Articles Tagged With: medical
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Doctor Challenges Medical Errors ‘Hysteria’
A report calling medical errors the third leading cause of death has serious flaws that make that conclusion invalid, according to a physician. He says the report contributes to an irrational hysteria over medical errors.
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Medical Errors: Third Leading Cause of Death
A new study concludes that medical errors are so common that they are the third leading cause of death, though the researchers say error-related deaths currently are not documented well.
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‘Zero Is Our Goal’— Dramatically Reduce Duplicate Medical Records
Duplicate medical records potentially are dangerous to patients because care decisions are based on incorrect information.
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Don’t Overreach, and Argue for Broad Interpretation in Court
Courts typically see confidentiality issues arise in the context of discovery disputes in medical malpractice cases, says Karen Owens, JD, an attorney with the law firm of Coppersmith Brockelman in Phoenix. Naturally, plaintiffs’ counsel would like nothing better than to get into the peer review files they think will prove their case, so they will look hard for ways to squeeze past the statutory protections, she says.
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NPSF says patient safety still a serious concern
Fifteen years after the Institute of Medicine brought public attention to the issue of medical errors and adverse events, patient safety concerns remain a serious public health issue that must be tackled with a more pervasive response, according to a report released recently by the National Patient Safety Foundation in Boston.
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App lets patients check urgent wait times before leaving home
Mobile apps seem to be all the rage in healthcare these days, and Renown Health in Reno, NV, is offering patients access to a host of information on the go. One of the most popular features allows patients to check the wait time at different urgent care centers before deciding which one to use. The app also allows patients to run errands or wait elsewhere until being notified that they are about to be called.
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Free translator application could be a cost-saving tool
There is a free medical translation iOS app named MediBabble that potentially can avoid the use of third-party translators.
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Risk managers should disclose errors to staff, not just to the patient
Most hospitals have embraced the idea of disclosing medical errors to the patient and family members, but Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston goes a step further by informing all staff about these incidents. The policy could provide information to be used against the hospital in litigation, the risk manager says, but educating staff and improving patient safety are worth the risk.
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OIG will focus on these areas in 2016
The Work Plan of the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services lists projects to be addressed during the fiscal year. The plan includes projects planned in each of the Department’s major entities, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
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Printing 3D medical devices comes with substantial liability risk
Just a few years ago, 3D printing was a futuristic breakthrough that seemed to have endless potential for manufacturing and other industries. The future is here, and surgery is one of the fields in which professionals are using 3D printing to create models and even surgical devices that are otherwise unavailable.