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Editor's Picks
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The State of Quality and Patient SafetyI talked in my column this week about some of the intriguing responses that emerged from the quality portion of our HealthLeaders Media Industry Survey 2009 with regard to technology's role in improving quality and patient safety. The survey offers plenty of insight into other aspects of healthcare quality, as well—everything from infection control staffing levels to senior leaders' opinions on the biggest barriers to improving quality. It's definitely worth a look. [ Read More]
Survey: Texas doctors say insurers' paperwork hurts patient carePhysicians in Texas say the administrative bureaucracy of health insurers and the government is compromising their ability to care for their patients, according to the Texas Medical Association. You mean, there are doctors out there who believe payers are an obstacle to quality? Really? While the basic theme of this article may seem obvious, the story does contain some interesting individual findings about the effects of administrative red tape on physicians. And by the way, not every provider has such a negative view of payers when it comes to quality; I have a story coming in the March issue of HealthLeaders magazine that looks at some promising provider-payer collaborations in the quality arena. [ Read More]
Lawsuit: Mold at Tampa hospital killed three childrenA grim twist here on the ubiquitous issue of hospital-acquired infections. A lawsuit in Florida alleges that three child cancer patients died not from cancer, but from mold-related infections that resulted from a fungus released during a hospital construction project. The hospital didn't properly guard the children's rooms from contaminated dust and airborne particles generated by the construction, the suit contends. Hospital officials say the organization is "careful to use barriers and filter the air around its construction areas," the story says. And just because something is in a lawsuit doesn't make it true. Nevertheless, this is yet another reminder of the patient safety perils lurking in practically every corner of the hospital. [ Read More]
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This Week's Headlines
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Webcasts/Audio Conferences
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From HealthLeaders Magazine |
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Back to Basics
| The strategy for surviving the economic downturn? Invest in core strengths, seize partnership opportunities—and get down to work. [Read More] |
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Service Line Management |
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Essential and Expensive
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Patient demand for intensive care services continues to rise—but ICUs cost a ton of money. Here's how some providers are making intensive care worth their financial while. [Read More] |
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Leaders Forum
SC Program Puts HAIs in the Crosshairs
The South Carolina Healthcare Quality Trust is a new statewide, voluntary hospital quality collaborative to reduce hospital-acquired infections and their associated costs. [Read More]
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Audio Feature
Industry Survey 2009: HealthLeaders Editor Round TableHealthLeaders Media Editors react to the findings of the Industry Survey 2009. [Listen Now]
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