Hospital
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Never events usually are traced to multiple human factors, not just a root cause
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic confirm what many risk managers note from their own root cause analyses: Most never events can be traced back to human factors rather than just a root cause.
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RCAs become RCA2s under new NPSF guidelines
<> Analysis is good, but acting on that information is what really makes a difference. That’s the message from the National Patient Safety Foundation, which revised its guidelines for conducting a root cause analysis. -
Revamped RRT and early warning system improves safety at pediatric hospital
A pediatric hospital reports improved patient safety from an early warning system that helps identify patients most at risk for a gradual but severe decline toward being critically ill.
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Anesthesiologist ordered to pay $500,000 after patient’s smartphone records insults
After a three-day trial, a Fairfax County, VA, jury ordered an anesthesiologist and her practice to pay a patient $500,000 for disparaging remarks made during surgery and a false diagnosis on his chart. The man might never have known about the offenses if he had not accidentally recorded the encounter on his smartphone.
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Warning! The Phone has Ears
Patients often record encounters with clinicians, usually so they can review medication instructions. But here's the downside.
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When does a hospital’s apology switch to being manipulation?
Risk managers have largely embraced the idea of apologizing after an adverse event and communicating fully with the patient or family members, in no small part because this approach has been proven to reduce malpractice costs. It just seems like the right thing to do and promotes a positive image of the hospital.
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Cystic fibrosis patients face ethical issues with direct-to-consumer genetic testing
Researchers surveyed 47 patients with cystic fibrosis and 65 parents of children with cystic fibrosis to assess their views on direct-to-consumer carrier tests; most indicated they preferred healthcare systems to provide testing, as opposed to commercial companies.
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Choose your words carefully
A family member hearing certain words is unlikely to understand the provider’s likely meaning that the patient is in the dying process and that aggressive treatments are likely to do more harm than good.
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Patients using social media to lobby for access to investigational drugs
Social media campaigns have successfully pressured drug companies to approve some requests for investigational drugs for terminally ill patients under expanded access programs, but this raises significant ethical concerns.
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Study’s findings can improve advance care planning for heart failure patients
Advance care planning for heart failure patients can be improved by basing discussions on four transitions commonly experienced by patients and caregivers, a recent study suggests.