The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in its March 2022 cybersecurity newsletter reported that throughout 2020 and 2021, hackers have targeted the healthcare industry...
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a great many things for healthcare, but it may have a particularly lasting impact on infection prevention programs. As the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology commented in a statement, “The pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen infection prevention and...
For many people, forgetting a daily dose of an ADHD, allergy, or other drug might be disruptive but not life threatening. However, for millions of Americans, taking the right medicine at the right time—for diabetes, heart disease, or seizures—can be a matter of life and death. For patients...
A high reliability organization (HRO) is one that works with complex and hazardous systems every day and still retains a highly safe and error-free environment. The first recognized HROs were the United States Navy nuclear aircraft carriers, the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic...
Ask any healthcare executive to name the biggest issue that will demand their attention in 2022, and the response will be staffing shortages and their impact on patient safety. Those focused on improving care quality might consider how key trends will play out and the impact of current industry...
More widespread antimicrobial resistance (AMR) would not only be a patient safety nightmare, but it would put healthcare workers at risk as well, including employees working in hospitals, nursing homes, and laboratories. To slow down this potential scenario, effective antibiotic stewardship...
Risks in the laboratory can be split into two categories, says Sean G. Kaufman, CEO and founding partner of the lab safety company Safer Behaviors. First, he says, are the physical and environmental risks that will always be a part of the job no matter what. These represent...
When sending specimens outside the lab for testing or other purposes, there are many things to consider. Not just anyone in the laboratory can prepare the specimens for shipment; specific training is required. Staff need to know how to pack the specimens, how to keep themselves and the...
Since 2020, the healthcare industry has lost nearly half a million workers, exacerbating staffing shortages that existed prior to the start of the pandemic. One of the hardest-hit areas is the pharmacy. As of September 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected there would be 43,000 ...