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To reduce legal risks, Linda M. Stimmel, JD, a partner with the Dallas, TX-based law firm of Stewart Stimmel, says the best strategy is to "show diligence." Document your ED's efforts to provide adequate staffing and educate staff and physicians on improved triage techniques, such as attendance logs on inservices to improve triage.
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This is a two-part series on liability risks involving ED triage processes. This month, we cover the impact of wait times on ED lawsuits, and ways to reduce risks during long wait times.
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Are patients complaining that they're waiting too long? Don't forget that clinical areas are closely connected to this common complaint.
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The best way to prevent hospital readmissions is to make sure patients are better managed and receive the care they need after they leave the hospital, states Donna Zazworsky, RN, MS, CCM, FAAN, vice president of community health and continuum care for Carondelet Health Network in Tucson, AZ.
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"A number of exciting collection technologies have evolved over the last few years.
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Lack of the right technology to automate time-consuming, error-prone processes can put patient access departments at a big disadvantage.
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The Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code changes in place in the 2008 Physician Fee Schedule improve the ability of physicians and other providers to document their telephone evaluations and management services, but they don't go far enough, according to the Case Management Society of America (CMSA).
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By developing and following a comprehensive plan to improve care and transition to the community for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), UPMC St. Margaret Hospital has reduced the readmission rate by 16% for patients with a primary diagnosis of COPD and by 27% for patients with pneumonia and a secondary diagnosis of COPD.
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After St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids, IA, launched a cross-continuum heart failure program, the rate of readmissions for heart failure patients dropped from nearly 30% to just 17%.