Articles Tagged With: Diversion
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Did Your Department Close Unexpectedly? Here’s How to Mitigate Risks
In the event of a diversion caused by a cyberattack, EDs need to mitigate any adverse effects on patient care. Maintaining paper order forms and manual backup plans for otherwise computer-dependent operations is essential. Leaders must immediately notify surrounding hospitals and ambulance agencies of the situation, along with the expected resolution time.
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Feds Seek Comments on Mail-Back Program for Unused Opioids
Patients could use prepaid envelopes to safely return surplus pain pills.
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EMTALA Violations, Malpractice Claims Possible if ED Goes on Diversion Inappropriately
Diversion procedures should include community-based policies, created in agreement with EMS and other area hospitals, so everyone is handling the issue similarly. Create a formal activation procedure that specifies who must order diversion, acceptable reasons for diversion, how it is handled, and how the diversion is communicated to fire/EMS/police dispatch and other facilities.
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Capacity and COVID-19: Where Is Case Management?
As of this writing, there are reports about hospitals across the country that have reached or exceeded capacity. These hospitals have only one or two available critical care beds, and some have no open medical or surgical beds. It is clear the hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases, and they are coming at rates that are outside the bounds of anyone’s experience. But as I listen, I have to wonder. Where is case management? Are these administrators using case management to its fullest? Is there a capacity management plan?
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Surgery-related Outbreaks from Drug Diversion
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assisted state and local health departments in the investigation of the following infection outbreaks stemming from drug diversion activities that involved surgical healthcare providers who tampered with injectable drugs.
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Look for Weak Links to Prevent Drug Diversion
Kimberly New, RN, JD, founder of Diversion Specialists in Knoxville, TN, who frequently consults with healthcare facilities on drug diversion, cites the following common areas of weakness in diversion prevention programs:
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Diverting more than drugs: Addicted workers can harm patients, drain hospital budgets
In the largest settlement of its kind involving allegations of drug diversion at a hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston has agreed to pay the United States $2.3 million to resolve allegations that lax controls enabled MGH employees to divert controlled substances for personal use. MGH voluntarily disclosed the diversion.
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ED diversion rates high throughout the calendar
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Journal Review: Effect of an emergency department managed acute care unit on ED overcrowding and emergency medical services division
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Reports say diversion on the rise: Use technology to overhaul patient flow