Monday
Jan232012
U.S. Obesity rates unchanged since 2007-2008
There was no change in obesity rates among U.S. adults or children from 2007–2008 to 2009–2010, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Monday
Jan232012
Five percent of the population accounts for fifty percent of healthcare spending
Five percent of the population accounted for fifty percent of healthcare spending in the U.S. in 2009, according to a report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Wednesday
Jan182012
Patient safety initiatives in the ambulatory setting should be a focus
Research and initiatives to improve patient safety in ambulatory settings have been limited over the past decade, and this area deserves more focus and resources, according to a report by the American Medical Association.
Tuesday
Jan172012
Death rates have declined for seven of the fifteen leading causes of death
Mortality rates for seven of the fifteen leading causes of death declined significantly between 2009 – 2010, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Tuesday
Jan172012
CMS has 368 quality measures to consider
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services has 368 measures to consider adopting in 2012, according to Kaiser Health News.
Tuesday
Jan172012
Nurses who use EHR report more efficient and safer patient care
Nurses who consistently use electronic health records reported better patient outcomes and safer patient care, according to a study in the Journal of Nursing Administration.
Monday
Jan162012
Hospital incident reporting systems capture few adverse events
Hospital incident reporting systems have been found capture as few as fourteen percent of adverse medical events, according to a report by the Office of the Inspector General.
Monday
Jan162012
AHA expresses concern over CMS announcement to tighten ACO fraud and abuse waivers
The American Hospital Association sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services expressing concern over CMS’s announcement that it plans to narrow legal definitions regarding fraud and abuse waivers for ACOs in the future, according to Modern Healthcare.
Monday
Jan162012
STEMI heart attack patients more likely to be readmitted in the United States
Certain heart attack patients in the United States are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge than in 16 other industrialized countries, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Monday
Jan092012
Death rates from cancer continue to decline in most areas
Between the years 2004 – 2008, death rates from cancer have decreased by 1.8% per year in men and by 1.6% per year in women, according to a report by the American Cancer Society.
Jeanne Henson | in Condition: Colorectal Cancer, Mortality | tagged American Cancer Society | 1 Comment | Share Article Monday
Jan092012
Department of Health and Human Services releases 26 quality measures for Medicaid Patients
As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Department of Health and Human Services has released a list of 26 quality measures for voluntary use by state Medicaid agencies according to a press release.
Tuesday
Jan032012
Thirty day mortality rates measure quality better than in-house mortality rates
Thirty day mortality rates may be a better quality indicator than in-hospital mortality rates, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Jeanne Henson | in Condition: AMI, Mortality | tagged Annals of Internal Medicine | 1 Comment | Share Article Thursday
Dec222011
Physicians who focus on past mistakes fare better
Physicians who focus on past mistakes selected better treatment options than those who focus on past successes, according to an article in the Atlantic.
Thursday
Dec222011
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to grant $218 million to improve patient safety
The Department of Health and Human Services will award $218 million to 26 hospitals and hospital associations to target initiatives aimed at reducing preventable injuries and complications from hospital-acquired conditions, according to Health Leaders Media.
Thursday
Dec222011
Surgical checklist most effective when entire checklist is completed
Although surgical checklists have been found to reduce patient mortality, a study in the Annals of Surgery found that the effect may be modest.
Jeanne Henson | in IOM Aim: Safe, Mortality | tagged Annals of Surgery, World Health Organization | 3 Comments | Share Article