March/April 2020 Issue of Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control
ON THE COVER
2 patient experience strategies separating front-runners from the pack
As a whole, the healthcare industry is making gains in patient experience. But that doesn't mean health systems can rest on their laurels, according to Thomas Lee, MD, CMO of Press Ganey.
Healthgrades' best 50 US hospitals for 2020
Healthgrades has released its America's Best Hospitals rankings for 2020. Three lists feature America's 50, 100 and 250 best hospitals, which represent the top 1, 2 and 5 percent of hospitals in the nation, respectively. To compile the lists, Healthgrades analyzed the performance of nearly 4,500 U.S. hospitals in treating 32 conditions and procedures, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and sepsis.
Prioritize nurses and your health system will succeed, MUSC's CNO says
Patti Hart, DNP, MSN, RN, is the chief nursing officer of Medical University of South Carolina Health's Charleston division, which includes MUSC Health University Medical Center.
'Hope for the best, prepare for the worst': UNMC infection control chief talks coronavirus
Mark Rupp, MD, chief of the infectious disease division and medical director of infection control and epidemiology at Omaha-based University of Nebraska Medical Center, discussed the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak with Becker's.
37 hospitals patients are most, least likely to recommended
Harvard Medical School's COVID-19 Health Literacy Project has translated essential information about COVID-19, including prevention and potential treatments, into 37 languages to reduce the risk of infection for non-English speakers in the U.S., STAT reports.
9 nurses reflect on their most memorable workdays
We invite all nurses and nursing leaders currently working in healthcare settings to participate in a series of Q&As about their experiences.
Viewpoint: Time to rethink mandatory patient hospital gowns
While patient hospital gowns serve a number of practical purposes, the psychological effects of donning them may be more harmful than good, a physician argues in an opinion piece in The New York Times.
WHO: World is ‘dangerously’ unprepared for next pandemic
The head of the World Health Organization said the world may be "dangerously" unprepared for a disease pandemic at an executive board meeting Feb. 3, reports CNBC.
24 hospitals with highest, lowest post-op sepsis rates
The following hospitals had the highest and lowest rates of bloodstream infections after surgery in the U.S. The figures are taken from the "Complications and Deaths - Hospital'' report on CMS' Hospital Compare website. Scores were collected from July 2016 through June 2018, the most recent data available.
Hospitality trumps care quality in patient surveys
Neither care quality nor patient survival rates have a significant effect on patient satisfaction ratings, according to a study published in the journal Social Forces.
Fewer adults are using primary care
Americans are visiting primary care physicians far less often than they did a decade ago, according to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
10 common medication errors to address in 2020
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices on Jan. 16 shared 10 common medication errors and hazards healthcare providers should work to address in 2020.
Hospital groups call out CMS over star ratings update
CMS' updated its Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings Jan. 28 with its existing methodology, a move several hospital groups have expressed their discontent with.
Fitbits could be used to predict oncoming flu outbreaks
Information tracked by wearable sensors, such as Fitbits, could be used to improve flu surveillance and prevent outbreaks, according to a study published Jan. 16 in The Lancet.
Texas Health Resources rolls out digital rounding tool for nurses
Nurse managers at Arlington-based Texas Health Resources will start using a new digital rounding tool this month to help improve patients' hospital experience, reports the Cleburne Times-Review.
INFECTION CONTROL & PATIENT SAFETY
VA improving infection control, but there's room for improvement, study finds
The reported use of 12 infection prevention practices increased in Veterans Affairs hospitals between 2005 and 2017, but there is room for improvement in key infection control areas, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
How tracking employees in real time can reduce hospital infections
Hospitals using real-time location systems to track hand hygiene could reduce hospital infection rates, according to Scientific American.
New Jersey hospital improperly discharged 6-year-old who died of flu, lawsuit claims
A New Jersey couple is suing Hoboken (N.J.) University Medical Center, claiming physicians' negligence led to their daughter's death from the flu in 2018, reports NJ.com.
Vitamin C combo treatment ineffective for septic shock patients, study finds
A treatment that combined vitamin C, hydrocortisone and thiamine didn't help patients with septic shock, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
VA hospital deaths prompt House bill mandating safety reports
After a string of suspicious deaths at a Veterans Affairs hospital, lawmakers have introduced a bill in the U.S. House requiring the VA to provide detailed reports on patient safety and care quality at its hospitals.
PATIENT EXPERIENCE
Texas hospital goes extra mile to help young burn survivors adjust at school
Young children who have suffered severe burn injuries face challenges beyond the clinical and physical after hospital discharge — including going back to school and facing their classmates' curiosity.
New Cedars-Sinai app collects patient feedback in real time
Cedars-Sinai Health System is rolling out a digital tool that allows patients to complete short surveys throughout their hospital stays via text message, enabling care teams to address challenges and concerns in real time.
ER patients shed light on the trauma restraints can bring
Numerous patients described being restrained during emergency room visits and the lasting negative effects the experience had on their well-being, according to research published Jan. 24 in JAMA Network Open.
Hospitality trumps care quality in patient surveys, study finds
Neither care quality nor patient survival rates have a significant effect on patient satisfaction ratings, according to a study published in the journal Social Forces.
Rush unveils center for LGBTQ+ healthcare
Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center has launched a center that aims to offer safe, accessible and comprehensive care to people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and other sexual identities, or LGBTQ+.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT
Viewpoint: Time to rethink mandatory patient hospital gowns
While patient hospital gowns serve a number of practical purposes, the psychological effects of donning them may be more harmful than good, a physician argues in an opinion piece in The New York Times.
3 tips for engaging physicians in quality improvement
Engaging physicians in quality improvement work can help prevent them from feeling a loss of control in medicine, which is often cited as a contributing factor to burnout, two physicians wrote in a blog post for Health Affairs.
Open communication limits medical errors' adverse effects, study finds
Healthcare providers should use open communication when disclosing medical errors to limit adverse outcomes such as healthcare avoidance or loss of trust among patients, according to a study published in BMJ Quality & Safety.
Preventable hospital death estimates are too high, study finds
Estimates of preventable hospital deaths may be two to four times too high, according to a study published Jan. 21 in The Journal of General Internal Medicine.
There's little evidence bedside 'sitters' reduce patient falls
Bedside "sitters" are an expensive strategy to reduce patient falls, and more research is needed to determine if they're worth the cost, according to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
DATA ANALYTICS & INFORMATICS
HBR: Relying on data will improve decision-making — 10 steps to foster a data-driven culture
If done properly, collecting and utilizing patient data promises to streamline business operations and strategies and boost engagement, but very few organizations have unlocked the full potential of the data they have amassed.
Tampa General introduces data analytics platform
Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital announced Feb. 3 that it has partnered with Agathos to provide more clinical feedback to physicians in order to improve their patient outcomes.
Most healthcare organizations lack data infrastructure needed for value-based care: Innovaccer report
Though the majority of healthcare executives agree that a combination of analytics and technology is the most critical factor for success in value-based care, most organizations still lack the proper infrastructure to integrate patient data, according to a new report.
The 'data-driven physician' is on the rise: Stanford Medicine report
In spite of the difficulties associated with implementing new technologies into healthcare, most physicians are not just open to disruption, but are readily embracing it by seeking tech training and launching data-driven initiatives, a new Stanford Medicine report finds.
Fitbits could be used to predict oncoming flu outbreaks
Information tracked by wearable sensors, such as Fitbits, could be used to improve flu surveillance and prevent outbreaks, according to a study published Jan. 16 in The Lancet.
NURSING SPOTLIGHT
Prioritize nurses and your health system will succeed, MUSC's CNO says
Patti Hart, DNP, MSN, RN, is the chief nursing officer of Medical University of South Carolina Health's Charleston division, which includes MUSC Health University Medical Center.
Texas Health Resources rolls out digital rounding tool for nurses
Nurse managers at Arlington-based Texas Health Resources will start using a new digital rounding tool this month to help improve patients' hospital experience, reports the Cleburne Times-Review.
Nurse practitioner employment by state
New York has the highest number of employed nurse practitioners among all 50 U.S. states, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data collected in May 2018.
Meet Moxi, Medical City Dallas' robotic nurse assistant
Medical City Dallas has implemented a new solution to optimize nurses' daily tasks: a clinical assistant robot named Moxi, according to a Feb. 14 Dallas Morning News report.
Strong nursing culture linked to more engaged physicians, loyal patients
Investing time and energy to promote a culture of nursing excellence can help hospitals increase patient loyalty, improve care quality and boost physician engagement, according to Press Ganey's 2020 Nursing Special Report released Feb. 20.