When Northwest Texas Healthcare System (NWTHS) in Amarillo first made use of a tracer program, the concept was sound. However, obtaining complete buy-in and support turned out to be a challenge.
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 21, Issue 7
On July 1, The Joint Commission resumed surveying for the new version of staffing effectiveness. Stating that it is continuing to research the issues related to staffing effectiveness, The Joint Commission expects that facilities have a process in place at this time. Yes, the requirement for...
Although the 2010 National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG) are a much smaller set than last year’s version, keeping up with those goals that moved to the general standards is important for maintaining best practices as well as receiving fewer requirements for improvement on your next Joint...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 21, Issue 7
Education and training for hospital staff has always been time-consuming and costly for both organizations and personnel. When hospitals develop education and training for staff, they must make sure programs improve clinical practice and keep them updated regarding changes that occur in the...
Collecting core measures data is a part of everyday life at most healthcare facilities, affecting various types of staff members and CMS reimbursement. Assessing whether your facility is managing those data well and using the information contained in your core measures data is vital to...
In April 2008, Baystate Medical Center (BMC), a 653-bed teaching hospital in Springfield, MA, began implementation of its Bar Code Point of Care (BCPOC) technology to positively impact medication administration in reducing errors.
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 21, Issue 7
Facilities across the country struggle daily with the challenges inherent to the use of restraints. For Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center, the decision was made in 2005 to deal with restraints by simply going restraint free.
Editor’s note: The following column explores patient safety from the perspective of a newcomer to the field. Columnist Catherine Hinz, MHA, is the patient safety lead at HealthEast Care System in St. Paul, MN. Previously, Hinz worked for seven years as...
