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Misinformation Continues to Undermine Pandemic Response
Misinformation and outright lies have swept the globe during the last two years, undermining the pandemic response in hospitals and communities. In a recent call to action report, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology warned infection preventionists this phenomenon has been harmful and no doubt will occur during the next pandemic.
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APIC Asks Feds for Infection Prevention Reinforcements
The leading organization for infection preventionists is trying to elevate and solidify their role in healthcare after many were dislodged from traditional duties or otherwise overwhelmed during the pandemic. The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology has issued a call to action report, which describes IPs as key players in pandemics and emergency response, as well as the longstanding wall between vulnerable patients and healthcare infections.
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Mind the Gap: A Wary Shift from Pandemic to Endemic
As COVID-19 cases drop dramatically and public health officials relax masking guidelines based on the local situation, there is the temptation to assume the pandemic is over and is entering a broadly defined endemic phase.
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Judge Rejects Defendant’s Bid to Dismiss Failed Diagnosis Suit
This case illustrates a hospital’s standard of care and the standards for subsequent expert witness reports that address this standard of care. -
Appeals Court Declines to Overturn $3.2 Million Verdict in Negligent Rectal Tear Case
The main issue in this appeal is whether the plaintiff presented sufficient evidence to support a medical malpractice claim. To prevail in a malpractice action, the plaintiff must prove the standard of care, a deviation from that standard of care, and a causal connection between the deviation and the claimed injury. -
ED Patient Feedback Can Reveal Patient Safety Risks
Valuable patient feedback often is ignored or disregarded in hectic EDs to the detriment of safety. -
Worklist Project Improves Communication and Handoffs
A team of nurses at Massachusetts General Hospital developed a way to improve communication between nurses and patient care associates that helped reduce falls and infections. The effort decreased falls by 25%, catheter-associated urinary tract infections by 50%, and hospital-acquired pressure injuries by 33%. -
Patients Can Claim Discrimination
Employers often focus on avoiding discrimination charges from employees. But healthcare organizations must remember patients also can allege discriminatory conduct. The consequences can be significant. -
DOJ Report on FCA Settlements Shows Focus on Healthcare
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced it recovered more than $5.6 billion under the False Claims Act in fiscal year 2021, more than double the $2.3 billion recovered in fiscal year 2020. Healthcare-related recoveries accounted for almost 90% of the 2021 settlements and judgments. -
Safety Incident Reports Often Compromised by Blaming
Healthcare organizations encourage and sometimes require staff to file safety incident reports after any kind of mishap. But many of those reports include improper accusations of wrongdoing and blaming individuals. This undermines the value of the incident reports.