Some physicians and consumer advocates worry that a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling and a pending case could take away the legal aspect of patient safety when it comes to medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Justices ruled earlier this year that patients injured by certain medical devices approved by the Food and Drug Administration cannot sue the product's manufacturer. The court said federal regulations preempt state-based liability claims challenging the design or labeling of medical devices that clear the FDA's approval process.
Since Carole Moss's son died from a drug-resistant staph infection in 2006, she has lobbied tirelessly to change the laws governing the reporting of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Moss believes her son caught the bacterium after undergoing a series of hospital tests for a condition he was born with. Her concern is growing among lawmakers, insurance companies and hospital administrators as they tackle the deadly and expensive problem of hospital-acquired infections.
Mike Murphy, president and CEO of Sharp HealthCare, is committed to the idea that quality and continuous improvement drive comprehensive business results. Murphy is so convinced about his theory that since 2001, he has led multiple projects using Malcolm Baldrige evaluation criteria and Lean Six Sigma improvement processes to make sweeping changes at the not-for-profit healthcare organization.
Peter Pronovost, MD, a Johns Hopkins University researcher made famous by his checklist study, has been named to Time magazine's 100 list. Pronovost, 43, began investigating hospital-acquired infections at Johns Hopkins' hospital in 2001 and concluded that arming physicians with a chart reminding them of each step in routine procedures drastically reduces the medical errors that lead to such infections. Pronovost says the checklist protocol could be rolled out nationwide within two years for less than $3 million.
A New Hampshire man has developed a device that could help healthcare professionals tackle the increasing scourge of drug-resistant infections, saving billions of dollars and countless lives. He has developed the technology to kill Noroviruses, C. diff, MRSA and other problem viruses and bacteria using a section of the ultraviolet light spectrum to bombard them with killing high-energy photons.
Despite their large populations, Georgia's DeKalb and Fulton counties reported relatively few cases of serious, drug-resistant staph infections to the state health department for the past three years. Experts are now wondering if Fulton and DeKalb doctors are failing to report MRSA cases in those counties. Fulton County health department officials already said they'll be taking a closer look at reporting.