Healthcare Risk Management – August 1, 2014
August 1, 2014
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Infant abductions hit all-time low, but older children still at risk
Infant abductions from healthcare facilities are decreasing. While this signals success with prevention efforts, some worry that providers will become complacent. -
Don’t rush to high-tech solutions without assessment
A needs assessment is necessary to determine the child abduction risks and potential solutions for any particular hospital, says John B. Rabun, ACSW, director of infant abduction response at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Alexandria, VA. -
Amber Alert drill a little too realistic for hospital
When one Oregon hospital conducted an Amber Alert drill for a missing child recently, hospital officials got more of a response than they intended. No one had notified the police that it was just a drill, and so four police cars went roaring to the hospital with lights and sirens. -
Alternative risk financing could be right for you
More healthcare providers are moving toward alternative risk financing. The strategy can result in significant cost savings and even a positive financial contribution. -
Risk manager plays key role with captive
Self-insuring means taking on more responsibility for managing claims and minimizing losses, and the risk manager plays a key role, says Eileen F. Conlon, managing director for Beecher Carlson in Miami. -
Electronic communications still a major risk
Healthcare providers still experience liability risks from employees use of social media and other electronic communications. Sharing information online has become second nature to many. -
Sexting in surgery, Facebook post among latest problems
Healthcare data is vulnerable to hackers in several ways. The threat is changing the role of some healthcare managers. -
Electronic security a growing concern in healthcare
The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) warning on the vulnerability of healthcare data systems to cyber attack isnt the first alert to providers, but it got the attention of many who did not realize how hackers see them as a prime target. -
Essential education on cyber security in healthcare
These essential steps to your facilitys cyber security were provided by Joseph Wager, MS, RCP, senior risk management and patient safety specialist for the Cooperative of American Physicians in Los Angeles. -
Hospital cuts medmal 50% in obstetrics
A Connecticut hospital saw a 50% drop in malpractice liability claims and payments when it made patient safety initiatives a priority by training doctors and nurses to improve teamwork and communication, hiring a patient safety nurse, and standardizing practices, according to a study by researchers at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, CT. -
Nonpunitive response to errors top list of hospital concerns
Hospitals are struggling with finding ways to address errors without punishing those responsible, according to the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in Rockville, MD. -
Hospital to pay $41 million to settle fraud claims
Kings Daughters Medical Center in Ashland, KY, will pay nearly $41 million to the federal government to settle fraud claims related to the hospitals cardiac program. -
Wrong kidney removed — malpractice suit follows
A man in Fort Worth, TX, is suing his urologist and radiologist after having the wrong kidney removed in surgery performed at a medical center. -
Sutter invests million in lifts to improve patient safety
The not-for-profit healthcare system Sutter Health recently announced an $11.5 million commitment to install overhead patient lifts at 19 intensive care units and acute rehabilitation centers across its Northern California network. -
Correction in July HRM
On page 68 of the July 2013 issue of Healthcare Risk Management, the Chicago-based hospital consortium UHC was incorrectly identified as part of UnitedHealthcare. The two groups are not affiliated. -
Surgical mistake leads to infection, loss of large intestine, and $12 million verdict
The patient, a 65-year-old woman, sought treatment at a hospital for a hernia in 2008. During what was supposed to be a routine procedure to correct the hernia, the patients colon was punctured. The operation was performed by an attending physician and a resident-in-training, which the patient was not informed about. The puncture was not detected at the time. -
Misdiagnosis leads to ruptured aneurysm — Survivor awarded $13.2 million
The patient, a 17-year-old man, presented at a hospital emergency department complaining of pain on and around his right eye in July 2010. At the hospital, he was seen by nursing staff and a physician assistant. The physician assistant diagnosed the patient with a form of conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye.