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It was an eerily familiar scenario: A huge storm barreled through the Gulf of Mexico with New Orleans in its sights. Hospitals began implementing their disaster plans, calling in employees who would remain on duty throughout the storm. Days later, yet another huge storm entered the Gulf, again threatening the region and straining health care resources.
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Sometimes the routine becomes routinely ignored. That is what had happened at North General Hospital in New York City with annual health assessments.
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"Hello. I'm Dr. John Jernigan from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your doctor has chosen to admit you to this facility because you need high-quality medical care. The health care providers here want to do everything they can to help you get well and to avoid complications.
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Every employee who gets a flu shot at McLeod Health in Florence, SC, walks away with a $20 bill. Yes, you heard that right. Twenty bucks for rolling up their sleeve and getting the vaccine that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Joint Commission, and others say will help prevent the spread of flu to vulnerable patients.
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The annual number of patients discharged from U.S. community hospitals to home health care rose 53% between 1997 and 2006, while the number discharged to long-term care and other facilities rose 30%, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
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Monthly diabetes group visits, where patients receive all their recommended tests and examinations in one place, are an effective and cost-efficient way to help diabetics keep their disease under control, but they take a lot of organization, says Donna Zazworsky, RN, MS, CCM, FAAN, manager of network diabetes care, faith community nursing and telemedicine for Carondelet Health Network in Tucson, AZ.
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The Joint Commission's revised standards, rationales, and elements of performance for 2009 for home care, which includes hospice, now are available online.
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Case conferences can be an excellent way to improve communications between staff members and ensure that the plan of care is up to date. The challenge presented by case conferences for hospice and home health agencies is the staff's perception that time spent in meetings is not time well spent for patient care.
