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Hospital Attains QCDR Status, Improves Quality Metrics
Alteon Health, a physician-owned and physician-led acute care medical group based in Germantown, MD, recently became a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR), a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-approved vendor that is in the business of improving healthcare quality. QCDRs may include specialty societies, regional health collaboratives, large health systems, or software vendors working in collaboration with one of these medical entities.
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Clear Masks Improve Patient Communication, But Surgeons Hesitant
Recent research at a hospital revealed patients preferred clear masks because they allowed them to see the clinician’s face, but more than half of surgeons said they were unlikely to use a clear mask. -
Pennsylvania Hospital Reduces CAUTI Rates with Education, Interventions
A Pennsylvania hospital is reporting good results from a quality improvement initiative aimed at reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infections in the ICU.
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Hospital Sees Quality Improvement with Expanded Telehealth Services
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health in Seattle ramped up its telehealth efforts to facilitate more virtual clinical and urgent care visits — more than 425,000 since March 2020 — with appointments ranging from annual check-ups to pre-and post-surgical check-ins. Notable results include improvements in quality of care and patient satisfaction.
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CDC: Vaccinate Dialysis Staff for COVID-19
The CDC is undertaking a major program to immunize staff and patients at dialysis centers against COVID-19. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices considered dialysis healthcare personnel a priority population for vaccination.
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CDC OKs Johnson & Johnson Vaccine with Warning to Women Younger Than 50 Years
Federal health officials have lifted the pause on Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, but women younger than age 50 years should know the risks of the rare but real side effect.
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Change in Telemedicine Law Sparks Some Concern, But Most Users OK
A change in law related to the use of telemedicine has prompted some concern over when the technology can be used. However, hospitals and physicians are safe to continue with telehealth services under the COVID-19 public health emergency.
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New Telehealth Board Supports Credentialing by Proxy
Credentialing by proxy holds promise in streamlining the credentialing process by reducing the hours spent on paperwork and the length of time it takes to privilege telemedicine providers.
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The Joint Commission Expands Data Sources for Telehealth Credentialing by Proxy
The Joint Commission has expanded the pool of data sources from which an organization may obtain information when privileging telemedicine providers. However, legal experts caution there are risks when depending on others for credentialing information.
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Healthcare Antiviolence Bill Goes to the Senate
The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act of 2021 recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is now in the Senate. It would direct the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to require violence prevention programs in hospitals and other healthcare settings.