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CMS Proposes Reduction in Quality Metrics
CMS has proposed a new rule that would remove 19 quality measures in an effort to lower the administrative burden on Medicare providers. The rule also would increase overall Medicare hospital payments, increase price transparency, and facilitate access to more provider data for consumers.
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Health System Applies Lessons From Population Health
Population health initiatives involve broad goals that may not always seem applicable at the hospital level, but a health system in Nevada is finding ways to leverage the lessons learned from a statewide program.
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Health System Improves Patient Satisfaction and Experience
Sentara Healthcare has been exploring the link between increased patient experience and satisfaction with structured clinical performance improvement teams that address key patient concerns, such as emergency department waiting times.
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Critics Say Single-payer Healthcare Could Lower Quality of Care
A single-payer healthcare system is still being proposed on Capitol Hill. Several proposals are pushing for hospitals and physicians to be paid through some expansion of Medicare or Medicaid. However, such plans, if implemented, could significantly degrade quality of care, critics say.
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CAPTURE Focuses on Coordination, Gait Support
This summary of the CAPTURE Falls program is provided by Katherine J. Jones, PT, PhD, associate professor in the Division of Physical Therapy Education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. -
Post-Fall Huddles Reveal Good and Bad
Hospitals also have reported that attaching huddle documentation to the fall event report is useful in ensuring that the huddle team’s observations about possible improvements are carried out.
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Different Approach to Falls Improves Patient Safety
A program developed at the University of Nebraska focuses on creating a culture of safety and teamwork, and making sense of the risks associated with falls.
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Undetected Medical Conditions in ‘Psych’ Patients Are Legal Landmine
Once EPs conclude that a patient’s behavior is psychiatric, they may miss underlying medical conditions that are the real cause of the symptoms. This is less likely if a patient is behaving bizarrely, presents with a psychiatric history, and is taking psychiatric medications. Experts recommend obtaining a good history before deciding a patient is psychiatric.
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Good Documentation of ED Consult Makes It Clear EP Met Standard of Care
To avoid needless legal entanglements, experts say EPs should know when they’re in over their heads and remain firm about what they need from a consultant. Invariably, specialists testify that while the EP asked for their opinion, the EP never asked or insisted that the specialist come in — and that had the severity of the situation been explained, the specialist certainly would have come to the ED.
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Legal Exposure for ED and Hospital if Patients Refuse Discharge
Some patients may choose to remain in the ED against medical advice for several social reasons, including the fact the patient has no home, or views a hospital room as safer, more comfortable, or less lonely than going home.