The Joint Commission released its 2015 Sentinel Event Statistics in March; based on 936 reported events, the accreditor found the most common sentinel events were unintended retention of a foreign body (116), wrong-site/wrong-side/wrong-procedure surgery (111), falls resulting...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 27, Issue 5
Suicides were the third most common sentinel event of 2015, with 95 reported cases in 2015's Sentinel Event Statistics. The total number of patient suicides reported to The Joint Commission is now up to 1,184 since the start of the decade.
A recent report from a federal watchdog agency offers new insight into the barriers hospitals still face when it comes to addressing patient safety concerns, offering a concise distillation of the key gaps that remain in ongoing efforts to prevent patient harm.
Preventing the theft of controlled substances at hospitals continues to be an tremendous issue even with increased security measures. Failed drug diversion programs in hospitals have led to record fines and in the midst of heightened scrutiny over drug security, hospitals must improve their...
For nearly two decades, communication failures have been frequently attributed to harmful events in healthcare. Judging by a new report looking at malpractice claims, those problems aren't getting any better.
The practice of concurrent surgeries has become a top concern for hospitals across the country following a Boston Globe investigation into the practices of a reputable Massachusetts hospital.
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed banning most powdered gloves in the U.S. While the use of these gloves is on the decline, the risks associated with them for both healthcare workers and patients cannot be corrected through new or updated labeling, according to the...
For the second time in less than six months, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is being questioned on its ability to regulate the safety of medical devices. Many are asking why the agency has allowed the INRatio monitor, a blood-testing device, to remain on the market after thousands of...
