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A man who had been out in his garden working complained to his wife of pain in his left arm. However, the pain did not subside after the man soaked his arm in warm water and applied an ice pack, and his wife drove him to the emergency department (ED) at a local hospital.
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A new Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert warns that non-psychiatric patients are committing suicide in emergency departments and medical/surgical inpatient units. The alert urges greater attention to the risk of suicide for these patients and recommends education for caregivers about warning signs that may indicate when patients in general hospital units are contemplating harming themselves.
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A former radiology technician accused of improperly entering negative results on mammograms at Perry (GA) Hospital has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Legal observers say the hospital is facing a storm of lawsuits over the alleged fakery.
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Most incidents of intimidation of risk managers emanate from a lack of understanding of the role of the risk manager in the hospital or health system, poor communication, and an absence of clarity regarding chain of command, says Patrick Hurd, JD, senior counsel and leader of the Healthcare Industry Group with the law firm of LeClair Ryan in Norfolk, VA.
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Risk managers continue to report that they experience harassment and retaliation for doing their jobs, with health care executives making them the scapegoat for lapses in policy and quality by the health care institution.
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John E. Kivimaki, director of patient accounts at Mary Rutan Hospital in Bellefontaine, OH, was asked by his CFO to identify areas in the revenue cycle where losses could be reduced by focusing on upfront efforts.
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Today's hospitals are facing an unprecedented revenue challenge, due to surges in uninsured patients and skyrocketing out-of-pocket responsibilities for the insured. In this challenging new fiscal environment, patient access will play a starring role.
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The 12-hour shift, mainstay of the nursing schedule, may be unhealthy for nurses and their patients.
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The following recommendations are summarized from the "Prevention Strategies for Seasonal Influenza in Healthcare Settings" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.