The CDC states that millions of people each year acquire infections while being treated in a healthcare facility. What is one of the most important ways you can personally help prevent the spread of infection from one patient you are caring for to another?
The Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) has received its continued status as an accrediting organization for hospitals through CMS. The notification was posted in the August 28 Federal Register and goes into effect September 25, 2013. Click the link above to read more.
Every so often, the topic of steam sterilization comes up when discussing infection control issues. I recently came across a fantastic article in the Journal of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) discussing this very topic. The author, Paula Nania, MSN, RN, CNOR,...
In July 2003, The Joint Commission proposed, as part of its Universal ProtocolTM procedures, a requirement for hospitals to perform a timeout immediately prior to a procedure. A year later, the requirement was in effect. Yet since then, even top-notch hospitals have dealt with...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 24, Issue 9
In March 2013, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) began presenting the results of its random audits for HIPAA and Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act compliance. To date, the results have been discussed in two different presentations, which have been posted on the...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 24, Issue 9
A strong culture of patient safety has been and continues to be a critical component in reducing healthcare medical errors. To address this, some facilities are implementing "red rules"-a short set of easy-to-remember, unbreakable flagged practices, with disciplinary consequences if not followed...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 24, Issue 9
Hospitals have seen the publication of many important CMS memos in the past year. Many of these include interpretive guidelines that every hospital should know about. Hospitals should give one person the responsibility of checking the CMS site once a month for updates.
The Joint Commission has approved new National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) 06.01.01 on clinical alarm safety for hospitals and critical access hospitals.
