The AHAP Blog is running a contest for a drawing to win a free seat to its annual conference in Las Vegas to be held on May 6-7, 2010. The contest will pick a monthly AHAP member as the winner in March and April.
True or false: An important part of the preop verification process that occurs in the preprocedure area is to ensure that all essential documentation is complete, available, and correct.
One of the most vital parts of providing adequate healthcare is the exchange of information between patient and caregiver. Without clear communication, it can be difficult, and even dangerous, to treat a patient. For patients who have limited English proficiency (LEP), as well as providers, the...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 21, Issue 3
Hospitals look for ways to improve patient education all the time. Once in a while, this education pays dividends on multiple levels—like the case of Parrish Medical Center in Boca Raton, FL, where an education program on Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) not only caught a significant portion of...
As we move further into 2010, I’m excited about the opportunities for growth and improvement we have in store for our patient safety programs. The projects, improvement initiatives, and measures of success are neatly described on paper and await skillful execution. However, the sense of...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 21, Issue 3
Imagine this scenario: The Joint Commission surveyor arrives in the surgical services suite and asks about the use of flash sterilization. He or she is escorted to the location of one of the flash sterilizers just as the tray of items is being removed by a staff person. The staff member uses a...
This issue contains articles about medical interpreter certification, patient safety awareness week, the development of an electronic medication list, a column from a new member to the patient safety field, the National Quality Forum's new electronic data standards, and a Q & A about...
The National Quality Forum (NQF) released a set of 70 measures in January that guide the standardization of electronic data for quality improvement. The measures combine data from two or more electronic ¬sources, such as administrative claims or pharmacy systems.
