Healthcare Risk Management – December 1, 2016
December 1, 2016
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Patient ID a Top Source of Error; Newborns High Risk
Wrong-patient errors linked to identification are significant and may correlate with increasing patient volume and frequent handoffs among providers, plus increased data sharing, research indicates.
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Paper: Multiple Cases of Newborn Mix-up Reported
An investigation by The Daily Telegraph in Sydney, Australia, uncovered at least 26 cases in which babies were wrongly identified have occurred in New South Wales public maternity wards in three years.
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Two Newborns Misidentified Every Day in PA
An average of nearly two newborn misidentification events occur daily in Pennsylvania, according to estimates from the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority.
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Perinatal Safety Requires Teamwork, Best Practices
Team training of obstetrical unit physicians, along with improved use of standardized best practices, can significantly reduce the risk of perinatal harm, a researcher suggests.
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Are You Really Getting the Premium You Deserve?
If you are too modest about your patient safety efforts, you may not be getting the best premiums for your medical malpractice insurance.
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Speech Recognition Errors Can Make EHRs Unreliable
Be aware that speech recognition software can introduce errors to the medical record. Errors can threaten patient safety and increase liability.
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Tell Staff How Safety Reports Made a Difference
Hospital staff will report safety concerns more when they are informed of how their previous reports helped improve patient safety, according to a recent report from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
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Culture Most Important in Preventing Falls with Elderly
The organization’s culture is the factor most determining the liability risk of a facility or community serving the elderly, according to a recent report from CNA Financial Corporation.
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$145 Million Settlement Largest Ever for Skilled Nursing
A rehabilitation provider in has agreed to pay $145 million to settle False Claims Act allegations that it defrauded the government by submitting claims for rehab services that were not necessary and, in some cases, not provided by skilled caregivers.
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Couple Awarded $6.8 Million for Avoidable Loss of Vision
A 50-year-old patient experienced avoidable, permanent vision loss following open-heart surgery.
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Doctor’s Failure to Diagnose Results in $7.7 Million Wrongful Death Verdict
A 50-year-old patient died after physicians failed to diagnose a pulmonary embolism.