Hospital Management
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OSHA: Patient handling injuries, other top worker hazards targeted
All inspections of hospitals and nursing homes will include a focus on musculoskeletal disorders and injuries related to safe patient handling and four other top hazards in healthcare: workplace violence, bloodborne pathogens, tuberculosis, and slips, trips and falls, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently announced.
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California staffing law reduces occ injuries; nurses in other states fighting for similar laws
A 2004 California law mandating specific nurse-to-patient staffing standards in acute care hospitals has significantly lowered job-related injuries and illnesses for both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, researchers report.
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Letter explains observation services, financial obligations
Several years ago, faced with increased complaints about out-of-pocket expenses from patients who received observation services rather than being admitted, the case management department at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital began giving patients in observation a letter explaining the difference in inpatient and observation status.
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Hospital revamped admission process to comply with two-midnight rule
When CMS issued the two-midnight rule in 2013, the case management department at Northwestern Lake Forest (IL) Hospital began an initiative to change the admission process to comply with the new regulations.
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Educate observation patients on what 'observation' means to them
Many patients receiving observation services believe they have been admitted to the hospital until weeks after discharge when they get a substantial bill for their share of services.
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Beef up your documentation reviews to ensure reimbursement is appropriate
Many of the problems the Medicare Administrative Contractors have cited during their Probe and Educate audits revolve around documentation, says Bridget Gulotta, RN, senior consultant for The Camden Group, a national healthcare consulting firm.
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Inpatient vs. Observation: Will it Ever be Clear?
CMS issued the two-midnight rule in 2013 but even after three rounds audits by the Medicare Administrative Contractors, hospitals still struggle to get it right.
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Medication dosage error for infant patient leads to $17.8 million verdict for plaintiff
A 4-day-old infant had an aortic coarctation, a narrowing of the aorta, which is a relatively common and easily curable heart defect. While preparing for surgery to correct the condition, the doctor ordered the nurse to give the infant pre-surgery medication.
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Allegedly botched and unnecessary surgery results in $4.25 million award for patient
The plaintiff, a female in her mid-30s, had been suffering a lengthy battle with being overweight. She sought out and was given the option of receiving gastric bypass surgery.
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Quality reduces liability more than tort reform
Tort reform is often cited as the potential solution for the rising cost of medical malpractice claims, but a new study suggests that better results come from increasing quality of care.