Hospital Peer Review – April 1, 2006
April 1, 2006
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JCAHO, unannounced: Just-surveyed organizations share compliance tips
When a group of surveyors from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations walked into St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, CA, in January 2006, staff were ready and waiting for them even though the survey was unannounced and completely unexpected. -
Watch for these changes during 2006 surveys
When organizations gave feedback on the 86 unannounced pilot surveys done in 2005, many told the Joint Commission that they were happy with the new process overall but that they really needed a few minutes to collect themselves after surveyors arrived. -
Comply with JCAHO’s goal to label all medications
The JCAHOs National Patient Safety Goal requiring all medications to be labeled sounds simple enough, but its proving to be difficult for many organizations. I think the biggest challenges for an organization center around the back table labeling of syringes and containers, says Susan Mellott, PhD, RN, CLNC, CPHQ, FNAHQ, CEO of Houston, TX-based Mellott & Associates. -
Discharge Planning Adivsor: Letting go of the ‘that’s not how we do it here’ mindset
When it comes to discharge planning and other health care challenges, dont be afraid to rock the boat, advises Jonathan Morris, RN, bed management coordinator at Wake Forest University (WFU) Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC. -
Discharge Planning Adivsor: Set discharge time that works for you
Consider patient volumes and staff constraints and set a discharge time that makes sense for your facility, suggests Jonathan Morris, RN, bed management coordinator at Wake Forest University (WFU) Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC. -
Report: A growing ‘quality chasm’ for hospitals
A new study from HealthGrades, a Golden, CO-based health care ratings company, names the top 5% of hospitals in the country and also shows that this group has mortality rates that are 27% lower than other hospitals, with a 14% lower risk of complications. -
Are improvements getting lost in committees?
Too many patients are getting injured from falls at your organization, and you've got the data to prove it. You've drilled down to identify specific units with the highest fall rates, and zeroed in on the exact shift and type of patient that are most at risk. -
The Quality - Cost Connection: Too exhausted to act safely?
Concerns about the relationship between worker fatigue and patient safety are a relatively new issue for the health care industry. Residents are now limited to working 80 hours a week, and various groups have recommended that nurses should not provide direct patient care for more than 12 hours in any given 24-hour period or in excess of 60 hours in any seven-day period. -
Accreditation Field Report: Survey is rigorous, but staff get morale boost
During a recent unannounced Joint Commission survey at Presbyterian Healthcare in Charlotte, NC, staff underwent a rigorous, in-depth process, says Paula Swain, MSN, CPHQ, FNAHQ, director of clinical and regulatory review. -
Patient Safety Alert supplement