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In this month's special issue, we tackle the complexities of liability in outpatient surgery. Our cover story tells you about the most common problem areas, and how to avoid them. A story on page 67 tells you about how following national guidelines could offer protection from liability. We discuss the Life Safety Code on page 69.
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The Joint Commission has issued a reminder to providers that many accreditation standards can help reduce the risk of transmission of H1N1 (swine) flu.
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The 2010 proposed rule for the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) includes only minimal changes to the MS-DRG system from a coding and reporting standpoint but is likely to have a significant impact on hospital reimbursement, according to Deborah Hale, CCS, president of Administrative Consultant Services LLC, a health care consulting firm based in Shawnee, OK.
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While hospital discharge planners make certain each patient's discharge and transition in care are handled with quality of care and safety in mind, it's the job of hospital operations chiefs to make certain the entire process runs smoothly and efficiently.
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Case managers can play a vital role in the event of a pandemic by educating their patients on how to stay healthy and avoid exposure to disease.
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Don't get a false sense of security if the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) process seems easy at first, warns Brian Flood, CHC, CIG, Esq., advisory managing director for KPMG LLP's health care practice in Austin, TX.
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A customized disease management program for self-insured employers has resulted in an average 36% reduction in total cholesterol levels for employees in the coronary artery disease program, a 21% reduction in hemoglobin A1c levels among individuals in the diabetes program, and a 51% improvement in blood pressure readings for participants in the hypertension program provided by Focused Health Solutions Inc.
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At- risk geriatric patients with multiple comorbidities and health-related issues are staying healthier and out of the hospital thanks to face-to-face visits from nurse case managers from the Moses Cone Health Med-Link Community Care Management program.
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Smokers can turn to their iPhones to help them quit smoking with evidence-based treatment through a free application downloadable from iPhone or iTunes.
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Individuals with serious illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, make up a disproportionately high segment of current smokers and are also among the most addicted to tobacco use.