National Patient Safety Goals

The Joint Commission has published their National Patient Safety Goals in hopes to overall improve patient safety in 2012.  

Here are their hopes for the upcoming year: 

Identify patients correctly: health care workers should use at least two different ways to identify a patient. Also, workers should make sure that patients are getting the correct blood when getting a transfusion.

Improve staff communication: Important test results need to get to the right person on time.

Use medicines safely: Medicines that are not labeled need to have a label written on them. Also, patients who are taking medicines that thin their blood need to be given extra care. Patients need to have their medicine list recorded and passed along correctly.

Prevent infection: Set goals for improving hand hygiene, and use the hand cleaning guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization. Also, use proven guidelines to prevent infection from surgeries and catheters. 

Identify patient safety risks: Find out the patients that are more likely to commit suicide.

Prevent mistakes in surgery: Health care workers need to make sure that the correct patient is going to have the correct surgery in the correct place. The correct place where the surgery is to be done should be marked. Also, workers should pause before the surgery takes place to make sure a mistake has not been made.

Health Issues to be Reviewed in 2012

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be looking at certain health issues come 2012.  

The OIG was created in order to protect the integrity of programs within the department, and has many work plans to focus on. 

One thing that the OIG will look into is how accurately hospitals are reporting “present-on-arrival” indicators on claims that are submitted to Medicare and Medicaid. These indicators show which diagnoses were present on a patient at the time of admission and which ones developed as a result of hospital stay. OIG will review both medical claims and medical records for research.  

Another area that will be reviewed is the quality of care and safety that Medicare beneficiaries receive when transferred from hospitals to nursing homes. Rates of preventable hospital readmissions will be one of the things that will be looked at.  

Reports on these issues above, as well as others, will be released throughout 2012.  

Photo: Jose Goulao, Flickr 

At Snyder & Wenner we strive to keep the community safe when hospital care is involved. We are patient safety advocates who represent patients who have been harmed by hospital error. If you know someone who has been seriously harmed or injured from a hospital error, please contact us. The Snyder & Wenner website can be accessed by clicking the "Patient Safety Advocates" tab above.  

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Lock it Up: Medicine Safety in Your Home

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Without Autopsies, Hospitals Bury Their Mistakes

Half a century ago, autopsies would have been a routine procedure after a person died. Today, it's a different story, according to an article from ProPublica.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that autopsies are performed on five percent of patients who die in hospitals.

Even unexpected or sudden deaths do not get an autopsy. Insurers don't pay for them, and hospitals are not required to offer them. Scared that they might potentially reveal medical malpractice, doctors and facilities stray away from them.

Without autopsies, hospitals and health care facilities are able to bury their mistakes, without ever learning from them or facing consequences.

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Renewed Warning on Baby Acetaminophen

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Baby brain is real, and it makes you a better mum - Association for Psychological Science

Baby brain is real, and it makes you a better mum - Association for Psychological Science

L.E.D. Displays in Hospitals=Cleaner Hands?

Could L.E.D. displays in and around nurses stations in hospitals promote cleaner hands?

According to an article on The New York Times website, "a video monitoring system that provides instant feedback on success has raised rates of hand-washing or use of alcohol rubs to over 80 percent, and kept them there."

Read the whole article here: An Electronic Eye

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JCR Awarded Funds to Improve Hospital Care

The Joint Commission Resources, among others, will be working closely with hospitals to make them both safer and less costly by reducing the millions of preventable injuries that happen each year.

The Department of Health and Human Services recently stated that $218 million will go to 26 state, regional, and national hospital organizations to implement performance improvement strategies.

The ultimate goal will be to make hospitals more safe and reliable for patients.

About 50 hospitals across the country will be targeted by these organizations.

Source: Market Watch

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Children vs. Medication Errors

Did you know that children are more vulnerable to medication errors when it comes to patient safety? 

Here's why: 

-most medications are made and packaged especially for adults

-most health care buildings and facilities are centered around adults

-young children cannot communicate the adverse effects they are currently experiencing

-children are less able to tolerate medication and safety errors

-dosing errors are most common for young children

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At Snyder & Wenner we strive to keep the community safe when hospital care is involved. We have become patient safety advocates by representing patients who have been harmed from hospital error. If you know someone who has been seriously harmed from a hospital error please feel free to contact us. The Snyder & Wenner website can be accessed by clicking the "Patient Safety Advocates" tab above.

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.

602-224-0005

JCR Awarded Funds to Improve Hospital Care

Joint Commission Resources (JCR) will be working with hospitals to make health care both safer and less costly by reducing millions of preventable injuries from health care-associated conditions.

JCR is one of 26 health care organizations that will be involved.

The Deaprtment of Health and Human Services recently stated that $218 million will go to thses 26 organizations. The organizations will then work with hospitals across the country to implement performance improvement strategies.

Source: Market Watch

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Patient Safety Awareness Week

Save the Date: Patient Safety Awareness Week is March 4-10, 2012

"Patient Safety Awareness Week is a great opportunity to raise awareness of your organization's patient safety activities and create lasting partnerships among providers, patients, and communities," according to the National Patient Safety Foundation.

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Drug Industry Sales Strategies

Sales reps are now going around to doctor's offices to promote their hospitals.

"The hospitals mine data to see which doctors have the most profitable, well-insured patients, and then they assign those doctors to a sales rep."

Click here to read the article on how hospitals are adopting these drug industry sales strategies

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.
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Surgical Checklists

A surgical checklist is known to lower patient death rates.  

Developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the surgical safety checklist is being used by over 100,000 hospitals. The list contains 19 items that can be check marked before and after a procedure.  

In a 2009 study consisting of eight hospitals in different countries, it was found that the overall death rate among surgery patients dropped from 1.5 percent to 0.8 percent in a year after the centers adopted the checklist.  

Click here to read the article. 

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At Snyder & Wenner we strive to keep the community safe when hospital care is involved. We have become patient safety advocates by representing patients who have been harmed from hospital error. If you know someone who has been seriously harmed from a hospital error please feel free to contact us. The Snyder & Wenner website can be accessed by clicking the "Patient Safety Advocates" tab above.  

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.

602-224-0005

Fatigue and Patient Safety

How fatigue in health care workers can cause a decrease in patient safety is probably not news to you. A number of studies show that extended work hours contributes to high levels of fatigue and reduced productivity.

Of course, fatigue means inadequate amount of sleep or insufficient quality of sleep over an extended period. When it comes to health care workers (those that take care of YOU), what exactly can fatigue cause?

-confusion

-memory lapses

-lapses in attention and inability to stay focused

-reduced motivation

-impaired communication

-diminished reaction time

-indifference and loss of empathy

-compromised problem solving

According to The Joint Commission, “findings from a groundbreaking 2004 study of 393 nurses over more than 5,300 shifts – the first in a series of studies of nurse fatigue and patient safety – showed that nurses who work shifts of 12.5 hours or longer are three times more likely to make an error in patient care. Additional studies show that longer shift length increased the risk of errors and close calls and were associated with decreased vigilance, and that nurses suffer higher rates of occupational injury when working shifts in excess of 12 hours.”

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At Snyder & Wenner we strive to keep the community safe when hospital care is involved. We have become patient safety advocates by representing patients who have been harmed from hospital error. If you know someone who has been seriously harmed from a hospital error please feel free to contact us. The Snyder & Wenner website can be accessed by clicking the "Patient Safety Advocates" tab above.

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.

602-224-0005



Patient Safety Advocates Start New England Watchdog Group | CT Health I-Team

Patient Safety Advocates Start New England Watchdog Group | CT Health I-Team

Patient Advocate Video

Watch the video below to learn how important it is to have an advocate by your side:

At Snyder & Wenner we strive to keep the community safe when hospital care is involved. We have become patient safety advocates by representing patients who have been harmed from hospital error. If you know someone who has been seriously harmed from a hospital error please feel free to contact us. The Snyder & Wenner website can be accessed by clicking the "Patient Safety Advocates" tab above.

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.

602-224-0005

Questions to Ask

Make sure to always ask your doctor about a new medication you will be taking, and that the answers will be in terms that you can understand.

1. What is this medicine going to be used for?
2. How am I supposed to take this, and for how long?
3. Are there any potential side effects? What should I do if they occur?
4. Will this new medication be safe to take with other medicines or dietary supplements?
5. What should I avoid doing, eating, or drinking while on this medication?


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Drug Disposal

How should you dispose of old and expired drugs that you no longer need?

Here are some tips taken from the FDA website:

Follow any specific disposal instructions on the drug label or patient information that accompanies the medication. Do not flush prescription drugs down the toilet unless this information specifically instructs you to do so.

Take advantage of community drug take-back programs that allow the public to bring unused drugs to a central location for proper disposal. Call your city or county government's household trash and recycling service (see blue pages in phone book) to see if a take-back program is available in your community.

If no instructions are given on the drug label and no take-back program is available in your area, throw the drugs in the household trash, but first:

• Take them out of their original containers and mix them with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter. The medication will be less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through your trash.
• Put them in a sealable bag, empty can, or other container to prevent the medication from leaking or breaking out of a garbage bag.

Source: www.fda.gov
Photo: Harveyben, Flickr
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Prevent Surgical Fires

To prevent surgical fire, the Food and Drug Administration is building a coalition of both private and public healthcare organizations.  

Every year, an estimated 550-650 surgical fires happen in U.S. operating rooms. Surgical fires are fires that occur in, on, or around a patient who is undergoing a surgical or medical procedure.  

Surgical fires can cause disfiguring second- and third-degree burns. Fires that happen in a patient's airway can be fatal.  

According to the FDA website, this is how surgical fires happen: 

·  Oxidizer: Gases used during surgery, such as oxygen and nitrous oxide, and room air

·  Fuel: Flammable objects, including surgical drapes, alcohol-based skin preparations, airway tubing, and even the patient’s hair or body

·  Heat: Tools such as electrosurgical (tissue-cutting) tools, lasers, fiber-optic lights and cables that can generate heat or sparks and cause a fire. 

Here are some questions that patients should ask their doctors and healthcare providers: 

-Is the staff trained in preventing, recognizing, and putting out surgical fires?

-What precautions are in place to protect patients from a fire?

-Are water and CO2 fire extinguishers readily available in the operating room?

For more information, visit the FDA website.  

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At Snyder & Wenner we strive to keep the community safe when hospital care is involved. We have become patient safety advocates by representing patients who have been harmed from hospital error. If you know someone who has been seriously harmed from a hospital error please feel free to contact us. The Snyder & Wenner website can be accessed by clicking the "Patient Safety Advocates" tab above. 

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.

602-224-0005

Improper Procedures

Did you know that because of improper procedures pertaining to inserting catheters and IVs, it's estimated that 80,000 people annually develop bloodstream infections? And of those patients, 30,000 die?

Here's what should be done:
-Hospital doctors and nurses need to wash their hands
-A sterile hat, mask, and gloves should be worn
-The patient should wear a sterile gown, and a sterile dressing shold be over the catheter site.

(Statistics are from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

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At Snyder & Wenner we strive to keep the community safe when hospital care is involved. We have become patient safety advocates by representing patients who have been harmed from hospital error. If you know someone who has been seriously harmed from a hospital error please feel free to contact us. The Snyder & Wenner website can be accessed by clicking the "Patient Safety Advocates" tab above.

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.
602-224-0005

Toy Safety

With the holiday season in full swing, it means that more toys are being purchased.

Here are some tips to keep children safe when it comes to buying toys, taken from St. Joseph's Children's Hospital:

Skip toys with small magnetic pieces for any child under age 6 or under age 10 if they have younger siblings who could easily access the pieces.

Look for well-made toys.

Avoid toys that produce loud noises. High-volume games can permanently impair a child's hearing, and loud sounds can frighten a younger child.

Avoid toys painted with lead paint. Exposure to lead can result in lead poisoning, causing serious damage to a child's brain, kidneys and nervous system.

Avoid electrical toys with heating elements (batteries, electrical plugs) for children under the age of 8. These toys are a potential burn hazard.

Avoid toys with strings, straps or cords longer than 7 inches, which can wrap around a child's neck and accidentally strangle him or her.

Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys before they become dangerous play things for young children.

Riding toys should not be used near stairs, traffic or swimming pools, and that parents can use the cardboard tube from a roll of toilet paper to identify small toy parts that are potential choking hazards. "Small children should not play with anything that can fit into one of these cylinders."

A Gift is Not Complete Unless Proper Protective Gear is Included: Bicycles, skates, scooters and skateboards are popular gifts for the holidays, but if children lack the proper protective gear or skills, injury and death can occur. To keep kids safe whenever they "wheel" around, be sure to:

Include a helmet as part of a gift, which according to Safe Kids USA, can reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury as much as 88 percent.

Buy stickers or bike reflectors and use them on the front, sides and back of the bike to increase the child's visibility to drivers.

Buy a bike horn or a bell as a stocking stuffer. This tool is essential for warning motorists and pedestrians of a bicyclist's approach.

Don't forget to buy elbow and knee pads as well as wrist guards for skates and skateboards.

Source: MarketWatch

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Patient Safety Webinar

Patient Safety Webinar to Explore Ways to Promote Board Engagement

More on Drug Shortages

Medical News Today recently published an article online about the drug shortages currently happening.

The article states that, "The impact of drug shortages on patient care can be 'devastating', especially when alternative drugs are also unavailable, with patients likely to encounter delays in treatment, have their procedures canceled, or being administered with alternative, less effective drugs or drugs with more side effects. The researchers established that "Drug shortages can therefore increase risks to patients, and can also have a negative impact on institutions."

To read the full article, click here.

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.
602-224-0005

Safer Healthcare Video

"Patient lives are at stake."

David Marshall, President of Safer Healthcare, discusses the issues pertaining to patient safety in a video below.



Hand Hygiene

Good hand hygiene: It not only helps protect you from harmful diseases, but it can protect others around you as well. When it comes to patient safety, it’s extra important.

Unfortunately, researchers in the United Kingdom discovered that the use of gloves reduces the level of hand hygiene.  

It was also found that health care providers had improved their hand hygiene practices when they knew they were being watched and videotaped.  

Here are some tips for successful hand hygiene that was published in the November issue of Nursing2011: 

1. Keep it simple - format CDC guidelines into simple messages and define dirty and clean zones.
2. Place hand-hygiene products where they're needed - at the point of care and at the entrance to and exit from the patient environment.
3. Integrate hand hygiene needs into workflow.
4. Ensure multidisciplinary involvement.
5. Provide ongoing education.
6. Monitor compliance and share results.
7. Remember the direct impact of hand hygiene on patients and families.

Photo:  SCA Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget; Flickr

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.

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Hand Washing: A Deadly Dilemma - Association for Psychological Science

Hand Washing: A Deadly Dilemma - Association for Psychological Science