Quality and Safety
The use of generic prescription drugs has risen to a current rate of $1 billion every other day, saving the U.S. healthcare system more than $1 trillion over the last 10 years (2002-2011), according to a report released Aug. 2 by the Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA).
In late July the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced an unprecedented partnership between the federal government, state officials, private health insurer organizations and a number of other anti-fraud groups focused on preventing healthcare fraud.
According to a new study published in the journal Critical Care Medicine, in the hours leading up to a serious complication, physicians and nurses may overestimate the quality of care given to their hospital patients.
A report funded by the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association predicts that the 2 percent cuts to Medicare providers included in the "budget sequester" beginning in January will result in the loss of about 496,000 jobs during the first year of the automatic cuts.
Patient-centered medical home models have proven that they reduce hospital admission and emergency room use in recent pilots.
During the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) annual conference in Bethesda, Md. on Monday, the agency announced its preliminary findings of its nationwide patient safety project to reduce the rate of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs).
Health Plan Alliance (HAP) along with Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions and oncology consulting firm Physician Resource Management have announced they will work together to launch in Michigan an evidence-based clinical pathways program that is intended to improve the quality and lower the costs of cancer treatment.
The market for products designed to test for hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) grew 10 percent in 2011 to reach $1.2 billion, according to a new report from healthcare market research firm Kalorama Information.
According to a J.D. Power and Associates report, high patient satisfaction is more influenced by superior service-related communication and interpersonal skills with nurses and physicians than impressive technology or facilities.
A majority of employers that measure the performance of their employee wellness and value-based healthcare programs show a return on investment (ROI), with a significant number showing savings of $3 or more for every dollar spent, according to new research published by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP).