January/February 2023 Issue of Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control
ON THE COVER
C. difficile has a secret ally, researchers find
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia researchers found that Enterococcus, an antibiotic-resistant pathogen, works with Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff, to change the metabolic environment in the gut so C. diff can thrive, Science Daily reported Nov. 16.
The cost of diagnostic errors in the ED: 5 study notes
A new study led by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that estimates 370,000 patients may suffer serious harm as a result of misdiagnosis in U.S. emergency departments every year is being met with strong criticism from medical societies representing emergency physicians, The New York Times reported Dec. 15.
Joint Commission to overhaul quality metrics, freeze accreditation fees
The Joint Commission is undergoing sweeping overhaul of its standards, eliminating 168 standards (14 percent) and revising another 14 standards. The organization is looking to make its accreditation programs as "efficient and impactful on patient safety, quality and equity as possible," according to Jonathan Perlin, MD, PhD, president and chief executive officer of The Joint Commission.
Trinity Health aims to reduce worker stress with daily pay option
Amid workforce shortages and recruitment and retention challenges, Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health set out to discuss ways to alleviate stress in employees' lives. An interprofessional team across the health system began those talks about a year ago. One of the results was a new pay option for workers under which they can access their money by the day.
How 3 health systems promote nurse civility
The Joint Commission is working to change the way unprofessional issues are communicated between nurses using a report system and trained peer messengers.
The top items on 5 chief medical officers' to-do lists
Clinical leaders across the country know employee burnout, medication shortages and respiratory infections, among a wealth of other challenges, have created the not-so-perfect storm in hospitals.
Nursing ranked most trusted profession for 22nd year in a row
The nursing profession continues to secure the highest assessment of ethics and honesty from Americans, according to the latest Gallup poll findings.
5 top patient safety issues for 2023
The Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control editorial team chose the following five patient safety issues for healthcare leaders to prioritize in 2023, presented below in no particular order, based on news, study findings and trends reported in the past year.
Michelin-star food for the same price as frozen meals: How Northwell does it
Hospitals have a reputation for bland or unhealthy food, but New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health is flipping the script by hiring chefs from Michelin-star restaurants.
ANA's new president: What healthcare leaders get wrong about resiliency
Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, RN, the newest president of the American Nurses Association, twitches when she hears the word resiliency.
CommonSpirit's plan to support 44,000 nurses in 2023
Leaders at small health systems might be quick to dismiss the idea of an internal nurse staffing agency, thinking it's not an option for them. Kathy Sanford, DBA, RN, would challenge that assumption.
Why nurses are signing 'unresignation' letters
A nurse staffing community is encouraging nurses who left the profession or are considering an exit to recommit as part of a new "unResignation Notice" campaign. The campaign aims to spread awareness on the workplace challenges that contributed to nurses' departures.
56 best jobs in healthcare, per US News
U.S. News and World Report on Jan. 10 released its best jobs ranking for 2023. Of the 190 jobs on the list, 56 were healthcare or healthcare support-related.
Viewpoint: Safety work relies too much on clinicians' heroism
A national patient safety effort that standardizes best practices across all U.S. hospitals is required to achieve and sustain meaningful improvements in patient care, five patient safety experts said in a NEJM Catalyst article published Dec. 12.
INFECTION CONTROL
Vaccine hesitancy fueling resurgence of diseases, experts say
A measles outbreak in Columbus, Ohio, is sparking concern among health officials who believe that increased vaccine hesitancy will intensify a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, according to The Washington Post.
Measles is 'imminent' global threat, CDC and WHO say
The pandemic spurred major setbacks in global efforts to eliminate measles, making the disease an "imminent threat" for every part of the world, the CDC and World Health Organization said Nov. 23.
NIH, Sheba Medical Center create pandemic research institute
The National Institutes of Health is partnering with Sheba Medical Center in Israel to create a pandemic research institute, the organizations said Dec. 22.
1 in 8 deaths tied to bacterial infections, global study finds
Bacterial infections accounted for nearly 14 percent of deaths globally in 2019, trailing heart disease as the world's second-leading cause of death, according to a study published Nov. 21 in The Lancet.
C. difficile has a secret ally, researchers find
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia researchers found that Enterococcus, an antibiotic-resistant pathogen, works with Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff, to change the metabolic environment in the gut so C. diff can thrive, Science Daily reported Nov. 16.
PATIENT SAFETY & OUTCOMES
5 top patient safety issues for 2023
The Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control editorial team chose the following five patient safety issues for healthcare leaders to prioritize in 2023, presented below in no particular order, based on news, study findings and trends reported in the past year.
Researchers find possible genetic cause for MIS-C
A new study suggests there may be an underlying genetic cause for why some children develop a rare but serious inflammatory condition known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C, after a COVID-19 infection.
The cost of diagnostic errors in the ED: 5 study notes
A new study led by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that estimates 370,000 patients may suffer serious harm as a result of misdiagnosis in U.S. emergency departments every year is being met with strong criticism from medical societies representing emergency physicians, The New York Times reported Dec. 15.
Joint Commission to overhaul quality metrics, freeze accreditation fees
The Joint Commission is undergoing sweeping overhaul of its standards, eliminating 168 standards (14 percent) and revising another 14 standards. The organization is looking to make its accreditation programs as "efficient and impactful on patient safety, quality and equity as possible," according to Jonathan Perlin, MD, PhD, president and chief executive officer of The Joint Commission.
HHS to partner with health systems on national patient safety alliance
HHS is partnering with some of the country's largest health systems on a national alliance to advance patient safety that will launch next year.
PATIENT & CAREGIVER EXPERIENCE
56 best jobs in healthcare, per US News
U.S. News and World Report on Jan. 10 released its best jobs ranking for 2023. Of the 190 jobs on the list, 56 were healthcare or healthcare support-related.
How physician-peer relationships affect the patient experience: Study
Patients referred to specialists who know their primary care physician may get better care, a study published Jan. 3 in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests
Michelin-star food for the same price as frozen meals: How Northwell does it
Hospitals have a reputation for bland or unhealthy food, but New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health is flipping the script by hiring chefs from Michelin-star restaurants.
52% of patients say their symptoms are ignored: Survey
Fifty-two percent of U.S. patients said healthcare providers dismiss their described symptoms, according to a new MITRE-Harris poll.
NYC Health + Hospitals offers plant-based dinner menu
NYC Health + Hospitals introduced a culturally diverse, plant-based dinner menu as its primary meal option for inpatients. The initiative builds on the hospital system's "Meatless Monday" program and its successful launch last summer of a plant-based primary lunch menu, according to a Jan. 9 release.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT
Structured patient handoffs cut adverse effects by nearly 50%, researchers find
The I-PASS Handoff Program, created to improve handoff miscommunications when providers change shifts, resulted in a 47 percent reduction in adverse events, a new study found.
Dementia rates fell 30% over 16 years — working and education may deserve credit
Researchers from RAND Corporation, a nonprofit think tank, found dementia rates dropped by 30.1 percent among individuals 65 and older over a 16-year period.
Delaying surgery after COVID-19 infection can prevent heart issues
A recent study found that delaying surgery after a COVID-19 infection reduced the risk of major postoperative heart events.
Less than a quarter of NICUs conduct social determinants of health screenings
Less than 25 percent of neonatal intensive care units across the U.S. screen for universal social determinants of health, according to a study published Nov. 1 in Hospital Pediatrics.
Atlanta hospital gets 1st maternal levels of care designation from The Joint Commission
Northside Hospital in Atlanta is the first in the country to receive a Maternal Levels of Care Verification from The Joint Commission.
NURSING SPOTLIGHT
ANA's new president: What healthcare leaders get wrong about resiliency
Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, RN, the newest president of the American Nurses Association, twitches when she hears the word resiliency.
Why nurses are signing 'unresignation' letters
A nurse staffing community is encouraging nurses who left the profession or are considering an exit to recommit as part of a new "unResignation Notice" campaign. The campaign aims to spread awareness on the workplace challenges that contributed to nurses' departures.
Nursing ranked most trusted profession for 22nd year in a row
The nursing profession continues to secure the highest assessment of ethics and honesty from Americans, according to the latest Gallup poll findings.
Press Ganey recognizes 7 hospitals for outstanding nursing
Press Ganey, a leading healthcare performance improvement company, recognized seven hospitals for outstanding nursing Jan. 4.
Resilience isn't a pillar by itself': CommonSpirit's plan to support 44,000 nurses in 2023
Leaders at small health systems might be quick to dismiss the idea of an internal nurse staffing agency, thinking it's not an option for them. Kathy Sanford, DBA, RN, would challenge that assumption.