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(Editor's note: This issue includes the second part of a two-part series on how a hospital addressed a wrong-site surgery. Last month, we looked at the details of the event and how the facility responded. This month, we look at what specific changes were made and how the top leader started networking with other CEOs on safety issue.)
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Several incidents of infection control breaches have been reported in recent months among ambulatory surgery providers:
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A major vein was torn during a Whipple procedure at a hospital that performs the procedure a few times a year, according to a case reported on The Law Med Blog.
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A 56-year-old man with complaints of impaired balance and light headedness presented to his local hospital. A resident and attending radiologist interpreted the man's CT scan and read the scan to show old lesions. A physician assistant at the hospital diagnosed the man with vertigo and discharged him with medication. As the symptoms became more severe, the man approached his primary care physician, who completed a more thorough workup.
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When it comes to measuring patient safety, hospitals tend to receive good scores for teamwork and education, but there still is considerable room for improvement with handoffs and other concerns.
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When helping to vet a proposed joint venture, watch for these red flags that government regulators have said will receive their attention, suggests Brandy L. Rea, JD, an attorney with the law firm of Lathrop & Gage in Overland Park, KS:
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The Office of Inspector General (OIG) stated in its recent opinion that it has "longstanding concerns" about joint venture arrangements between a party that is in a position to refer patients to receive certain items or services and a party that is already in the business of providing such items or services, explains Brandy L. Rea, JD, an attorney with the law firm of Lathrop & Gage in Overland Park, KS.
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There are ways to minimize labeling errors.
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A project designed to analyze labeling errors and devise solutions resulted in a 37% decrease in errors across nine hospitals in Pennsylvania.
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News: A 34-year-old nursing student complaining of headaches presented at a local university hospital. Diagnostic testing showed a small aneurysm. During a procedure intended to repair the aneurysm, the woman's brain was pierced.