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In the wake of complaints from doctors who said a November 2007 opinion from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) threatened their rights of conscience, ACOG has issued a statement insisting it "affirms the importance of conscience in shaping ethical professional conduct" and will re-examine the controversial opinion, which states that physicians who oppose sterilization and abortion are compelled to refer patients to doctors who don't object to the procedures.
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When research calls for recruiting patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, it's often hard to know whether patients would want to participate had they been able to make the decision themselves.
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By ignoring red flags of dangers posed to patients subjected to tests of hemoglobin-based blood substitutes (HBBS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed trials to continue when stopping them eight years ago would have saved lives, a blistering report released in April asserts.
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Here are common mistakes made by organizations performing root cause analyses (RCA), with solutions offered by Claire Davis, vice president of quality at Norwalk (CT) Hospital:
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ThedaCare's Appleton (WI) Medical Center has cut its average length of stay by 20% and improved quality, safety, and patient satisfaction by transforming the way it provides care.
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The radiology lab at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in the Boston area has nearly cut the wait time for patients in half through the implementation of a Six Sigma process improvement initiative. What's more, the program has also saved the department more than $700,000 with increased efficiency.
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During an October 2003 survey conducted at Fort Lauderdale, FL-based Broward General Medical Center by The Joint Commission, surveyors recommended improvements with the organization's pediatric sedation process.
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Finding someone usually a nurse to blame without looking at the underlying reasons an error was made. Failing to involve hospital leaders in fixing serious systemic problems. Changing a policy or educating staff without addressing necessary process changes.
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Have you ever presented physicians with carefully analyzed data to demonstrate areas in need of improvement and then discover that your findings are disputed?
