Patient Safety
The prevention of patient harm and adverse medical events — such as health care–associated infections, surgical site infections, pressure ulcers, and medication errors — is central to patient safety. Hospitals are held accountable for patient safety through the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program and other initiatives.
Member of America’s Essential Hospitals are leaders in infection control and antibiotic stewardship, among other areas of patient safety. The association works to ensure members have the most up-to-date, evidence-based standards and training associated with the best patient outcomes.
Questions
Contact us at info@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0100.
CDC Observes Patient Safety Awareness Week
March 21, 2023 ||The agency shared resources for protecting patients and providers from infectious disease threats, such as antimicrobial resistance.
view more »CDC Issues Health Advisory for Extensively Drug-Resistant Shigella
Feb. 28, 2023 ||Shigella infections caused by extensively drug-resistant strains comprise about 5 percent of Shigella infections reported to CDC.
view more »Hispanic Dialysis Patients at Increased Risk of Bloodstream Infections
Feb. 10, 2023 ||A CDC report finds that patients receiving dialysis treatment for end-stage kidney disease, especially Hispanic patients, are at an increased risk of contracting Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections.
view more »HHS to Create Action Alliance to Advance Patient Safety
Nov. 18, 2022 ||At a Nov. 14 listening session, HHS leaders announced plans to launch in 2023 a learning community focused on patient and health care worker safety.
view more »AHRQ Supports U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week
Nov. 18, 2022 ||The agency shares toolkits to help acute-care, long-term care, and ambulatory care facilities adopt the Four Moments of Antibiotic Decision Making framework.
view more »International Infection Prevention Week Focuses on Countering Misinformation
Oct. 18, 2022 ||International Infection Prevention Week, Oct. 16–22, highlights infection preventionists’ role in protecting public health through education.
view more »CDC Analysis: Antimicrobial-Resistant Infections on Rise during COVID-19 Pandemic
July 19, 2022 ||Antimicrobial-resistant hospital-onset infections and deaths both increased from 2019 to 2020, according to a new CDC analysis.
view more »CDC Releases Health Equity, Antibiotic Resistance Fact Sheet
March 28, 2022 ||The fact sheet highlights CDC goals of expanding collection of disparities and equity data; supporting infection control and patient safety efforts; addressing educational needs that impact diverse health care workers’ ability to protect themselves and their patients from infections; and more.
view more »CDC Updates Antibiotic Resistance Website
Jan. 20, 2022 ||The revised site reflects new information, partner feedback, and industry best practices and includes fact sheets on the agency’s AR Laboratory Network and innovative investments to respond to AR globally.
view more »CDC Observes Antibiotics Awareness Week, Releases Action Plan
Nov. 20, 2020 ||The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention marks U.S. Antibiotics Awareness Week with a new Antibiotic Use Option Report that synthesizes National Healthcare Safety Network data.
view more »Cambridge Health Alliance Develops COVID-19 Community Management Model
April 29, 2020 ||Recognizing the rapid spread of COVID-19, Cambridge Health Alliance leaders developed a community management framework to reduce strain on the health system.
view more »Medtronic Recalls MiniMed Insulin Pumps
Feb. 18, 2020 ||Affected models have a damaged retainer ring that locks the insulin cartridge into the pump’s reservoir compartment, resulting in improper insulin dosing.
view more »Cardinal Health Recalls Surgical Gowns
Jan. 27, 2020 ||This recall includes more than 9 million gowns designed for use in procedures such as open heart surgery and knee replacements.
view more »CDC Advises Providers of Pneumonia Outbreak in China
Jan. 13, 2020 ||Health care providers should notify state and local health departments if patients have severe respiratory symptoms after traveling to Wuhan City, China.
view more »AHRQ Releases Antibiotic Stewardship Toolkit
Nov. 18, 2019 ||The toolkit includes a decision-making framework for antibiotic prescribing and strategies for developing an antibiotic stewardship program.
view more »CDC Progress Report Shows HAI Improvement
Nov. 4, 2019 ||The report shows a 9 percent decrease in central line–associated bloodstream infections, an 8 percent decrease in catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and a 12 percent decrease in hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infections.
view more »CDC Updates Infection Prevention, Control Guidelines
Oct. 28, 2019 ||The update covers a wider variety of health care settings and includes guidance for the use of performance measures in infection control quality initiatives.
view more »APIC Recognizes International Infection Prevention Week
Oct. 11, 2019 ||This year’s theme, Vaccines are Everybody’s Business, highlights the importance of protecting public health through vaccination.
view more »FDA Recommends Disposability for Duodenoscopes
Sept. 4, 2019 ||The agency urges health care providers to use duodenoscopes with disposable endcaps to simplify cleaning and reduce contamination.
view more »NQF Announces Quality Policy Fellowship
Sept. 3, 2019 ||Two rising quality leaders will work directly with National Quality Forum leadership to gain exposure to the federal quality improvement and policy realms.
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CDC Antibiotic Use Report Highlights Essential Hospital Stewardship
Aug. 21, 2019 ||The report includes resources for health care providers and profiles antibiotic stewardship efforts at association members Atrium Health and Denver Health.
view more »HHS Seeks Innovations for Emergency Response, Recovery
July 19, 2019 ||The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response initiative seeks to harness cutting-edge technologies to support emergency response and recovery. It will kick off with an innovation day event, Aug. 7–8, to engage with stakeholders.
view more »NAM Webinar: Tapering Guidance for Opioids
July 8, 2019 ||An expert panel will share the evidence behind current guidance for opioid tapering and how to apply this guidance in practice, as well as case studies and pain management challenges from the field.
view more »NQF Webinar on Social Determinants Data Integration
July 2, 2019 ||Registration is open for the July 11 webinar, hosted by the National Quality Partners Social Determinants of Health Data Integration Action Team.
view more »FDA Announces Medtronic Insulin Pump Recall
July 1, 2019 ||An unauthorized person potentially could wirelessly connect to a nearby MiniMed insulin pump and change the pump settings.
view more »CDC Alert: Expected TB Test Shortage
June 10, 2019 ||The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expecting a three- to 10-month nationwide shortage of Aplisol, used in tuberculin skin tests.
view more »CMS Toolkit Highlights ACO Care Coordination Work
April 16, 2019 ||The new Care Coordination Toolkit showcases the work of accountable care organizations (ACOs) participating in the Shared Savings Program and Next Generation ACO Model. The agency also released a set of case studies describing innovation ACO initiatives.
view more »CDC Calls for Vigilance as Staph Infections Rise
March 5, 2019 ||A new Vital Signs report calls on health care providers to increase prevention efforts for Staphylococcus aureus infections.
view more »AHRQ Scorecard Shows Decrease in Hospital-Acquired Conditions
Feb. 5, 2019 ||The hospital-acquired condition rate, which captures 28 patient safety event measures, decreased 13 percent from 2014 to 2017.
view more »CDC Launches No-Cost Continuing Education on Opioid Prescribing
Dec. 21, 2018 ||The modules are part of a training series based on agency guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain.
view more »Association Members Receive CDC Funding to Combat Antibiotic Resistance
Nov. 29, 2018 ||The agency awarded five association members for their research to detect, prevent, and treat antibiotic-resistant infections.
view more »Essential Hospitals Take the Antimicrobial Resistance Challenge
Nov. 16, 2018 ||Essential hospitals across the country have made commitments to improve antimicrobial stewardship through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Antimicrobial Resistance Challenge.
view more »CDC Encourages Providers to Fight Antibiotic Resistance
Nov. 13, 2018 ||A Centers for Disease Control & Prevention toolkit provides educational resources and social media messaging for Antibiotics Awareness Week 2018.
view more »CDC, APIC Produce Quick Observation Tools for Infection Prevention
Oct. 23, 2018 ||These no-cost, downloadable cards include ready-to-use infection prevention assessment forms tailored to 19 common themes, environments, or patient populations.
view more »Report Shows Reduced Infections at Acute-Care Hospitals
Oct. 16, 2018 ||This new report, published in the Antibiotic Resistance Patient Safety Atlas, is the first to measure year-to-year health care–associated infection prevention progress using the updated 2015 baseline.
view more »HHS Challenge Combats Antibiotic, Antimicrobial Resistance
Oct. 5, 2018 ||This yearlong global initiative challenges governments, private industries, and nongovernmental organizations to commit to reducing antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance.
view more »AHRQ Shares Resources to Improve Discharge, Reduce Readmissions
Aug. 9, 2018 ||The resources include a 12-step guide for reducing readmissions and a bilingual guide to aid patients and caregivers following discharge from the hospital.
view more »IHI Seeks Abstracts for Scientific Symposium
Aug. 9, 2018 ||Abstracts should show the results of work to improve health or health care at a local, regional, or national scale.
view more »Toolkit Aims to Help Hospitals Boost Immunizations
Aug. 7, 2018 ||The toolkit, released as part of National Immunization Awareness Month, includes sample news releases and articles, social media content, and media outreach tools.
view more »No-Cost Continuing Education on Antibiotic Resistance
Aug. 6, 2018 ||This training details approaches to controlling antibiotic resistance in health care settings; participants must sign up for a free Medscape account.
view more »CDC Launches Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship Training
July 30, 2018 ||This second segment of a no-cost, online training course focuses on outpatient antibiotic stewardship and communicating with patients; participants can receive up to eight hours of continuing education credit.
view more »Webinar on Best Practices for Environmental Disinfection
June 12, 2018 ||The June 19 webinar features a patient perspective on environmental disinfection in dialysis stations, along with strategies for enacting best practices.
view more »Special Precautions Issued for Carpuject Syringes
June 4, 2018 ||Amid a critical drug shortage, manufacturer Hospira released special handling instructions for lots of Carpuject Luer Lock Glass Syringe products that potentially could contain cracked needle hubs and particulate.
view more »NIH Funding Opportunity for Patient Safety Projects
May 30, 2018 ||The funding will be awarded for research on patient safety improvements in perinatal, neonatal, and pediatric care in routine hospital and intensive care settings.
view more »National Healthcare Safety Network Deadline Extended
May 1, 2018 ||The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extended to June 15 the deadline to complete an Agreement to Participate and Consent.
view more »CDC Unveils Containment Strategy for Antibiotic-Resistant Germs
April 5, 2018 ||The agency outlines a five-step containment process and provides resources for health departments, labs, and health care providers.
view more »CDC Funding Opportunity for Opioid Prevention Research
April 5, 2018 ||The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will award up to $15.75 million for research to advance understanding about opioid overdose prevention. Applications are due May 15.
view more »Joint Commission Implements Hand Hygiene Rules for Individuals
March 29, 2018 ||The new rules allow surveyors to penalize a hospital for a deficiency if an individual fails to perform hand hygiene in the process of direct patient care.
view more »Patient Safety Awareness Week 2018
March 16, 2018 ||This year’s theme, We Are All Patients, encourages health care providers to stand with patients and stresses the importance of patient engagement in safe care.
view more »FDA Announces Injectable Opioid Recall
March 12, 2018 ||Three lots of the injectable opioid medication Hydromorphone HCl, distributed by Hospira and Teva, were recalled due to broken and cracked glass vials.
view more »CDC Launches Antibiotic Stewardship Online Training Course
Feb. 21, 2018 ||Health care professionals who complete the four-part web training program are eligible to receive up to eight hours of continuing education credit.
view more »FDA Announces Philips Defibrillator Recall
Feb. 14, 2018 ||Cracks in the defibrillator’s gas discharge tube can allow gases to escape and the device to malfunction when used in automated external defibrillator mode.
view more »NHSN Updates Agreement to Participate and Consent
Feb. 13, 2018 ||Administrators must review and sign the updated agreement by April 14 to retain access to the National Healthcare Safety Network.
view more »FDA Issues Educational Blueprint on Opioid Risk Mitigation
Feb. 5, 2018 ||The blueprint will guide opioid manufacturers in developing education tools for health care providers as part of the agency’s updated risk evaluation and mitigation strategy.
view more »FDA Extends IV Fluid Expiration Dates
Jan. 26, 2018 ||The agency is combatting an intravenous fluid (IV) shortage as Puerto Rico, where many IV solutions are produced, recovers from Hurricane Maria.
view more »FDA Combats IV Fluid Shortage
Jan. 22, 2018 ||The shortage is due to the effects of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico, where much IV fluid is produced, and has been exacerbated by the severity of this year’s flu season.
view more »CDC Reports Better Prevention of Health Care–Associated Infections
Jan. 16, 2018 ||The agency has found marked progress over a decade in eliminating five health care–associated infections (HAIs), and offers an update on the Department of Health and Human Services’ five-year goals to reduce HAIs.
view more »Be Antibiotics Aware This Week
Nov. 13, 2017 ||The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will observe Antibiotics Awareness Week with a Twitter chat and webinar on Nov. 16.
view more »Commission on Opioid Crisis Issues Final Report
Nov. 3, 2017 ||The commission supports a national curriculum for opioid prescribers and state waivers to eliminate the Medicaid institutions for mental disease exclusion, among other recommendations.
view more »Association Members Get CDC Funding to Fight Antibiotic Resistance
Oct. 25, 2017 ||These awards will support antibiotic resistance research with a focus on the human microbiome, environmental settings, and health care settings.
view more »International Infection Prevention Week Highlights Antibiotic Resistance
Oct. 16, 2017 ||From Oct. 15 to Oct. 21, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology will raise awareness about antibiotic resistance through a Twitter chat and new infographic.
view more »CDC Updates C. Auris Clinical Alert
Oct. 2, 2017 ||With 153 clinical C. auris cases reported in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated infection control guidelines.
view more »CDC Offers Continuing Education Video on Injection Safety
Oct. 2, 2017 ||This video shares strategies to improve injection safety and reduce infection risks in narcotic diversion; participants must sign up for a free Medscape account to view the video.
view more »CDC Awards More Than $28M to Fight the Opioid Crisis
Sept. 8, 2017 ||The funds will go to 44 states and the District of Columbia to expand prevention and tracking activities under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Overdose Prevention in States effort.
view more »CDC Launches Sepsis Awareness Campaign
Aug. 31, 2017 ||The Get Ahead of Sepsis campaign includes a partner toolkit with educational and social media materials; CDC also will host a related webinar and Twitter chat.
view more »FDA Announces Sterile Drug Recall
Aug. 28, 2017 ||The unexpired products by Bella Pharmaceuticals were distributed to health care facilities across the country from April 17 to Aug. 10; if not sterile, they could cause potentially life-threatening infections.
view more »FDA Announces Expanded Recall of PharmaTech Products
Aug. 14, 2017 ||The voluntary recall has been expanded to include various dietary supplements, such as liquid vitamin D drops and liquid multivitamins marketed for infants and children.
view more »Take Part in CDC’s Inaugural Fungal Disease Awareness Week
Aug. 14, 2017 ||Health professionals are encouraged to join social media campaigns, attend informational calls and webinars, and review a new fact sheet on Candida auris.
view more »CDC Dedicates $77M to Antibiotic Resistance Efforts
Aug. 10, 2017 ||The funding will support state and local health departments in testing for drug-resistant fungi and promote the use of whole genome sequencing in testing.
view more »FDA Announces Diocto Recall
Aug. 7, 2017 ||The stool softeners could be contaminated with B. cepacia, a bacteria that could infect patients with compromised immune systems or chronic lung conditions.
view more »FDA Announces Recall of Sodium Chloride
Aug. 7, 2017 ||The voluntary recall was issued after a customer reported particulate matter in a container of the product, which later was identified as stainless steel.
view more »Commission on Opioid Crisis Issues Interim Report
Aug. 2, 2017 ||The Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis’ interim report encourages the president to declare a national emergency to fight the opioid epidemic.
view more »CDC Updates Zika Guidance for Health Care Professionals
July 31, 2017 ||The guidance no longer recommends routine testing of women unless there was ongoing potential exposure; the Health Resources and Services Administration awarded $7 million to fight Zika in U.S. territories.
view more »CDC Report Promotes Antibiotic Stewardship
July 31, 2017 ||The report outlines programs implemented by hospitals and public health departments across the country to improve antibiotic prescribing practices as part of the agency’s Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative.
view more »Recall Issued for Fujifilm Duodenoscope
July 28, 2017 ||Fujifilm will contact all customers by October for replacement parts and loan customers duodenoscopes to use during the replacement period.
view more »AHRQ Hosts Webinars on Antibiotic Stewardship Project
July 24, 2017 ||The project seeks to reduce harms caused by inappropriate antibiotic use; registration is open for a one-hour introductory webinar about the project.
view more »CDC Awards More Than $12M To Combat Opioid Epidemic
July 24, 2017 ||The funding will be used to track and prevent opioid overdoses; meanwhile, a report finds a drop in the estimated rate of Americans misusing prescription drugs.
view more »CDC: Overall Decrease, Wide Disparities in Opioid Prescription
July 7, 2017 ||Despite reductions in opioid prescribing, the amount of opioids prescribed in 2015 still was triple the amount prescribed in 1999.
view more »CDC Data Suggest Drop in Health Care–Associated C. diff
July 3, 2017 ||Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show incidence of Clostridium difficile in hospitals and nursing homes fell for the first time in decades.
view more »CDC Shares Video on Medical Equipment Infection Risks
June 28, 2017 ||The video is the third in a series by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about challenges to preventing health care-associated infections.
view more »CDC To Revise Bloodstream Infection Predictive Models
June 13, 2017 ||The error affects the 2015 and 2016 catheter-associated urinary tract infection predictive models; new models will be developed for affected facilities.
view more »FDA Lists Reusable Medical Devices With Greatest Infection Risk
June 13, 2017 ||The list includes reusable medical devices with the greatest risk of transmitting an infection or performing poorly if not properly reprocessed.
view more »WHO Updates Guidelines on Antibiotic Use
June 8, 2017 ||The World Health Organization now groups antibiotics into three categories: Access, Watch, and Reserve, for drugs that should be used as a “last resort.”
view more »CDC Releases Update on C. Auris Cases
May 23, 2017 ||This year, 77 U.S. cases of Candida auris have been reported; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is assisting health agencies in affected areas.
view more »CDC, FDA Issue Warning on Blood Lead Testing System
May 18, 2017 ||Magellan Diagnostics’ LeadCare Analyzers could produce inaccurate blood lead test results when used with venous blood samples.
view more »CDC Issues New Guidelines To Prevent Surgical Site Infections
May 9, 2017 ||The new guidance updates recommendations issued in 1999; recommendations are categorized based on the quality of available supporting evidence.
view more »Health Advisory Issued for Antibiotic-Resistant Shigella Bacteria
May 2, 2017 ||CDC has found an increase in Shigella bacteria resistant to flouroquinone antibiotics, which could indicate resistance to other drugs.
view more »CDC: C. Auris Fungus a ‘Catastrophic Threat’
May 2, 2017 ||A lethal, drug-resistant fungus called Candida auris could pose the country’s leading health risk.
view more »CDC Releases Online Training Module for Opioid Prescribing
April 19, 2017 ||The training resource is the first in a series of eight learning modules to be released this year on the CDC opioid prescribing guidelines.
view more »Recall Issued for Phillips Defibrillators
April 4, 2017 ||The Phillips HeartStart MRx Monitor/Defibrillator might not power up, charge, or deliver electrical shock therapy, and could unexpectedly stop pacing.
view more »Managing EHR Information is Top Patient Safety Concern
March 20, 2017 ||Electronic health record information management is the top patient safety concern of 2017, according to a report released by the ECRI Institute on March 13.
view more »CDC’s Annual NHSN Training Live Webcast
March 14, 2017 ||The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) encourages infection preventionists and other interested staff to participate in its National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) training course, which runs March 20-24 at CDC’s Global Communications Center in Atlanta.
view more »CDC Revises Recommendations for Controlling C. Auris
Feb. 21, 2017 ||CDC recommends hospitals clean rooms of patients with Candida auris daily and post-discharge with a disinfectant that is effective against C. diff.
view more »CDC Opens Registration for 2017 NHSN Training
Jan. 23, 2017 ||The course runs March 20–24 in Atlanta and includes expert content on different infection or event types, as well as antibiotic stewardship.
view more »CDC Tool Highlights Investments To Combat Antibiotic Resistance
Jan. 13, 2017 ||The Antibiotic Resistance Investment Map includes state-by-state fact sheets outlining key investments based on fiscal year 2016 funding data.
view more »Wexner Transforms Patient Safety with Crew Resource Management
Jan. 6, 2017 ||Crew resource management, which focuses on situations prone to negative outcomes by human error, helped the Columbus, Ohio, essential hospital improve performance and generate savings.
view more »New CDC Resources Aim To Help Providers Follow Opioid Prescribing Guidelines
Jan. 3, 2017 ||The new resources — including a mobile app, series of short videos, posters and more — are meant to help providers follow guidelines issued in March 2016.
view more »New Report Shows Drop in Hospital-Acquired Conditions Since 2010
Dec. 20, 2016 ||The data show about 125,000 fewer patients died because of hospital-acquired conditions from 2010 to 2015, resulting in a savings of $28 billion.
view more »CDC Says ‘Get Smart’ About Antibiotic Stewardship
Nov. 15, 2016 ||The annual event encourages relevant stakeholders and the general public to engage in antibiotic stewardship in outpatient and inpatient settings.
view more »CMS Names 16 Hospital Improvement Innovation Networks
Nov. 2, 2016 ||CMS has awarded $347 million to the 16 organizations — including Premier Inc. — to support the next phase of a patient safety initiative.
view more »CDC Research Finds Antibiotic Treatment Increases Sepsis Risk
Nov. 1, 2016 ||The study found that treatment with high-risk antibiotics made sepsis 80 percent more likely compared with patients who were not treated with antibiotics.
view more »FDA To Host Conference Call on Heater-Cooler Contamination
Oct. 27, 2016 ||Hospitals will have the opportunity to discuss the potential contamination of heater-cooler devices used during cardiopulmonary bypass procedures.
view more »Recall Issued for Dysfunctional AED Electrodes
Oct. 25, 2016 ||The FDA says the recalled electrodes might not connect properly to certain AEDs, delaying electrical therapy and potentially resulting in serious patient harm.
view more »HHS Updates Targets for Reducing Health Care-Associated Infections
Oct. 25, 2016 ||The targets aim to significantly reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections, MRSA, Clostridium difficile cases, and other infections by 2020.
view more »Pledge to ‘Break the Chain’ of Infectious Diseases
Oct. 17, 2016 ||Each year, APIC sponsors International Infection Prevention Week to highlight the importance of infection prevention in improving patient safety.
view more »CDC, FDA Issue Alert on Potential Heater-Cooler Contamination
Oct. 13, 2016 ||Stӧckert 3T heater-cooler devices used during cardiopulmonary bypass procedures might have been contaminated with M. Chimaera in the manufacturing process.
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Oct. 11 Surgical Heater-Cooler Call with CDC, FDA
Oct. 12, 2016 ||
An archived recording of an Oct. 11 hospital quality call with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration is now available for members of America’s Essential Hospitals.
view more »CDC: Include Antibiotic Stewardship in Infectious Disease Guidelines
Sept. 27, 2016 ||The recommendations, developed by the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, aim to optimize treatment and minimize adverse consequences.
view more »CDC Guidance Helps Hospitals Prepare for Zika
Aug. 29, 2016 ||The guidance outlines nine steps hospitals should take, focusing on identifying symptoms, educating patients, and reporting Zika cases to health agencies.
view more »CDC Sepsis Resources Underscore Hospitals’ Critical Role
Aug. 23, 2016 ||In a Vital Signs report ahead of Sepsis Awareness Month, in September, CDC highlights resources and events aimed at reducing sepsis.
view more »FDA Warns against Use of Endoscope Reprocessor
Aug. 19, 2016 ||FDA said hospitals by now should have transitioned to alternative duodenoscope cleaning methods after a recall last year.
view more »Recall of Products Linked to B. cepacia Expanded
Aug. 11, 2016 ||The voluntary recall now applies to all of PharmaTech’s liquid products, including those labeled by Bayshore, Centurion, Major, Metron, Rugby, and Virtus.
view more »CDC Announces $67M To Tackle Antibiotic Resistance
Aug. 2, 2016 ||Funding will support work related to CDC Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative, National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria.
view more »CDC Announces $60M in Funding To Fight Zika
July 22, 2016 ||The funds are intended for epidemiological surveillance and investigation, mosquito control and monitoring, and strengthening of laboratory capacity.
view more »FDA Announces Recall of Product Linked to B. cepacia
July 19, 2016 ||Florida-based PharmaTech issued the voluntary recall of liquid docusate sodium that could be contaminated with B. cepacia, an antibiotic-resistant bacteria linked to an outbreak in five states.
view more »CMS Seeks Comment on Concurrent Opioid Prescribing Measure
July 6, 2016 ||Agency will use measure to calculate the proportion of adult patients with active, concurrent prescriptions for opioids or for an opioid and benzodiazepine at discharge.
view more »CDC Awards $26M for Patient Safety Research
June 28, 2016 ||The funding was distributed as part of the Prevention Epicenters Program to develop and test new approaches to patient safety and infection prevention.
view more »Philadelphia Program Tackles Gunshot Injuries, Strengthens Community
June 27, 2016 ||Fighting Chance — co-created by staff at Temple University Hospital — is a program designed to educate residents of gun violence-prone communities on saving lives.
view more »CDC, FDA Investigate Multistate B. cepacia Outbreak
June 27, 2016 ||CDC has received multiple reports of Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia) infection clusters in pediatric intensive care units.
view more »Hospital-Specific HAC Reports Might Contain Error
June 14, 2016 ||The HAC reports might have contained the incorrect hospital name in one table. CMS will distribute new reports to affected hospitals.
view more »CDC Calls on Hospitals To Fight Rising Legionnaires’ Disease
June 7, 2016 ||CDC’s June Vital Signs finds that the number of U.S. residents with Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever increased 286 percent from 2000 to 2014.
view more »NQF Playbook Aims To Improve Antibiotic Stewardship
June 1, 2016 ||New hospital resource offers examples of ways to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria and outlines CDC’s core elements of stewardship programs.
view more »CDC Launches Zika Pregnancy Registry
May 20, 2016 ||The CDC has launched a registry to track pregnancy and infant outcomes of women who were possibly infected with Zika virus.
view more »CDC, OSHA Release Guidance To Protect Workers from Zika
April 27, 2016 ||To prevent transmission of the virus, workers should use proper infection control and biosafety practices to avoid direct contact with blood-borne pathogens.
view more »CDC Issues Zika Guidance on OB PPE, Pregnancy Planning
March 30, 2016 ||To prevent spread, agency recommends personal protective equipment (PPE) for labor and delivery personnel and delays in conception, sexual activity for those with symptoms.
view more »CLABSI Prevention Guide Updated
March 22, 2016 ||Guide gives providers best practices in fight against central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), one of the most deadly health care-associated infections annually in the United States.
view more »CDC Events, Report Focus on Patient Safety
March 3, 2016 ||The CDC has organized two events for Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 13-19, and is releasing new patient safety–focused materials on its website.
view more »PENTAX Issues New Duodenoscope Reprocessing Instructions
Feb. 25, 2016 ||New instructions are validated by the FDA to ensure they meet proper guidelines to avoid transmission of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
view more »Essential Hospitals Combat Opioid Abuse
Feb. 23, 2016 ||Opioid abuse has become a widespread and urgent public health concern in the United States, and essential hospitals are taking steps to prevent misuse and promote better prescription drug management.
view more »FDA Recommends Zika Screening for Blood Donors
Feb. 22, 2016 ||Agency says blood donors should self-defer if they show symptoms, have traveled to Zika-infected regions, or have had sexual contact with someone from an infected region.
view more »CDC Offers Screening Guidance for Zika Virus
Feb. 2, 2016 ||CDC recommends screening pregnant women returning from high-infection areas if they show symptoms of virus or have related fetal complications.
view more »CDC Calls for Better Hepatitis C Infection Control
Jan. 27, 2016 ||The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory for the growing number of hemodialysis patients who are acquiring hepatitis C virus (HCV).
view more »WHO: Ebola Epidemic Over, but Continued Preparedness Vital
Jan. 27, 2016 ||World Health Organization declares end of epidemic in West Africa, but says to expect small flare-ups due to persistence of virus after patient recovery.
view more »CDC Opens Registration for Annual NHSN Training
Jan. 12, 2016 ||No-fee course, Feb. 29 to March 4 in Atlanta, to focus on January 2016 updates to the NHSN patient safety component manual.
view more »CMS Begins Infection Control Surveys in Hospitals, Nursing Homes
Jan. 12, 2016 ||Educational surveys to help CMS determine best ways to assess infection control regulations for hospitals, nursing homes, and care transitions. Surveys to begin in FY 2016 for nursing homes and in FY 2017 for hospitals.
view more »Article Reviews Progress 15 Years after ‘To Err is Human’
Dec. 23, 2015 ||New journal article notes challenges remain since IOM published report, but also points out progress, including reducing CLABSI rates nationwide.
view more »BMC Explores Virtual World for Diabetes Education
Dec. 11, 2015 ||The hospital has received a $3.5 million grant to research the effectiveness of virtual technology for diabetes self-management among vulnerable women.
view more »CDC: Monitoring Vital to Limiting Spread of CRE
Dec. 9, 2015 ||CDC report outlines the need for monitoring of CRE and related antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
view more »HAC Reductions Continue to Save Lives, Dollars in 2014
Dec. 8, 2015 ||Like earlier report, new AHRQ data show that hospitals continued to reduce HAC rates by 17 percent in 2014.
view more »OSHA Offers Workplace Violence Prevention Resources
Dec. 8, 2015 ||Site for hospitals and other health care facilities reflects violent incident rate four times higher than other sectors
view more »Toolkit Helps Hospitals with Clinical Alarms Safety Goal
Dec. 2, 2015 ||Hospitals must establish and implement policies and procedures for managing alarms starting Jan. 1, 2016.
view more »FDA Warns of Hydrophilic, Hydrophobic Coatings Risk
Dec. 2, 2015 ||Benefits of coated, intravascular devices outweigh risks, but hospitals and other providers should remain vigilant and report adverse events, agency says
view more »Hospitals Can Fight CAUTI with New AHRQ Toolkit
Nov. 24, 2015 ||Resource helps hospitals apply concepts from the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections and create a culture of safety at the unit level.
view more »CDC: Get Smart About Antibiotic Resistance
Nov. 17, 2015 ||Week-long annual event will engage stakeholders in discussion and education about antibiotic stewardship in inpatient, outpatient, and animal health settings.
view more »Endoscope Reprocessors Recalled by Custom Ultrasonics
Nov. 17, 2015 ||FDA cites violations of federal law that could result in an increased risk of infection transmission by company’s equipment.
view more »Dirty Endoscopes Ranks First on 2016 Health Hazards List
Nov. 13, 2015 ||New report from ECRI Institute also lists failure to respond to clinical alarms, unsafe injection practices, and insufficient training among top hazards.
view more »Reductions in HACs Save Lives, $12 Billion
Nov. 9, 2015 ||New AHRQ report finds patients experienced 1.3 million fewer hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) from 2010 through 2013, saving a projected 50,000 lives.
view more »CDC to Award Hospitals for Improved Blood Clot Prevention
Nov. 6, 2015 ||Initiative seeks to strengthen healthcare-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention, raise awareness of successful strategies, and recognize investment in VTE prevention.
view more »CDC: Hospitals Should Assess Heater-Cooler Units
Oct. 26, 2015 ||Hospitals should assess units to ensure they are safe and properly maintained and not contaminated with non-tuberculosis mycobacterium
view more »Patient Engagement is Critical to Infection Prevention
Oct. 19, 2015 ||International Infection Prevention Week, Oct. 18-24, raises awareness of patient and family engagement, hand hygiene in infection prevention and patient safety
view more »CDC, CMS Emphasize Accurate NHSN Reporting
Oct. 7, 2015 ||Agencies say anecdotal reports of intentional nonreporting of infection data have prompted them to emphasize the importance of accurate reporting
view more »Essential Hospitals Named New CDC Prevention Epicenters
Oct. 7, 2015 ||The newly announced prevention epicenters will identify innovative ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in health care facilities
view more »Device Reprocessing Recommendations Updated
Oct. 5, 2015 ||CDC and FDA remove language that requires health care facilities to verify that vendors involved in servicing these devices are certified by the manufacturer
view more »Hospitals: New HAC Reports Correct Error
Sept. 23, 2015 ||Reports previously excluded the first six months of 2014 SSI data, possibly impacting payment adjustment and quality measure results
view more »Proper Device Reprocessing Is Key for Patient Safety
Sept. 16, 2015 ||The CDC and FDA issued a health advisory alerting providers and facilities to properly maintain, clean, disinfect, and sterilize reusable medical devices
view more »Association to CMS: Risk-Adjust Stroke Measures for SDS
Aug. 31, 2015 ||CMS proposes to risk adjust stroke mortality measures for stroke severity – a positive step – but measures should also account for SDS
view more »CDC to Host Provider Call on Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
Aug. 18, 2015 ||Event, open to all providers, will focus on coordinating efforts in the fight against the increasing number of potentially life-threatening germs that resist drugs created to treat them.
view more »CDC: Infection Control Coordination to Combat Antibiotic Resistance
Aug. 4, 2015 ||Vital Signs recommends collaboration between public health departments and health care facilities to stop antibiotic resistance
view more »Hospital Leadership Assessment Tool Impacts Clinical Results
July 22, 2015 ||HLQAT helps hospitals figure out how aligned senior executives and clinical managers are on factors correlated with high quality care
view more »Process Improvement Steps to Slash Patient Fall Rate
June 22, 2015 ||Process improvement methodology led to a 40 percent reduction in patient falls at Broward Health Imperial Point after just one year.
view more »HHS Launches Emergency Preparedness Resource Center
June 19, 2015 ||The ASPR TRACIE features online resources, one-on-one technical support, and promising practices
view more »Online Tool Promotes Safer Opioid Use to Manage Pain
May 18, 2015 ||Interactive tool uses health literacy principles and multimodal, team-based approach to prevent opioid-related adverse drug events
view more »May 15 Reporting Deadline on Select Quality Measures
April 27, 2015 ||Inpatient rehabilitation and long-term acute care facilities must submit data to the NHSN on select infections and influenza vaccinations
view more »New HAI Tracking Tool Will Help Hospitals Better Target Prevention
April 7, 2015 ||The CDC has added a tool to the NHSN that will rank hospital facilities and units by HAI rate
view more »Emergency Preparedness: When Winter Weather Strikes
Feb. 23, 2015 ||Cleveland’s MetroHealth System and Henry Ford Health System in Detroit share their experiences dealing with the 2013-2014 Polar Vortex
view more »Essential Hospitals Prepare Doctors to Diagnose, Treat Measles
Feb. 10, 2015 ||At Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, older staff are teaching younger docs with no measles experience how to recognize symptoms
view more »CDC Report Shows Progress in Patient Safety
Jan. 15, 2015 ||The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released its annual National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections Progress Report, which found that acute care hospitals have made progress in eliminating health care-associated infections (HAIs) – though more work remains. The CDC lists the Partnership for Patients (PfP), which includes the association’s Essential Hospitals Engagement Network
view more »SWARMing to Combat Adverse Events, Improve Patient Care
Dec. 17, 2014 ||UK Healthcare adopted a centralized approach to attacking adverse events in patient care
view more »Driving Toward Zero: An Evidence-Based Approach to Eliminating CAUTI
Oct. 1, 2014 ||Jacobi Medical Center implements multiple proven solutions and systemwide communication to reduce CAUTIs
view more »Sorting Sounds: Boston Medical Center Fights Alarm Fatigue
Sept. 10, 2014 ||BMC’s 15-step, replicable plan reduced noise levels and increased satisfaction
view more »NQF Releases EED Elimination Playbook
Aug. 27, 2014 ||Playbook provides best practices for eliminating EEDs and strategies for overcoming barriers
view more »Low-Tech Tool Helps Reduce Patient Falls
June 6, 2014 ||The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center developed a simple, replicable tool to help prevent fall injuries.
view more »Reduce Infections, Save Money with Hand Hygiene
April 30, 2014 ||MetroHealth’s team-based Wash-In, Wash-Out program boosts hand hygiene compliance among staff
view more »How to Combat Alarm Fatigue
Feb. 25, 2014 ||A BMC pilot program reduced audible alarms and improved patient safety
view more »Report: MD Dress Code Can Help Curb Infection Spread
Feb. 3, 2014 ||SHEA makes new recommendations about physician attire
view more »Timing a Transfer from the ICU
Jan. 21, 2014 ||Is there an optimal time to release a patient from the ICU?
view more »Daily Safety Huddles Lead to Harm Reductions
Jan. 15, 2014 ||These 15-minute meetings address safety from multiple angles
view more »At Home and Abroad, Essential Hospitals Provide Critical, Long-Term Care to Haiti
Aug. 26, 2013 ||When a massive earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, 40 percent of our members offered their support
view more »On the Frontline, Boston Medical Center Treats Patients With Precision
Aug. 26, 2013 ||Local hospitals organized their staffs and emergency departments into high-capacity treatment centers
view more »Automating Risk for Readmissions Reduces Rates, Saves Money
July 29, 2013 ||An electronic medical record–based model helped Parkland reduce readmissions and costs
view more »Dance for Life Eases Pain for Parkinson’s Disease Patients
April 29, 2013 ||University of Florida’s dance classes reduce symptoms and encourage social interaction
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