May/June 2020 Issue of Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control
ON THE COVER
'This is healthcare's Amazon moment': Dr. Stephen Klasko's 5 predictions on healthcare delivery post-COVID-19
Health systems have accelerated their digital health, telehealth and virtual care capabilities in the past 30 days forcing them to disrupt themselves, says Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health President and CEO Stephen Klasko, MD.
Top 10 patient safety concerns of 2020 from ECRI Institute
Diagnostic errors and maternal health issues are the top two patient safety concerns for healthcare organizations in 2020, as ranked by patient safety organization ECRI Institute.
The 2 traits leaders need to always make the right decision from Memorial Hermann's quality chief Dr. Angela Shippy
Angela Shippy, MD, stepped into her expanded role as senior vice president and chief medical and quality officer of Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System in February.
'COVID-19 doesn't respect silos and neither should we': Nuvance Health's CXO on patient experience during the pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic may result in lasting changes to public and private healthcare, including changes to the patient and caregiver experience arenas. Amid the crisis, healthcare organizations have had to be quick on their feet to overcome myriad clinical and operational challenges thrown at them, all while ensuring the well-being of their patients and clinicians.
58 hospitals with the nation's best CAUTI rates
The following hospitals had the lowest rates of catheter-associated urinary tract infections in the U.S., according to data from CMS' Hospital Compare website.
The victory playlist: Songs hospitals play to celebrate COVID-19 wins
Hospitals across the country are burdened by the COVID-19 pandemic, often in extreme and unexpected ways, but that doesn't mean they aren't counting their wins.
COVID-19 is 13 times deadlier than flu, study suggests
COVID-19 may kill about 1.3 percent of symptomatic patients, an infection fatality rate that is 13 times higher than the flu, according to a peer-reviewed study slated for publication in Health Affairs.
N95 masks can only be decontaminated, reworn 2 or 3 times safely, study shows
A National Institutes of Health study shows that N95 masks can be decontaminated and reused safely only two or three times, according to MedPage Today.
There are limits to coronavirus antibody testing, AMA warns
Physicians and the general public should be cautious about the use of antibody testing for identifying previous COVID-19 infections, and they should especially be cautious of using the tests to determine if a person is immune to the new coronavirus, the American Medical Association warned.
COVID-19 patients face many obstacles after ICU stay
Hundreds of thousands of Americans may struggle with the physical and psychological effects of a long-term intensive care unit stay once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, reports The Washington Post.
47 practices for safer care from AHRQ
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality outlines 47 practices healthcare providers can adopt or refine to improve patient safety in a new report.
Helping people feel whole: AdventHealth CEO Terry Shaw on why the system screens for spiritual well-being
In 2018, Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth launched an outpatient program that screens patients to assess their personal sense of love, joy and peace in their lives. The program, called clinical mission integration, aims to address patients' care needs beyond just the physical element.
5 insights from a hospital that's treated 3,500+ COVID-19 patients
Three emergency physicians from Stony Brook (N.Y.) University Hospital outlined their experience on the front lines of the pandemic in an April 13 entry for The New England Journal of Medicine's COVID-19 Notes series.
Recovery guidelines vary widely for COVID-19 patients
Protocols for when recovered COVID-19 patients can end self-quarantine and resume normal activities differ greatly across the U.S. and other countries, reports The Wall Street Journal.
INFECTION CONTROL
Coronavirus' low mutation rate suggests yearly vaccine unnecessary
The new coronavirus does not appear to be mutating quickly, which may mean that when a vaccine is developed, it could offer lasting protection, scientists told The Washington Post.
Inflammatory condition in children may be delayed complication of COVID-19, researchers say
The new inflammatory condition emerging among children may be a delayed complication of COVID-19, as there are some children who test negative for the disease but positive for coronavirus antibodies, suggesting the inflammatory condition may occur after the virus is no longer detectable on nasal swabs, researchers said.
Up to 20% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients are millennials, CDC says
Americans over age 65 are most at risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19, but the illness can also have detrimental effects on millennials, according to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published March 18.
Viral shedding is high in first days of coronavirus illness, study shows
People who have contracted the new coronavirus "shed" the virus most heavily in the first few days of the illiness, and shedding may continue even after they stop showing symptoms, according to a new study.
3 factors that may boost COVID-19 patients' death risk
Old age, signs of sepsis and blood clotting issues may put hospitalized COVID-19 patients at greater risk of death, according to a study published in The Lancet.
PATIENT SAFETY
Ventilators should be used sparingly for COVID-19 patients, researchers warn
Adopting a new playbook for deciding when to ventilate COVID-19 patients and using ventilators for these patients less often could help reduce the death rate among coronavirus patients on ventilators, a new review suggests.
Maryland nursing home fined $10K a day after COVID-19 deaths
Health officials are fining a Maryland nursing home $10,000 a day for infection control deficiencies related to a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility, according to a notification letter obtained by The Washington Post.
COVID-19 patients face many obstacles after ICU stay
Hundreds of thousands of Americans may struggle with the physical and psychological effects of a long-term intensive care unit stay once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, reports The Washington Post.
Elderly woman killed after social distancing argument in New York ER
The recent death of an elderly patient at an emergency room in New York City highlights hospitals' struggle to maintain order as both patient volumes and fears about the pandemic rise, reports The New York Times.
Milwaukee hospital's ER still slow to check on patients after woman's death, CMS finds
A CMS inspection has found several instances in which emergency room staff at Milwaukee-based Froedtert Hospital did not check on patients as often as they should have per hospital policy, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report.
PATIENT EXPERIENCE
Helping people feel whole: AdventHealth CEO Terry Shaw on why the system screens for spiritual well-being
In 2018, Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth launched an outpatient program that screens patients to assess their personal sense of love, joy and peace in their lives. The program, called clinical mission integration, aims to address patients' care needs beyond just the physical element.
AMA: 10 things to know about patient access to digital health records
The American Medical Association recently released a digital playbook to help physician practices navigate challenges associated with giving patients access to their electronic health information.
Children's Health CXO on how an Amazon collab is making the patient experience 'as seamless and compassionate as possible'
In January, Dallas-based Children's Health announced that it had installed an Amazon Hub Locker kiosk so the families of long-term patients could receive and return packages directly from the Children's Medical Center Dallas campus.
Some US hospitals allowing drug users to go home with IV lines
Patients who need antibiotic treatment delivered intravenously in the weeks or months after being discharged from the hospital are typically allowed to go home with a medication pump and an open IV tube — and for the first time some U.S. hospitals are allowing drug users to do the same, according to an NPR report.
The victory playlist: Songs hospitals play to celebrate COVID-19 wins
Hospitals across the country are burdened by the COVID-19 pandemic, often in extreme and unexpected ways, but that doesn't mean they aren't counting their wins.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT
The technology that has helped improve nursing care: 4 nurses weigh in
Four nurses discuss the types of technology that have helped them give the best care to patients, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How Northwell improved resuscitation outcomes in the ED
Videotaping staff members performing CPR in the emergency department may help improve resuscitation rates, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Quality improving among Medicaid managed care plans: 3 study findings
Medicaid managed care plans — which serve two-thirds of all Medicaid enrollees — have consistently improved performance on more than 25 quality metrics since 2014, according to a report from America's Health Insurance Plans.
Civica Rx investor gives Penn Nursing $6M to study care model
The University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing will attempt to replicate and study its own transitional care model at four other health systems through a $6 million grant from Arnold Ventures, a Houston-based foundation known for investing in Civica Rx.
Mount Sinai Health System launches center for COVID-19 recovery
New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System has opened a center to help patients recovering from COVID-19 and to study the long-term impact of the disease.