Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Virginia's largest private insurer, is rolling out a new policy that would leave the state's hospitals to pay the bill for certain preventable surgical errors. While its no-pay list is not as expansive as the one set by Medicare to take effect this fall, Anthem will hold back payment for four core surgical mishaps: operating on the wrong body part; performing the wrong procedure on a patient; leaving medical supplies inside a patient; and operating on the wrong patient.
Joe DiMaggio Children's, which is a part of Memorial Health System, consisting of seven healthcare facilities serving South Broward County, is part of an emerging trend in healthcare in which hospitals integrate patients and family into the care experience. Instead of being restricted to limited visiting times and overcrowded waiting areas with no privacy, families are invited to stay with their loved ones and be a part of the care team. They stay in private rooms equipped with sofa sleepers. Many facilities provide access to shower facilities, family lounges, meal services, Internet and educational resources.
Aurora Health Care's participation in a federal quality improvement project helped the Milwaukee-based hospital system save $3.5 million in treating certain medical conditions. The Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration program, in which Aurora participated from 2005 through 2007, focused on cases involving pneumonia, heart bypass, heart failure, heart attack, and hip and knee replacements. Evidence-based treatments relating to those conditions were evaluated at each hospital, then officials created a 60-day action plan to improve the quality of care.
A Western Washington University student died a week after coming down with what he thought was the flu. It turned out to be a a rare drug-resistant infection called MRSA pneumonia.
Hospitals are still the heart of the healthcare industry, consuming a third of the $2 trillion U.S. health care bill. Some are very good. But many are not, brimming with infectious bugs, systemic error and negative hospitality. And because the hospital industry does all it can to thwart competition, many communities are stuck with the hospitals they have. One in 200 patients who spends a night or more in a hospital will die from medical error. One in 16 will pick up an infection. Deaths from preventable hospital infections each year exceed 100,000, more than those from AIDS, breast cancer and auto accidents combined.
HealthGrades has released its annual report of America's 50 Best Hospitals. The ratings agency says these 50 hospitals have demonstrated superior clinical quality for the most consecutive years. Is your hospital on this list?
Ireland's Health Service Executive is being criticized for an advertising campaign it launched recently, which encourages patients to ask their caregivers if they have washed their hands. The HSE acknowledges that it may be difficult for patients to question caregivers, but says hand-washing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of MRSA and other hospital-acquired infections.
When you're preparing for a hospital stay, don't forget to pack your favorite items from home. This includes a friend or family member to serve as your patient advocate--someone who can help you make medical decisions and watch out for potential errors in your care. The article also suggests patients bring with them a bottle of hand sanitizer gel, with a note that says, "Protect me from germs.clean your hands!"
Live surgery broadcasts have been used as a teaching tool for more than 20 years, but some hospitals are no longer using them, citing concerns for patient safety if a surgeon is distracted by cameras and a live audience.
Some hospitals report lower infection rates and higher incidents of life-saving procedures for heart attack victims, but a new report from PriceWaterhouseCoopers shows that care evaluations and bonus payments varied greatly, meaning that for some hospitals, the cost of participating in pay-for-performance programs is more than the actual payments it receives from the government.
