Janice Simmons, Senior Editor

Earlier this month, the 185-bed Doctors Community Hospital was fined by Maryland health regulators who said the hospital failed to notify them that a patient had died and that at least seven others suffered serious injuries last year because of medical staff mistakes. Unfortunately, this hospital may not be alone in the reporting—or rather non-reporting—department. [Read More]

June 25, 2009

Editor's Picks

Small Practices Lack Resources for Quality Upgrades
Small medical practices provide nearly 75% of all ambulatory care in the United States, yet many lack the resources to improve the quality of care delivered or install electronic health records to serve an increasingly diverse patient mix, according to a report released by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. [Read More]

How Do You Gain a CFO's Support for Quality and Patient Safety Programs?
As more hospitals cut their budgets, it's important for staff members who work in quality and patient safety to understand what points to illustrate when making a case for joining a new initiative, launching a new quality improvement program, or asking for increased resources in the name of patient safety. [Read More]

ED Wait Times Drop Slightly, Patient Satisfaction Rises
Despite a recession and continued crowding, a new study shows that the average wait time in the nation's emergency departments fell by two minutes in 2008 to 4:03. Even with the long waits, Press Ganey's Emergency Department Pulse Report 2009 finds that patient satisfaction rose in 2008, continuing a five-year improvement trend. [Read More]

Three-Hospital System Creates Survey Prep Tools
CoxHealth, a three hospital system in Springfield, MO, is currently awaiting its latest triennial survey at any moment. Fortunately, with a series of survey preparation tools and practices in place, the system's accreditation coordinator was confident in the system's ability to handle the pending survey. [Read More]

Editor's Note
From all of us at HealthLeaders Media, have a great Fourth of July holiday. HealthLeaders Media QualityLeaders will not publish next week, but will return with a new issue July 9.

This Week's Headlines

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Is FDA Providing Enough Oversight of Pacemakers?
Janice Simmons, for HealthLeaders Media - June 22, 2009

Massachusetts General Hospital cited on surgeons' overload
Boston Globe - June 22, 2009

New York City finds neglect and cover-up in patient's death
New York Times - June 22, 2009

Docs Don't Tell 7% of Patients About Abnormal Tests
Cheryl Clark, for HealthLeaders Media - June 23, 2009

Webcasts/Audio Conferences

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Service Line Strategies Workshop 2009: Spine Care (July 22)

HIPAA Changes: New Compliance Strategies for New Marketing Models (On Demand)