Quality and Safety
Short-term, contract nurses could be the key to alleviating the projected nationwide nursing shortage, according to a study published in the November issue of Health Affairs. Despite the promising study results, not all industry experts agree that contract nurses are the answer.
Taking care of the elderly is never an easy job, but doing so in a crisis situation such as the double whammy of super storm Sandy and Wednesday's nor'easter is particularly challenging.
Following the devastation of post-tropical storm Sandy last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued blanket waivers of particular requirements that include all hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, hospice and end-stage renal disease facilities in the areas of New York and New Jersey that were strongly affected by the storm.
Instead of admitting certain patients to the hospital, using dedicated observation units in hospitals can often be more efficient, result in shorter lengths-of-stay and lower costs, according to a recent study from Health Affairs.
Increased provider communication leads to decreased readmissions, higher care quality
A study published last week by The Commonwealth Fund found that hospital sustainability efforts could save the healthcare industry up to $5.4 billion over five years and $15 billion over 10 years.
By now, most medical professionals know the hard truth about healthcare delivery in this country: both cost and quality can vary greatly for the same medical procedure from region to region and often times from hospital to hospital in the same market.
During the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) annual conference in Bethesda, Md. in September, the agency announced its preliminary findings of its nationwide patient safety project to reduce the rate of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs).
The global market for the genetic testing that precedes in vitro fertilization is estimated to be worth $31.9 million in 2011 and is expected to reach $47.4 million in 2018, increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 6.2 percent from 2013 to 2018, said a recent report from Transparency Market Research.
The National Quality Forum (NQF) announced Monday it has endorsed 10 behavioral health quality measures aimed at addressing such issues as alcohol and tobacco abuse, antipsychotic medication adherence and follow-up after hospitalization for mental illness.