Category: Quality

Care quality affected by drug, equipment shortages, survey says

Ongoing drug shortages throughout the last year in many cases have forced healthcare leaders to change or compromise aspects of patient care. More than 60% of healthcare professionals have reported shortages of 20 drugs, single-use supplies, or other m…

Prominent Johns Hopkins physician on leave amid misdiagnosis, bullying claims

A prominent pathologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore has been on administrative leave since May amid allegations he pressured other physicians into giving patients second opinions that aligned with diagnoses made by his wife, who is also a pa…

Quality goes hand-in-hand with ROI, chief quality officers say

Aligning a hospital’s financial goals with its quality standards is the key to delivering results for future chief quality officers, experts remarked during an Oct. 19 panel held by the National Association for Healthcare Quality. 

Former workers accuse Saint Luke's of ignoring sterilization issues

Two former employees of Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City (Mo.) allege the hospital disregarded concerns of rusted and broken equipment, the use of homemade medical instruments and a pest problem, The Kansas City Star reported Oct. 18. 

6 Joint Commission sentinel alerts, safety advisories in 2023

So far in 2023, The Joint Commission has issued a total of six sentinel alerts and safety advisories.

A gap in front-line staff training — and how Lifespan is closing it

“If you see something, say something.” It’s a phrase familiar to front-line staff who hospitals and health systems in large part rely on to report safety risks and events, but in many cases, a key component is missing: Training. 

15 states that mandate surgical smoke evacuation

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed A.B. 1007 into law which requires healthcare facilities to use all tools feasible to remove surgical smoke plumes — making it the 15th state in the nation to do so.

Sutter Health, Press Ganey partner on experience improvement

Sacramento-based Sutter Health has partnered with Press Ganey to leverage the company’s Human Experience platform and pinpoint where to focus improvement efforts for patients and staff. 

Ballad's clinical chief embraces 'big, hairy' goals

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital quality and safety scores dropped. Amit Vashist, MD, is working to rapidly fix this issue at Johnson City, Tenn.-based Ballad Health.

The case for black boxes beyond the OR: Viewpoint

“Black boxes” in operating rooms are gaining popularity as a tool to improve safety and optimize efficiency. Given their benefits in this area, there is a significant opportunity for hospitals to improve patient safety by installing them in other high-…