Effective communication is essential for ensuring patient safety and quality care. The Joint Commission reports that communication failures are among the most frequent causes of harmful medical errors. Not surprisingly, these errors can lead to poor patient outcomes such as misdiagnoses, patient...
As we discussed last month with Julia Finken, RN, BSN, MBA, CPHQ, CLSSMBB, senior vice president of accreditation and regulatory compliance at Barrins & Associates and Patton Healthcare Consulting, many healthcare providers struggle with restraint and seclusion compliance...
Tens of millions of Americans are either diabetic or prediabetic, making the diagnosis and treatment of this chronic health issue crucial for the well-being of patients everywhere. While there are a number of barriers to diabetes care that healthcare providers can’t change, there are things that...
During the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) 2024 forum, three doctors gave an in-depth presentation on one of the biggest chronic health issues in the U.S.—diabetes.
The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges for hospitals, disrupting patient safety initiatives and straining healthcare systems. However, the American Hospital Association (AHA), just released a new report, New Analysis Shows Hospitals Improving Performance on Key Patient Safety...
In the CDC’s most recent progress report on healthcare-associated infections (HAI), the agency found that between 2022 and 2023, there were major decreases in central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), ventilator-associated...
Because of the risk of physical injury, psychological trauma, or even death, CMS and Joint Commission (TJC) surveyors expect strict adherence to rules regarding patient restraints. There are times when hospitals and healthcare providers need to restrain a patient physically or chemically, but...
According to the CDC’s November 21, 2024, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), vaccination rates among nursing home and long-term care residents are low.
The role of a health equity officer (HEO) is to steward equity in a healthcare facility and ensure care quality regardless of a patient’s ethnicity, wealth, sexuality, or age.
Suicide prevention, hand hygiene, medication safety, and patient identification are all on The Joint Commission’s list of National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG) for 2025. NPSGs were designed to target identified patient safety issues of significant concern and to reduce that risk through process...
