patient safety Archives - America's Essential Hospitals

patient safety

FDA Announces Expanded Recall of PharmaTech Products

Aug 14, 2017 || Michelle Rosenfeld

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.

patient safety

Take Part in CDC’s Inaugural Fungal Disease Awareness Week

Aug 14, 2017 || Emily Schweich

Health professionals are encouraged to join social media campaigns, attend informational calls and webinars, and review a new fact sheet on Candida auris.

cdc, patient safety

patient safety

CDC Dedicates $77M to Antibiotic Resistance Efforts

Aug 10, 2017 || Emily Schweich

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.

cdc, infectious disease, patient safety

patient safety

FDA Announces Diocto Recall

Aug 7, 2017 || Emily Schweich

The stool softeners could be contaminated with B. cepacia, a bacteria that could infect patients with compromised immune systems or chronic lung conditions.

patient safety

FDA Announces Recall of Sodium Chloride

Aug 7, 2017 || Emily Schweich

The voluntary recall was issued after a customer reported particulate matter in a container of the product, which later was identified as stainless steel.

patient safety

CDC Report Promotes Antibiotic Stewardship

Jul 31, 2017 || Emily Schweich

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.

cdc, patient safety

patient safety

Recall Issued for Fujifilm Duodenoscope

Jul 28, 2017 || Emily Schweich

Fujifilm will contact all customers by October for replacement parts and loan customers duodenoscopes to use during the replacement period.

medical devices, patient safety

patient safety

AHRQ Hosts Webinars on Antibiotic Stewardship Project

Jul 24, 2017 || Emily Schweich

The project seeks to reduce harms caused by inappropriate antibiotic use; registration is open for a one-hour introductory webinar about the project.

agency for healthcare research and quality ahrq, patient safety

patient safety

CDC: Overall Decrease, Wide Disparities in Opioid Prescription

Jul 7, 2017 || Emily Schweich

Despite reductions in opioid prescribing, the amount of opioids prescribed in 2015 still was triple the amount prescribed in 1999.

cdc, opioids, patient safety

patient safety

CDC Data Suggest Drop in Health Care–Associated C. diff

Jul 3, 2017 || Michelle Rosenfeld

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show incidence of Clostridium difficile in hospitals and nursing homes fell for the first time in decades.

cdc, clostridium difficile, infectious disease, patient safety

patient safety

CDC Shares Video on Medical Equipment Infection Risks

Jun 28, 2017 || Emily Schweich

The video is the third in a series by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about challenges to preventing health care-associated infections.

cdc, education 2, healthcare associated infections hai, patient safety

patient safety

FDA Lists Reusable Medical Devices With Greatest Infection Risk

Jun 13, 2017 || Emily Schweich

The list includes reusable medical devices with the greatest risk of transmitting an infection or performing poorly if not properly reprocessed.

healthcare associated infections hai, medical devices, patient safety

patient safety

CDC Releases Report on Legionnaires’ Disease

Jun 6, 2017 || Emily Schweich

The Vital Signs report notes ways to prevent the bacterial lung infection, which is fatal in 25 percent of people who contract it at a health care facility.

cdc, cms, healthcare associated infections hai, patient safety

patient safety

CDC Releases Update on C. Auris Cases

May 23, 2017 || Emily Schweich

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.

cdc, infectious disease, patient safety

patient safety

CDC, FDA Issue Warning on Blood Lead Testing System

May 18, 2017 || Emily Schweich

Magellan Diagnostics' LeadCare Analyzers could produce inaccurate blood lead test results when used with venous blood samples.

cdc, patient safety, quality improvement

patient safety

CDC Issues New Guidelines To Prevent Surgical Site Infections

May 9, 2017 || Michelle Rosenfeld

The new guidance updates recommendations issued in 1999; recommendations are categorized based on the quality of available supporting evidence.

cdc, patient safety, ssi

patient safety

Review Periods Open for Quality, Value-Based Purchasing Reports

Apr 11, 2017 || Emily Schweich

Hospitals have until May 5 to review overall Hospital Compare star rating and until May 10 to review value-based purchasing hospital-specific reports.

cms, ipps, patient safety, quality measurement, quality metrics, vbp

patient safety

Recall Issued for Phillips Defibrillators

Apr 4, 2017 || Emily Schweich

The Phillips HeartStart MRx Monitor/Defibrillator might not power up, charge, or deliver electrical shock therapy, and could unexpectedly stop pacing.

cardiac care, medical devices, patient safety

patient safety

Managing EHR Information is Top Patient Safety Concern

Mar 20, 2017 || Emily Schweich

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.

electronic health records, patient safety

patient safety

IHI, National Patient Safety Foundation To Merge

Mar 20, 2017 || Michelle Rosenfeld

In addition to the merger, the organizations announced the release of a public health framework to guide patient safety efforts.

hospital process improvement, patient safety

patient safety

CDC Revises Recommendations for Controlling C. Auris

Feb 21, 2017 || Emily Schweich

CDC recommends hospitals clean rooms of patients with Candida auris daily and post-discharge with a disinfectant that is effective against C. diff.

cdc, clostridium difficile, patient safety

patient safety

CDC Opens Registration for 2017 NHSN Training

Jan 23, 2017 || Maryellen Guinan

The course runs March 20–24 in Atlanta and includes expert content on different infection or event types, as well as antibiotic stewardship.

cdc, health professionals training, healthcare associated infections hai, patient safety

patient safety

Wexner Transforms Patient Safety with Crew Resource Management

Jan 6, 2017 || Michelle Rosenfeld

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.

hospital acquired conditions hac, patient safety, quality improvement, the ohio state university wexner medical center

patient safety

CDC Says ‘Get Smart’ About Antibiotic Stewardship

Nov 15, 2016 || Michelle Rosenfeld

The annual event encourages relevant stakeholders and the general public to engage in antibiotic stewardship in outpatient and inpatient settings.

cdc, medication safety, patient safety

patient safety

ACGME Proposes New Requirements for Physician Training

Nov 8, 2016 || Matthew Buechner

The proposed revisions would update requirements on patient safety and quality improvement, physician well-being, team-based care & resident work hours.

gme, health professionals training, patient safety, workforce

patient safety

FDA To Host Conference Call on Heater-Cooler Contamination

Oct 27, 2016 || Michelle Rosenfeld

Hospitals will have the opportunity to discuss the potential contamination of heater-cooler devices used during cardiopulmonary bypass procedures.

cardiac care, cdc, patient safety

patient safety

Recall Issued for Dysfunctional AED Electrodes

Oct 25, 2016 || Michelle Rosenfeld

The FDA says the recalled electrodes might not connect properly to certain AEDs, delaying electrical therapy and potentially resulting in serious patient harm.

cardiac care, medical devices, patient safety

patient safety

CDC, FDA Issue Alert on Potential Heater-Cooler Contamination

Oct 13, 2016 || Michelle Rosenfeld

Stӧckert 3T heater-cooler devices used during cardiopulmonary bypass procedures might have been contaminated with M. Chimaera in the manufacturing process.

cardiac care, cdc, healthcare associated infections hai, patient safety

patient safety

Oct. 11 Surgical Heater-Cooler Call with CDC, FDA

Oct 12, 2016 || Staff

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.

cdc, patient safety, quality improvement

patient safety

CDC Guidance Helps Hospitals Prepare for Zika

Aug 29, 2016 || Michelle Rosenfeld

The guidance outlines nine steps hospitals should take, focusing on identifying symptoms, educating patients, and reporting Zika cases to health agencies.

patient safety, preventive care, zika virus

patient safety