The federal governments plan for vaccinating key health care workers against smallpox immediately set off warning bells for risk managers. Though it appears the risk for health care providers wont be as bad as some initially feared, that doesnt mean you can take the smallpox vaccinations lightly.
Reducing the risks in an environment as complex as the emergency department requires the support and involvement of decision makers at all levels of the organization. Despite the complexity of emergency department (ED) liability, sometimes a review of the basics can greatly reduce your risk and improve patient safety.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says it soon will begin targeted inspections of nursing and personal care facilities experiencing injury and illness rates higher than the industry average.
While most doctors are against drinking any alcohol while on call, nearly one-quarter of the 135 doctors surveyed in a recent study from Hamilton County, TN, admitted to drinking alcohol while on call. Sixty-four percent reported having encountered colleagues whom they suspected had used alcohol, and 27% thought they had seen physicians impaired by alcohol while on call.
News: A woman underwent elective breast augmentation and, in addition to general anesthesia, was given lidocaine as a local anesthetic. After surgery, in the recovery room, a nurse on duty noticed the patient was unresponsive and twitching.
This is the background to the medical records breach that led to suspension without pay of 27 employees at Palisades Medical Center in Bergen, NJ.
Crew resource management has been the key improvement that led to the significant improvements in patient safety in the obstetrics unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston.
Ensuring the privacy of patients and the security of their medical records is fairly well accepted by staff, and most will not hesitate to pledge their commitment to keeping medical records private. But what happens when one of the world's biggest movie stars shows up at your hospital for a minor emergency, with no opportunity to plan VIP treatment and added security?
The privacy breach with George Clooney's medical records indicates the staff of Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, NJ, did not truly understand the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), says Don Thomas, CEO of SoftLight Development.
Suppose you were reviewing a new malpractice claim and a nurse told you that the surgeon happened to be on the phone when the patient made a mistake that injured the patient. Surely the surgeon was talking to another physician or reviewing lab results for the patient, right?
