Maureen Larkin, Senior Editor-Quality

Patient safety should always be a top priority for healthcare workers. But ensuring employees' safety, by working to prevent on-the-job injuries, should be just as high on the list. [Read More]

July 17, 2008

Editor's Picks

U.S. News & World Report announces best hospitals
The magazine's annual report of America's best hospitals was released last week, causing flurries of excitement in the public relations offices of healthcare organizations across the country. But with the yearly announcement also comes the re-kindling of a debate about what it all means for hospitals. [Read More]

Joint Commission: Put an end to doctor bullying
The Joint Commission announced last week that all hospitals will be required to have policies in place by next year that deal with physicians who exhibit "bully-like" behavior. Physicians who have outbursts and create disturbances threaten patient safety, the Joint Commission says, and increase the cost of patient care. [Read More]

Mixing error—not drug packaging—led to infants' deaths
The chief medical officer of Christus Spohn Health System announced this week that the heparin overdose that killed two infants at the Texas hospital was a result of a mixing error in the pharmacy-not the labeling of the drug-as was the case in two previous heparin overdoses at hospitals in Indiana and California. [Read More]

To monitor safety, patients should be asked about errors
A study appearing in this month's Annals of Internal Medicine, shows that when they are asked about their care experience, patients report more errors than are disclosed in their medical records. The study says that hospitals should consider adding questions about adverse events in post-discharge surveys to better monitor patient safety. [Read More]

This Week's Headlines

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Los Angeles County suspends 16 King-Harbor clinic employees
Los Angeles Times - July 16, 2008

CMS will pay $36 million to providers who reported 2007 quality data
KaiserNetwork.org - July 16, 2008

Doctors hopeful easier blood thinners are nearing
AP/Yahoo News - July 15, 2008

Medicare's no-pay events: Coping with the complications
AMNews - July 14, 2008

Report raises red flag on infection control at Burbank, CA-based hospital
Los Angeles Times - July 14, 2008

New York hospitals have high rate of surgical infections
Newsday - July 8, 2008

While the US spends heavily on healthcare, a study faults the quality
New York Times - July 17, 2008

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