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The pilot testing version of the CMS survey includes the following elements on hospital employee health:
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The basic premise of worker safety is to provide layers of protection. If each layer is sufficiently flawed, the protection is compromised. That is the lesson of a recent Health Hazard Evaluation in an Arizona hospital, where 18 employees had a TB skin test conversion in 2011 and one employee developed active tuberculosis.
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Failing to keep your exposure control plan up to date could lead to a citation from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
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As the lines blur between patient safety and worker safety, employee health professionals can expect much more scrutiny from regulators who traditionally focused on patient care.
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Sharps injuries rank eighth in the top 10 device hazards of 2012, according to ECRI Institute, a research organization and evidence-based practice center based in Plymouth Meeting, PA. That places sharps injuries on par with surgical fires (No. 7) and anesthesia hazards due to incomplete pre-use inspection (No. 9).
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Gaps in your respiratory protection program can create unnecessary hazards for your employees. A survey of hospitals in California and the Midwest has revealed those weaknesses. For example, health care workers often receive minimal training and are confused about which respirator to use for aerosol-generating procedures.
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Would you take a pledge to raise awareness about sharps injuries and use safer devices? A new coalition called Safe in Common is traversing the country, seeking signed pledges as a way to jumpstart a renewed commitment to sharps injury prevention.
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Medical liability reforms that include specific protections for physicians who provide services to fulfill the requirements of the Emergency Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) has passed the U.S. House of Representatives.
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The case of Earl B. Bradley, MD, is so sickening that no one wants even the most remote association with it. After Bradley was arrested and convicted of abusing children, the property housing his pediatric clinic, which was the scene of the crimes, couldn't be sold even for a pittance. The city demolished it and hoped to wipe away a terrible reminder.
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As promised by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and mandated by the HITECH Act, HIPAA compliance audits have begun, and 20 organizations were visited during the pilot phase of the program.
