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In a recent study, researchers noted the median length of stay for all admitted patients increased 12.4 minutes in one ED and 14 minutes in another ED for every boarded patient. In addition to boarding, investigators studied other variables, such as quality improvement efforts and hospital capacity. Teams should understand their role in the larger process. All should be working toward the same goal, held accountable by leaders throughout the organization.
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If an emergency physician waits until a lawsuit has been filed, the plaintiff will have performed at least an initial investigation. Likely, experts will have reviewed the records and analyzed the care provided. This can put the provider at a distinct disadvantage. There can be great value in speaking with an attorney early in the process.
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Almost 40% of acute myocardial infarction malpractice claims result in payment, a higher percentage than any other condition, according to the results of a recent analysis.
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Malpractice claims involving physician assistants in the ED have increased in recent years and are continuing to come up, according to interviews with legal experts. Most emergency physicians who voice concerns are worried about finding themselves defendants in lawsuits — when they never saw or even knew about the patient.
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With the new question on healthcare equity, Leapfrog is encouraging hospitals to analyze their quality and safety data by race, ethnicity, or language.
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Healthcare quality researchers have demonstrated a single electronic health record may not be a complete source of relevant clinical information. The authors of a recent study suggested adding standards-based data from a health information exchange can improve quality of care.
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Hospitals might face quandaries over when they must report clinicians to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), but it is important to remember queries to the NPDB also are required. Failure to follow protocol could put the facility in peril.
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Hospitals enjoy substantial protection when reporting physicians to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) in many situations, with laws protecting against retaliatory lawsuits as long as the hospital was required to report and followed appropriate protocols. However, there are situations in which reporting to the NPDB is not required but might still be the right thing to do when leaders are concerned about a clinician’s threat to patient safety. In those circumstances, the protection against liability is not ironclad.
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CMS explains the new 2021 methodology for its Hospital Quality Star Ratings uses “a simple average of measure scores to calculate measure group scores and Z-score standardization to standardize measure group scores” in five measure groups.
