Julie Morath, RN, chief operating officer of the Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, says that while the research being done about the quality and safety of healthcare for adults is “remarkable,” more must be done to help identify the unsafe areas of medical care for children. Morath points to a recent study that found for every 100 children admitted to hospitals, there were about 11 drug-related harmful events—more than one in five of which were preventable.
David Shulkin, MD, president and CEO of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, has been doing administrative rounds during the overnight hours at his hospital and observing the differences in care offered to those who come to the hospital at night and during the daytime hours. Shulkin's initiative is intended to address the stark discrepancy in quality between daytime and nighttime inpatient services, he says.
California health officials have fined 13 hospitals for placing patients at risk of serious injury or death. The fines marked the third time the California Department of Public Health has disciplined hospitals since a 2007 state law went into effect that grants the agency the authority to fine facilities for placing patients in serious jeopardy. Each fine was $25,000, and experts expect the high-profile fines to pressure hospitals to improve patient safety.
Heart failure patients admitted to the hospital on Thursdays or Fridays have longer hospital stays than those admitted on other days of the week, according to a report, and those admitted on Tuesdays have the shortest stays. The day of admission does not seem to effect death rates for heart failure patients, however, the report found. The findings could lead to changes in hospital procedures, which could lead to shorter hospital stays and reduced costs, said the study's authors.
Columbia, SC-based Palmetto Health Richland is celebrating the completion of its newly renovated children's hospital, which will become the first such free-standing facility in the state. The renovated facility features 20 extra inpatient beds, 15 new outpatient beds and an updated intensive care unit. In addition, administrators say the new children's hospital is expected to ensure a deeper level of personal care for young patients and their families. Some of the features of the 150,000 square-foot facility are brightly colored walls, themed floors and quiet rooms for family members.
Hospital leaders at Cleveland-based University Hospitals Case Medical Center have asked 40 current and former patients to serve on an advisory council to share their thoughts on shaping a future cancer hospital. UH announced plans for the hospital in 2006 as part of a $1 billion expansion.