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For the past 10 years, the United States has been wrestling with a resurgence of pertussis as outbreaks strike in different states. In 2013, cases subsided in most of Minnesota, but spiked in Texas and North Carolina, for example. California reported 2,372 cases, 132 hospitalizations and one death of a two-month-old.
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Joint Commission Resources (JCR) has released a new, free guide to help hospital executives and physician leaders implement and sustain safe practices. Produced by the JCR Hospital Engagement Network (HEN), the guide is part of the federal Partnership for Patients initiative to improve the quality, safety and affordability of healthcare.
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In an ambitious attempt to see if patient safety successes can go beyond individual units and even entire facilities, the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare is partnering with 20 hospitals in South Carolina.
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A growing number of health care workers are coming into their profession with childhood vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV).
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“I can’t afford that test,” “Don’t bother giving me an appointment for a specialist because my insurance won’t cover it,” “I can’t pay for that medication.” When an emergency department (ED) patient makes statements such as this, the emergency physician (EP) is often faced with few or no financial assistance options for the patient to achieve the recommended course of care.
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In the April 2013 case of Missouri v. McNeely, the Supreme Court ruled that police must generally obtain a warrant before subjecting a drunk-driving suspect to a blood test.
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The day after a man came to the ED at Edward Hospital in Naperville, IL, reporting low back pain and was discharged with analgesics, he received a phone call asking how he was feeling. He reported weakness and difficulty emptying his bladder.
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Over-ordering of diagnostic tests is a key focus of policymakers and insurers, but is unlikely to come up during malpractice litigation, according to health care attorneys and risk management experts interviewed by ED Legal Letter.
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When a patient arrived at an emergency department (ED) and reported chest pain, he failed to notify the emergency physician (EP) that he was addicted to opiates. The case involved a patient who suffered a cardiac event while visiting relatives.
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A 42-year-old female presented to the emergency department (ED) with a complaint of a constant headache that began the day before arrival. The patient was seven days postpartum, having undergone an epidural block and cesarean section.
