May/June 2023 Issue of Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control
ON THE COVER
'Focus on creating great experiences': How healthcare marketing is evolving
In rural areas, where hospitals are shuttering or are no longer offering care such as labor and delivery, patients have no choice but to travel for healthcare. However, in and around big cities, the situation is the opposite: competition between hospitals to attract patients is fierce.
Top 10 patient safety concerns for 2023
The pediatric mental health crisis is the most pressing patient safety concern in 2023, the Emergency Care Research Institute said March 13.
85% of nurses plan to leave hospital roles 1 year from now: Survey
A nursing workforce that has been shrinking dramatically may be headed toward even greater challenges. Only 15 percent of nurses working in hospital settings say they plan to stay in their current positions one year from now, according to a survey of more than 18,000 nurses conducted by AMN Healthcare, one of the largest healthcare staffing company in the country.
Fast-tracked nursing program shows early success in Maryland: 12 numbers
A nursing education program invented at Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical System is showing promising signs, its creators told The Baltimore Banner.
The hidden penalty of remote work
Many U.S. workers have wholeheartedly embraced the flexibility and freedom of working from home, but new research suggests there may be a hidden downside to remote work, The New York Times reported April 24.
How Duke's health system supports a workforce that is 60% millennial or Gen Z
To retain workers, hospitals and health systems must ensure they meet employee needs and expectations across generations. This is particularly true as more older healthcare workers have retired or plan to retire, and as younger generations such as millennials and Generation Z make up large portions of their workforces.
'Being a nurse positioned me for this': MetroHealth's CEO on rising into leadership
Airica Steed, EdD, RN, appears to be a woman made to be a healthcare CEO; her story is like something out of a comic book.
'It doesn't have to be us or them': 1 chief nursing officer's take on the future of hospitals
Athena Minor, MSN, RN, chief nursing and clinical officer at Hartford, Ky.-based Ohio County Healthcare, found hope in some of the changes necessitated by COVID-19.
The new 'Operation Warp Speed'
The Biden administration aims to accelerate the development of new coronavirus vaccines and treatments through a more than $5 billion program dubbed "Project Next Gen," The Washington Post reported April 10.
FDA commissioner: Medical misinformation is hurting US life expectancy
Medical misinformation is a contributing factor to lowered life expectancies in the U.S., FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, told CNBC.
The rise of 'elective injuries'
The rise of platforms such as TikTok and Instagram has created a new enemy for hospital emergency departments: viral social media challenges.
Meritus Health CEO: Make health inequity a 'never event'
It's time for healthcare organizations to label health inequities as "never events" and abandon the idea that eliminating them is a "journey" or "marathon," Maulik Joshi, DrPH, president and CEO of Hagerstown, Md.-based Meritus Health, wrote in a March 25 opinion piece published in Medpage Today.
INFECTION CONTROL
FDA commissioner: Medical misinformation is hurting US life expectancy
Medical misinformation is a contributing factor to lowered life expectancies in the U.S., FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, told CNBC.
WHO rolls out initiative to improve pandemic preparedness — for next time
The likelihood of another pandemic similar to COVID-19 or worse is around 28 percent, Bloomberg reported April 13. As such, the question for many has become "Are we ready?" In response, the World Health Organization has launched a new initiative aimed at making the answer a "Yes," — or at least "Here's how to be" — for countries around the world.
The new 'Operation Warp Speed'
The Biden administration aims to accelerate the development of new coronavirus vaccines and treatments through a more than $5 billion program dubbed "Project Next Gen," The Washington Post reported April 10.
COVID-19 in the short and long term: 3 thoughts from Dr. Peter Hotez
Ahead of the May 11 end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Houston-based Baylor College of Medicine, told the Houston Chronicle April 27 that emerging variants, vaccine uptake and pandemic preparedness are top of mind for him.
How this Texas system prevented HAIs from rising amid pandemic
The Veterans Affairs North Texas Health Care System in Dallas prevented healthcare-associated infection rates from rising during the pandemic — and reduced burnout among infection prevention and control team members — through a 14-month initiative, according to a study published April 26 in the American Journal of Infection Control.
PATIENT SAFETY & OUTCOMES
What's changed 1 year after RaDonda Vaught's conviction?
In the year since RaDonda Vaught was convicted for a fatal medical error, much has been said from leaders at all levels of healthcare about the need to build a strong culture of safety and empower front-line workers to report errors.
American College of Physicians: Time to elevate gun safety conversations with patients
Amid rapidly increasing gun violence across the U.S., the American College of Physicians issued a statement saying it is time for physicians to prioritize having conversations about gun violence and safety with patients.
The rise of 'elective injuries'
The rise of platforms such as TikTok and Instagram has created a new enemy for hospital emergency departments: viral social media challenges.
Meritus Health CEO: Make health inequity a 'never event'
It's time for healthcare organizations to label health inequities as "never events" and abandon the idea that eliminating them is a "journey" or "marathon," Maulik Joshi, DrPH, president and CEO of Hagerstown, Md.-based Meritus Health, wrote in a March 25 opinion piece published in Medpage Today.
Cape Cod hospital to begin TeamBirth initiative
The birthing center at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Mass., has become one of nine hospitals in the state to participate in a new, national labor and delivery care model, capecod.com reported April 27.
PATIENT & CAREGIVER EXPERIENCE
'Focus on creating great experiences': How healthcare marketing is evolving
In rural areas, where hospitals are shuttering or are no longer offering care such as labor and delivery, patients have no choice but to travel for healthcare. However, in and around big cities, the situation is the opposite: competition between hospitals to attract patients is fierce.
The hidden penalty of remote work
Many U.S. workers have wholeheartedly embraced the flexibility and freedom of working from home, but new research suggests there may be a hidden downside to remote work, The New York Times reported April 24.
How AI is helping patients reclaim their voice
Artificial intelligence is paving the way for patients with conditions that hinder their ability to speak to reclaim their voices, The Washington Post reported April 20.
Why Kaiser is focusing on 'real-time' patient feedback, not just survey statistics
If healthcare C-suite leaders review patient survey metrics and there are no clinicians around to hear the details, did it really happen?
New law bars Alabama hospitals from restricting visitors
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation into law April 18 that prohibits healthcare facilities in the state from restricting in-person visitation to patients.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT
How Keck Medicine is doubling down on care quality
Building a strong foundation for safe and equitable care is no easy task, especially amid pandemic-related disruptions and workforce shortages. But Keck Medicine of USC is clearly doing something right — Keck Hospital of USC is a seven-time Leapfrog "A" safety grade awardee, and USC Norris Cancer Hospital was recently named one of Leapfrog's top teaching hospitals for the second consecutive year.
Michigan Medicine formalizes policy to report patient abuse, neglect
Michigan Medicine has issued a new policy regarding employees' responsibility to report alleged acts of patient abuse or neglect by colleagues, the Ann Arbor-based system said April 26.
Joint Commission study explores wrong-site surgery risk factors, trends
Orthopedic services are the most frequently cited in wrong-site surgery claims, according to an analysis of closed claims data published in the May edition of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.
5 ways Massachusetts hopes to reduce medical errors statewide
Medical errors kill up to 9,000 patients per year. The death of Betsy Lehman, a cancer patient — and former columnist for The Boston Globe — as a result of a medical error in Boston nearly 30 years ago, has now prompted Massachusetts to embark on revamped efforts to address medical errors in health facilities.
Adverse events rose 19% in 2022, Joint Commission finds
New data from The Joint Commission found that of all reported sentinel events in 2022, 44 percent resulted in severe temporary harm and 20 percent resulted in a patient death.
NURSING SPOTLIGHT
85% of nurses plan to leave hospital roles 1 year from now: Survey
A nursing workforce that has been shrinking dramatically may be headed toward even greater challenges. Only 15 percent of nurses working in hospital settings say they plan to stay in their current positions one year from now, according to a survey of more than 18,000 nurses conducted by AMN Healthcare, one of the largest healthcare staffing company in the country.
Nurses stream back to hospitals amid temp job slump
Nursing shortages are easing for some hospitals after falling pay from temp agencies and new hospital perks drive more nurses back into permanent positions, The Wall Street Journal reported May 1.
'Being a nurse positioned me for this': MetroHealth's CEO on rising into leadership
Airica Steed, EdD, RN, appears to be a woman made to be a healthcare CEO; her story is like something out of a comic book.
World's 1st certified burn nurse credential ready to roll out
Beta testing of the world's first burn nursing specialty certification will take place from July 10 through August 6. Eligible nurses can apply, beginning May 10, to be one of the first to take the test and earn a certified burn registered nurse credential — CBRN. The testing will be fully rolled out this fall to the entire nursing community.
Fast-tracked nursing program shows early success in Maryland: 12 numbers
A nursing education program invented at Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical System is showing promising signs, its creators told The Baltimore Banner.