September 1, 2007
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Assess use of anticoagulants to meet new NPSG requirement
With one death every day and about 1.3 million people injured annually due to medication errors, it is no surprise that reducing the risk of patient injury due to medication error is a National Patient Safety Goal for The Joint Commission. -
Proactive study standard trips up 27% of agencies
Home health managers are very aware of the need to conduct performance improvement projects, but 27% of home health agencies surveyed in 2006 by The Joint Commission did not have an ongoing program for proactive identification or resolution of potential adverse events. -
'Hopefulness' contributes to good end-of-life care
Researchers at a large children's hospital found that nurses who were comfortable working with dying children and their families were also nurses who reported high levels of hopefulness. -
Hospices, NHPCO prepare for anticipated CPs
Time is running out for hospices to prepare for the new Medicare conditions of participation (CPs), and experts say the best strategy is to make quality improvement changes now and not wait until sometime in 2008 when it will become the law. -
Simple test can prevent pneumonia after a stroke
Millions of dollars and several hundred thousand lives could be saved if more hospitals followed a simple best practice -- the swallow test -- for stroke victims, assert researchers in a new study in the journal Neurology. -
LegalEase: When are patients deemed "unsafe" for home care?
Discharge planners/case managers are likely to encounter instances in which home care, hospice, and home medical equipment (HME) providers state that they cannot accept patients because they are "unsafe" at home. -
News Briefs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is extending the bid submission, registration, and accreditation deadlines for the first round of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program.