Hospitals already employ a number of infection control practices, with additional measures being implemented regularly. According to a recent online survey conducted by Perception Solutions, Inc., hand hygiene and the use of gloves that feature effective barrier protection rank highest on the list of preventative measures.
Kansas hospitals will no longer be paid for claims involving avoidable medical errors, as several of the state's largest insurers - including Preferred Health Systems and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas - join Medicare in adopting new "never event" rules that go into effect October 1.
The Joint Commission has issued a warning that patient safety can be compromised by hostile behavior among medical staff. Starting next year, hospitals will be required to implement a code of conduct that defines such behavior, and also includes procedures for managing it.
Research has found that P4P programs have nearly no impact on the quality of healthcare. Some believe that reform is necessary to reward recommended care, while others say leaders must take a closer look into how such programs are implemented and carried through.
In five studies conducted in the United Kingdom, doctors did not discuss more problems, prescribe more drugs, run more tests, make more referrals, or do more examinations when they spent more time with patients. The patients in the five studies did not feel more satisfied with their care when they were able to consult longer with their doctors, according to researchers. However, in each study consultation times were only slightly longer than usual, and might have not been enough extra time to make a difference in the doctors' routine or the patients' satisfaction, the researchers write.
Congressional Republicans are trying to mend an ailing relationship with allies in the medical community after opposing legislation to block an annual pay cut for doctors under Medicare. Republican Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri already convened a private meeting with a handful of top lobbyists for the medical community to make amends after the vote. The lingering tension, however, from that vote hints at a broader rift between doctors and the GOP as Congress prepares for a potential healthcare fight under the next president.