Who Else Is Paying Your Doctor?

The Obama administration finally wants to require that manufacturers of medical devices, drugs and medical supplies disclose all of their payments to both doctors and teaching hospitals, according to an article by The New York Times.  

The information gathered would then be posted on a government website, which would be available for patients to see.  

The money that certain doctors and hospitals receive can sometimes be considered for worthy things, such as research and consulting. However, a lot of cash seems to be going around for other purposes. Doctors’ travel expenses, meals and entertainment are some things that are being paid for by those manufacturers.  

According to the article, some prominent doctors and researchers receive up to millions of dollars a year in exchange for giving lectures or providing advice on behalf of the companies.

After Feb. 17, the new rules on manufacturers disclosing information will be revised and put into final form.  

If manufacturers fail to report payments, they can be fined up to $150,000 a year. If they knowingly fail to report, they can expect to be fined up to $1 million a year.

Health Care-Acquired Infections

Did you know that in the United States, one out of 20 hospitalized patients contract a health care-acquired infection (HAI)?

An HAI is an infection a patient receives while being treated for a medical condition. When an HAI takes place, it can lead to extra time being spent in a hospital, meaning a longer recovery time.

The three most common types of HAIs are (according to the National Patient Safety Foundation):

• Catheter-related bloodstream infections: Catheter-related bloodstream infections, or CRBSIs, are among the most common infections in patients who are admitted to critical care units. These infections occur when bacteria and other germs travel down a “central line” and enter the bloodstream.
• Hospital-acquired pneumonia: Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is an infection of the lungs that occurs 48 hours or longer after admission to a hospital. This pneumonia tends to be more serious because patients in the hospital are often sicker and unable to fight off germs than otherwise health people. Hospital-acquired pneumonia occurs more often in patients who are using a respirator (machine) to help them breathe. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) falls into the HAP category. It may occur in patients who need a tube to breathe.
• Surgical site infections (SSI): A surgical site infection is an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Surgical site infections sometimes only involve the skin. Others are more serious and can involve tissues under the skin, organs, or implanted material (such as knee or hip replacements).

In any health care setting, remember to:

-Wash your hands carefully after toughing anything soiled.

-Don't be afraid to remind staff members to wash their hands before working with you.

-Make sure all wounds are dry and on tightly.

-If you have any type of catheter or tube inserted, notify a staff member if it feels loose.

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

Comparing Hospitals

Do you need to get a medical procedure done soon? If you're struggling to decide which hospital to chose, this tool might help you.

Type in your zip code, and select three different hospitals in your area to compare them. Previous patients have filled out surveys about their experience, giving you everything you need to know about the quality of the hospital and services given.

Click here to start comparing hospitals.

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

The Fire Triangle

The fire triangle is made of three things: heat, fuel, and oxidizer. When these three ingredients come together with the correct proportions, a fire is bound to be created.

In an operating room, all three of these are present during surgery. The surgeon controls the heat sources, the nurse controls the fuel, and an anesthesiologist is in charge of the oxidizers.

All fires that happen in an operating room happen on or in a patient. The fires that occur cause damage to equipment and can cause serious injury to patients. When these fires ignite, they come as a complete shock to staff members.

When surgical fires happen, patients are put in serious and life-threatening danger.

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

Top Hospitals for 2011

The Leapfrog Group has recently announced the top hospitals for the year 2011.

The "Top Hospital" designations is based on how hospitals deliver the highest quality care by preventing medical mistakes, reducing hospital readmissions, and lowering mortality for high-risk procedures.

The Leapfrog Hospital Survey is composed of three different areas: (1) how patients fare, (2) resources used to care for patients, and (3) management practices that promote safety and quality, according to Leapfrog.

Hospitals that were recognized from the United States are:

Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center (CA) Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center (CA) Mills-Peninsula Health Services (CA) Stanford Hospital and Clinics (CA) UC San Diego Health System, Hillcrest (CA) Baptist Health South Florida Homestead Hospital (FL) NorthShore University HealthSystem-Evanston Hospital (IL) NorthShore University HealthSystem-Glenbrook Hospital (IL) Northwestern Memorial Hospital (IL) Rush University Medical Center (IL) Snyder and Wenner, P.C. 602-224-0005 Source: Leapfrog Group

Baystate Medical Center (MA) Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (MA) Brigham and Women's Hospital (MA) Anne Arundel Medical Center (MD) University of Maryland Medical Center (MD) Detroit Receiving Hospital/University Health Center (MI) Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital (MI) Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital (MI) St. Joseph Mercy Oakland (MI) University of Michigan Health System (MI) Regions Hospital (MN) St. Mary's Hospital of Rochester (MN) University of North Carolina Hospitals (NC) Hackensack University Medical Center (NJ) The Valley Hospital of Ridgewood(NJ) Presbyterian Hospital (NM) Montefiore Medical Center, Weiler Division (NY) Roswell Park Cancer Institute (NY) The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OH) The Christ Hospital of Cincinnati (OH) University Hospitals Case Medical Center (OH) Lehigh Valley Hospital (PA) Bon Secours St. Francis Health System - Downtown (SC) Vanderbilt University Hospital (TN) Swedish Medical Center First Hill Campus (WA) Virginia Mason Medical Center (WA)

Hospital Errors to be Made Public

Serious hospital errors could be made public through proposed new state rules in Missouri from Medicaid. 

Missouri hospitals would be required to report hospital mistakes that involve Medicaid patients to the state agency that oversees the insurance program for low-income patients.

"Hospitals have previously been able to report all adverse events to a Jefferson City nonprofit called the Missouri Center for Patient Safety. The reports are confidential, meaning they weren't subject to subpoenas, records requests from disciplinary proceedings or requests from the media," stated News-Leader.com.

The errors that the Missouri hospitals would have to report are disabilities or deaths associated with contaminated drugs and surgeries being performed on the wrong patient.

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

Source: News-Leader.com

Adding Windows for Patient Safety

The Department of State Health Services in Texas will be spending more than $100,000 to retrofit 336 doors in 10 psychiatric state hospitals. This comes in hopes to increase patient safety and prevent patients form being abused by staff.

The 2-by-3-foot windows will be installed on doors of treatment rooms where patients receive individual therapy and other services.

Cameras will also be installed in offices where the doors can not be retrofitted.

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

Source: statesman.com