More evidence shows that medication is often just as effective as an artery-opening angioplasty for patients with chronic chest pain. Although angioplasty remains the top treatment for such patients, the number of those performed has declined since 2007.
A bill signed into law this week in New York now allows officials to publicly identify physicians who have been charged with misconduct or malpractice. It also gives the state Department of Health the power to investigate medical wrongdoing. The new law was prompted by a doctor who was accused of malpractice in 2004.
An increasing number of hospital administrators throughout California are working hard to reduce medical errors, as state officials continue pushing for better quality care and patient safety. Since the state Department of Public Health began issuing fines for preventable errors, 39 hospitals have been cited for such mistakes.
A bill adopted in 2006 by the New Hampshire legislature requires hospitals to report on infections to the state Department of Health and Human Services. However, most facilities have yet to follow the new regulations.
The majority of hospitals in Oregon have voluntarily agreed to follow mandatory reporting rules set by the Oregon Patient Safety Commission. Among the regulations, hospitals are required to notify patients in writing about major medical errors.
A recent study shows that copper, a microbiocidal, can prevent infection by eliminating several pathogens that are the source of many hospital-acquired infections. Now, the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC, is among several facilities testing the idea.