operations, for the...

To evacuate or not to evacuate? Communication will help make decision easier.
November 1, 2005... Whether to evacuate patients prior to the arrival of a storm such as the recent Gulf Coast hurricanes often is not a cut-and-dried decision, says Robert Wise, MD, Vice President, Division of Standards and Survey Methods for the Joint Commission...

In disaster planning, imagination is critical: brainstorming scenarios can help.
November 1, 2005... As Joe Cappiello, BSN, MA, vice president of accreditation field operations for the Joint Commission, indicated in this month's cover story, the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans was really a "perfect storm" of four separate disasters....

JCAHO makes changes to disaster plan review: change affects larger hospitals.
November 1, 2005... If your hospital has 200 beds or more, your emergency management committee members should be aware of a new change in the way the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) will review disaster plans. Starting in...

ICU patients at risk for preventable errors: AHRQ study puts spotlight on adverse events.
November 1, 2005... Patients face a significant risk for preventable adverse events and serious medical errors in hospital critical care units, according to a study sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The study, "The Critical Care...

Program improves care, hospital collaborations: surveys measured family stress level.
November 1, 2005... A nationwide hospital program developed to support families visiting loved ones in the intensive care unit (ICU) has shown significant benefits for families, patients, and team members in the ICU, according to a new study. As reported in a...

Flu shots not needed for health care workers?
November 1, 2005... Two national health care organizations have come out with competing positions on whether mandatory influenza vaccination for health care workers is justified. In a new position statement, the American College of Occupational and...

Back injury charges double in decade.(U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The average hospital charge for Americans treated for disc disorders and other back problems nearly doubled between 1993 and 2003--from $13,200 to $25,300--according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The statistics...

Hospitals reduce mercury, overall waste.
November 1, 2005... More than nine in 10 hospitals polled recognize the hazards associated with mercury use and have taken steps to reduce or eliminate mercury-containing devices, according to a survey released by the Chicago-based American Hospital Association...