Healthcare Risk Management – September 1, 2008
September 1, 2008
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Waiting room death brings scrutiny of staff training, attitude
A New York hospital is facing a $25 million lawsuit and reeling from devastating media coverage after staff failed to respond when a woman collapsed in the emergency department waiting room. -
New law addresses how homeless are discharged
In response to several high-profile incidents of homeless patients being discharged in a less-than-dignified manner, the city of Los Angeles has enacted a new law that requires obtaining written consent to transport a patient anywhere other than his or her legal residence. Violating the law could result in a misdemeanor conviction. -
Hospitals use RRTs to cut peds codes
A protocol built around the use of rapid response teams (RRTs) has reduced incidences of preventable codes among pediatric patients by 20% at a group of hospitals in Ohio, one of the best demonstrations yet of the success of that approach in improving patient safety. One hospital even saw a drop of 40%. -
Data show many codes outside ICU
The Ohio Children's Hospital Association (OCHA) and its six member hospitals studied where pediatric codes occur and found that many occur outside the neonatal and intensive care units. To improve safety, the group focused on reducing preventable codes occurring outside those areas. -
Baby's case shows how RRT works
This example of the rapid response teams (RRTs) at Ohio Children's Hospital Association (OCHA) comes from David Kinsaul, FACHE, president and CEO of Dayton Children's Medical Center and chairman of OCHA: -
Don't rely too much on triggers for RRTs
Terry Davis, MD, interim medical director at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH, says the hospital had to clarify some initial misunderstandings about when to call its rapid response team (RRT). At first, the clinicians were confused as to when the RRT should be called, as opposed to calling for a pediatric intensive care consult. -
Unlabeled syringes are common safety threat
Injectable medications pose one of the highest risks for medication errors, and the risk often is related to identifying the proper drug and dosage in the syringe before administering it. -
Good policies help improve labeling
Douglas Dotan, MA, CQIA, president of CRG Medical in Houston, which offers patient safety quality management solutions to health care providers, suggests risk managers consider those policies and procedures that have helped some health care providers reduce errors related to unlabeled syringes: -
Guest Column: Genetic law creates new protected class
Risk managers have a new concern that will require a close review of human resources policies and procedures in order to avoid the improper use and disclosure of genetic information. -
Health records exposed by security breach
A security breach involving the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, and other military hospitals exposed sensitive information on about 1,000 patients, according to a statement released by the Army. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: AAHC: HIPAA deterring biomedical research
Research vice presidents for academic health centers agree HIPAA has serious and often detrimental effects on biomedical research. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: House health IT bill seeks to protect health information
A House subcommittee approved and sent on to the full Energy and Commerce Committee H.R. 6357, the "Protecting Records, Optimizing Treatment, and Easing Communication through Healthcare Technology Act of 2008," known as the PRO(TECH)T Act, which is intended to strengthen the quality of health care, reduce medical errors and costs by encouraging adoption of health information technology, and further protect the privacy and security of health information in the electronic age. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: National Provider Identifier finally takes effect
Mandatory use of the National Provider Identifier (NPI), which had been delayed from 2007, took effect May 23. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services officials said there were no early reports of abnormalities or significant problems in implementing the change. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Surveys say: HIPAA affects health care IT decisions
Some 91% of health care IT decision makers and executives say that HIPAA regulations influence or strongly influence their IT purchasing decisions, according to a survey by electronic access management tool developer Imprivata. -
Legal Review & Commentary: Failure to diagnose brain abscess brings $3 million verdict in Pennsylvania
A woman suffering from headaches went to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a tension headache and discharged with muscle relaxation and pain medication. -
Legal Review & Commentary: Aneurysm overlooked: $2.1 million verdict
A man went to the hospital after experiencing severe headaches. A physician's assistant (PA) diagnosed the man as suffering from a spinal headache, and a blood patch was performed to repair the hole where the spinal fluid was thought to be leaking out.