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Several legal cases decided in recent months have rendered material discoverable that doctors thought was protected. These cases in places as varied as New York, New England, and Illinois have caused some physicians to question whether they should participate in peer review processes if their comments and discussions can end up being used against them in civil litigation.
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The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently issued a warning to hospitals about the risk of the theft of radiological materials, which could be used to make a dirty bomb. Experts caution that the presence of radiological materials in a hospital brings a significant obligation to provide security.
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When protecting a hospital's possible targets, the first step is a threat assessment, says Zachary Goldfarb, EMT-P, CHSP, CHEP, CEM, principal with Incident Management Solutions, a company in Uniondale, NY, that helps hospitals and other organizations prepare for and respond to emergencies.
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Nurses are more likely to catch medical errors in supportive hospitals, according to a recent study.
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A unique nationwide patient safety project funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reduced the rate of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in intensive care units by 40%, according to the agency's preliminary findings of the largest national effort to combat CLABSIs to date.
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Meeting the Stage 2 meaningful use requirement that 5% of patients access their health information online to view, download, or transmit information requires more planning than just providing a patient portal, says Shane Pilcher, FHIMSS, vice president of Stoltenberg Consulting, a healthcare information technology consulting firm in Bethel Park, PA.
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In 2005, Healthcare Risk Management reported extensively on a series of suspicious visits to hospitals by people posing as surveyors from The Joint Commission.
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Business associate breaches represent the greatest threat to a healthcare organization's data security, according to a white paper produced by Miami-based accounting firm Kaufman, Rossin & Co.
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Hospitals should consult with a certified healthcare security expert in developing a program aimed at deterring shootings or other violence in the facility, says Bryan Warren, CHPA, president of the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS) and senior manager for corporate security at Carolinas Healthcare System in Charlotte, NC.
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The accidental disposal of a donor kidney has resulted in a hospital suspending its kidney donor program and a review of the hospital's compliance with regulations.