Healthcare Benchmarks and Quality Improvement Archives – May 1, 2007
May 1, 2007
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New study shines light on poor transfer communications
Quality improvement professionals have long known of the difficulties involved in discharge communications between hospital-based physicians and primary care physicians, but in the words of one observer, "This is the first time the problem has been quantified." -
Joint Commission report shows quality gains
A new report from The Joint Commission, of Oakbrook Terrace, IL, indicates that hospitals in the United States have achieved significant improvements in quality of care in the past four years for patients suffering from three conditions: Heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia. -
Interventions improve care, not necessarily outcomes
A study published in the March 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine1 found that interventions for chronic conditions in the Health Disparities Collaboratives led to improvements in processes of care, but the authors could not document improvement in clinical outcomes. -
IPRO, New York QIO, wins prestigious quality award
What makes an outstanding QIO? It appears that IPRO, the New York Quality Improvement Organization (QIO), knows the answer, as it has just garnered the prestigious Empire State Advantage's (ESA) Empire State Silver Certification. -
Collaborative aimed at hospital communication
A new program from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) called "Effective Communication in Hospitals" is designed to aid hospitals in meeting the communication needs of individuals who do not speak English as their primary language, or who are deaf or hard of hearing. -
News Briefs
Leapfrog hospital survey gets tougher; New Haven gets $3 million EHR grant for software; California launches hospital report card site; Cost biggest barrier to health IT adoption -
HHS starts medical response tool site
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a new downloadable on-line diagnostic and treatment toolkit designed to help health care providers and primarily physicians provide medical care during a radiation incident.