November / December Clinical Leadership & Infection Control Issue

November / December Clinical Leadership & Infection Control Issue

Qual

November / December Clinical Leadership & Infection Control Issue

 

ON THE COVER

How Penn Medicine uses VR to help ease anxious minds

Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia unveiled a virtual reality mind­fulness program in September that allows pa­tients, hospital staff or visitors to relax at the facility, according to The Inquirer. CLICK TO CONTINUE

How Christiana Care administered 7k+ flue shots to employees in 1 day

Wilmington, Del.-based Christiana Care Health System held a mass flue vaccination campaign for employees across more than 70 healthcare locations in four states on Oct. 11. CLICK TO CONTINUE

It’s not just ‘Stayin’ Alive’ — Here’s why NewYork-Presbyterian built a Spotify playlist for CPR

More than 350,000 people suffer from cardiac arrest each year outside the hospital setting, according to the American Heart Association. CLICK TO CONTINUE

CareChex: Top 10 quality hospitals for overall hospital care 2019

Quantros, a performance analytics company, released the CareChex 2019 rankings for hospital and health system quality and patient safety Oct. 23. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Rush hospital nurse: Why providers should revisit how they discuss death with patients

Providers often struggle to have open end-of-life discussions with critically ill patients, prompting a need for hospital leaders to reevaluate how nurses discuss death and dying, a nurse argued in an op-ed for The Hill. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Michigan nurse donates kidney to her patient

Iris Zink, MSN, RN, went above and beyond the call of duty to keep patients healthy by donating a kidney to one of her longtime patients at Lansing (Mich.) Rheumatology, reported Fox 47 News. CLICK TO CONTINUE

'AI Clinician' outperforms physicians in treating sepsis patients

An artificial intelligence software system trained to recommend sepsis treatments achieved better patient outcomes than physician-recommended treatments, according to a study published in Nature Medicine. CLICK TO CONTINUE

 

INFECTION CONTROL & PATIENT SAFETY

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation partner to detect infectious disease spread

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub on Oct. 16 unveiled the soft launch of an analytics platform to surveil infectious diseases, rolled out with the support of another technology billionaire’s philanthropy: the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Hospital linens may be source of C. diff outbreaks, study finds

Commercial laundering processes using industrial detergent and high disinfecting temperatures do not completely eliminate the presence of Clostridium difficile bacteria on hospital sheets, according to a study published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Care concerns emerge from Missouri’s ‘assistant physician’ licensure program

After the Missouri legislature created a category of physician licensure to curb primary care physician shortages in rural areas, researchers voiced concerns these assistant physicians’ low first-time pass rates on licensing exams could lead to worse clinical outcomes, JAMA reported. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Hospital privacy curtains are breeding MRSA, study finds

Privacy curtains in hospitals can pose a thread to patient safety, with high percentages of curtains testing a positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Hospitals lead healthcare worker vaccinations, CDC says

About 92 percent of hospital workers reported receiving a flu vaccine during the 2017-18 flu season, compared to 75 percent of ambulatory care workers and 67 percent of long0term care workers, according to a survey released Sept. 28 by the CDC. CLICK TO CONTINUE

4 flu preparedness lessons from the 1918 pandemic

The 1918 flu pandemic offers several lessons on infection control and outbreak response efforts for health officials today, according to a study published Oct. 8 in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Sunlight can kill infection-causing bacteria indoors, study find

Rooms exposed to daylight contain fewer germs than those with less light, a study published in Microbiome found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

EEOC sues Saint Thomas Health over mandatory flu shot policy

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against Nashville, Tenn.-based Saint Thomas Health Sept. 28, alleging Murfreesboro, Tenn.-based Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital violated federal law by ordering an employee to receive a flu shot despite his religious beliefs. CLICK TO CONTINUE

How Christiana Care administered 7k+ flue shots to employees in 1 day

Wilmington, Del.-based Christiana Care Health System held a mass flue vaccination campaign for employees across more than 70 healthcare locations in four states on Oct. 11. CLICK TO CONTINUE

How DNA tests can help physicians detect infectious diseases faster

Hospitals are looking to genetic sequencing services to identify pathogens that make patients sick, Wired reported. CLICK TO CONTINUE

‘Eyeballing’ patients may find sickest ones more effectively than formal assessment

When assessing patients, simply eyeballing them may prove more effective than using a formal structured algorithm to prioritize those who need urgent medical care most, a study published in Emergency Medicine Journal found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

3 hospitals honored for eliminating patient deaths

The Patient Safety Movement Foundation teamed up with the Carter Foundation for the fourth consecutive year on an initiative to eliminate patient deaths. CLICK TO CONTINUE

‘Patient safety room of horrors’ helps med students prepare for hospital mishaps

At the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, a “patient safety room of horrors” is helping medical students and residents identity hospital room mistakes before they occur, according to a blog post on the AMA Wire. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Big cities need more epidemiologists, health officials say

Many major cities in the U.S. staff fewer epidemiologists than recommended by state staffing rations, according to a survey from the Big Cities Health Coalition and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. CLICK TO CONTINUE

How a Novant Health hospital reduced infections by 70%

Salisbury, N.C.-based Novant Health Rowan Medical Center celebrated a 70 percent decrease in hospital-acquired infections since 2016, and as of Oct. 27, the hospital had no infections for the month, according to the Salisbury Post. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Michigan nurse donates kidney to her patient

Iris Zink, MSN, RN, went above and beyond the call of duty to keep patients healthy by donating a kidney to one of her longtime patients at Lansing (Mich.) Rheumatology, reported Fox 47 News. CLICK TO CONTINUE

1 in 4 seriously ill patients report critical medical error

Nearly one in four seriously ill patients said they have experienced a serious medical error, a survey found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Hospitals struggle to sustain preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks

Since the Ebola outbreak of 2014, hospitals in the U.S. have drastically improved their ability to deal with emerging infectious diseases, according to a report from HHS’ Office of Inspector General. CLICK TO CONTINUE

WHO-based intervention increases hand hygiene compliance to 80%+

Astudy published in the Journal of Hospital Infection examined the effect and sustainability of a multimodal improvement program for hand hygiene based on the World Health Organization strategy. CLICK TO CONTINUE

 

PATIENT EXPERIENCE

It’s not just ‘Stayin’ Alive’ — Here’s why NewYork-Presbyterian built a Spotify playlist for CPR

More than 350,000 people suffer from cardiac arrest each year outside the hospital setting, according to the American Heart Association. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Older, sicker patients often uncomfortable speaking up about problems during hospital stays

Although patients are encouraged to share safety concerns with providers, 30 percent do not always feel comfortable speaking up, a study published in BMJ Quality & Safety found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Rush hospital nurse: Why providers should revisit how they discuss death with patients

Providers often struggle to have open end-of-life discussions with critically ill patients, prompting a need for hospital leaders to reevaluate how nurses discuss death and dying, a nurse argued in an op-ed for The Hill. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Viewpoint: How to turn ’10 minutes into 20’ with a patient

Faced with “ever-shrinking time slots” for appointments, physicians must learn how to make the most out of the time they do have for face-to-face encounters with patients, Suneel Dhand, MD, an internal medicine physician and author, wrote in an op-ed for Medpage Today. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Medical scribes linked to better patient experience, physician workflow

The use of medical scribes to track physician-patient encounters in real time for primary care visits was linked to significant reductions in EHR documentation time and improvements in physician productivity and job satisfaction, a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Why every physician at Mount Sinai’s children’s hospital carries referral cards for therapy dogs

New York City-based Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital employs two unlikely workers — a pair of goldendoodles named Professor and Amos, reported Business Insider. CLICK TO CONTINUE

How Penn Medicine uses VR to help ease anxious minds

Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia unveiled a virtual reality mind­fulness program in September that allows pa­tients, hospital staff or visitors to relax at the facility, according to The InquirerCLICK TO CONTINUE

Community health workers double patients’ satisfaction, cut hospital stays

Community health workers, or laypeople who support high-risk patients facing social issues, can help reduce hospital stays by 65 percent and double patient satis­faction with primary care, a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Where do patients share physician reviews online? 5 survey insights

Facebook is one of the most com­mon places patients share physician experiences online, but users don’t use the social network to assess their next provider, according to a survey from Binary Fountain, an online reputation management company. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Patients say Googling health symptoms improves communication with physicians

Adults who search for health information on the internet before visiting the hos­pital say it improves communication with their physician, according to a study published in The Medical Journal of AustraliaCLICK TO CONTINUE

California hospital lets young surgery patients drive to OR

Modesto, Calif.-based Doctors Medical Center lets pediatric patients drive to the operating room in mini cars, which helps alleviate stress before surgery, according to KTVU Fox 2. CLICK TO CONTINUE

How medical schools are battling stereotypes about elderly patients

Medical schools across the U.S. are implementing programs to intro­duce students to healthy, active elders in an effort to ensure medical students have an accurate perception of these patients, according to The New York TimesCLICK TO CONTINUE

Why Boston patients have longer appointment wait times

Boston residents often struggle to schedule med­ical appointments, even though the city has one of the highest per-capita rates of physicians and houses some of the country's best hospitals, Boston Magazine reported. CLICK TO CONTINUE

More regulations cutting into time with patients, physicians say

Physician practices are increasingly burdened with regulations that have taken time away from patients in the last year, a Medical Group Management Association survey found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Why this Michelin-star chef left the restaurant industry to cook in hospitals

Patrick Wodni, once a chef at a popular Michelin-starred restaurant in Berlin, now prepares gourmet hospital meals using local, organ­ic food on a budget, according to The New York Times. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Missouri children’s hospital uses ‘medical version of Snapchat’ to give families surgery updates

Children’s Mercy Kansas City (Mo.) uses an app called EASE to up­date patient’s families on the progress of a procedure or surgery, according to KSHB–41 Action News. CLICK TO CONTINUE

 

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE & STEWARDSHIP

Breastfeeding linked to less antibiotic-resistant bacteria in infants, study finds

Breastfeeding may help infants de­velop gut bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics, according to a study published in Nature Communications. CLICK TO CONTINUE

How Case Western researchers are eliminating drug-resistant infections without antibiotics

Molecules designed to inhibit toxin formation in bacte­ria could prove an effective alternative to antibiotics, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Early antibiotic stewardship intervention lowers costs

Astudy in International Journal of Infectious Dis­eases examined the effects of earlier intervention by an antimicrobial stewardship team on various factors, including antimicrobial use and cost. CLICK TO CONTINUE

UC Berkeley researchers create rapid test to detect superbugs

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley created a simple test to rapidly detect antibi­otic-resistant bacteria strains, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in ChemBioChem. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Study: Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing common for acute pancreatitis

Antibiotics are often misused to prevent or treat acute pancreatitis, even though international treatment guidelines indicate antibi­otics should only be used when patients develop an infection, according to a study published in PancreatologyCLICK TO CONTINUE

Hair-like structures on bacteria could open door for new antibiotics

The surface of pathogenic bacteria like E. coli contains hair-like struc­tures called pili, which help bacteria bind to a host cell and stimulate infection. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Clinical checklist can cut antibiotic duration for staph infections, researchers find

Physicians shortened antibiotic duration for patients with uncomplicated staphylococ­cal bloodstream infections by about two days using a clinical checklist to identify eligible patients, a study published in JAMA found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Nearly half of outpatient antibiotics prescribed without infection diagnosis

One in five antibiotic prescriptions are provided without an in-person visit, and about half of outpatient antibiotics are prescribed without an infection-related diagnosis, according to a study presented at IDWeek 2018, an annual meeting for infectious diseases professionals. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Alternative antibiotics after C-sections may cause more infections

Using prophylactic antibiotics in cesarean-section delivery other than the recommended antibiotics, including cefazolin, was associated with a higher risk of surgical site infections, a study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Nearly half of patients will keep leftover antibiotics: 3 survey findings

It is common for people to give friends and family their unused antibiotics, particularly if they are in liquid or drop form, according to research that was presented at the American Academy of Pedi­atrics National Conference & Exhibition Nov. 5 in Orlando, Fla. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Are physicians overprescribing antibiotics to get higher ratings from patients?

Patients said they were most satisfied with their physician’s visit when they received an antibiot­ic for a respiratory tract infection, whether they needed the drug or not, a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Why superbug transmission occurs in 11% of nursing home interactions

A study published in Infection Control & Hospital Ep­idemiology examined the risk of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria transmission via healthcare workers’ gowns and gloves while providing care at communi­ty-based nursing facilities. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Antidepressants could be fueling superbug growth, study finds

A common antidepressant could be causing antibiotic resistance and contributing to the development of superbugs, according to a study published in Environmental International. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Study: Hospital sink traps may harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Sink traps may pose as hidden reservoirs for antibiot­ic-resistant bacteria, according to a study published Oct. 4 in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Why giving antibiotics to dogs may help bacterial infections spread to people

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria that infected over 100 people and were associated with pet store puppies spread in part because healthy dogs re­ceived antibiotics — a decision contributing to antibiotic resistance, according to a study covered by STATCLICK TO CONTINUE

Probiotic use may decrease likelihood of antibiotic prescriptions among children

Using probiotics helped reduce antibiotic treatment given to infants and children, according to a study published in European Journal of Public Health. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Scientists turn to soil to combat antibiotic-resistant TB

An antibiotic present in soil may prove effective against antibiotic-resis­tant Mycobacterium tuberculosis — the bacteria responsible for tuber­culosis, according to a study published in Nature CommunicationsCLICK TO CONTINUE

 

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT

CareChex: Top 10 quality hospitals for overall hospital care 2019

Quantros, a performance analytics company, released the CareChex 2019 rankings for hospital and health system quality and patient safety Oct. 23. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Hospitals that use accrediting organizations don’t have lower death rates, study finds

A study published in The BMJ found no associa­tion between U.S. hospitals that get accredited by independent organizations such as the Joint Commission and lower death rates. CLICK TO CONTINUE

San Antonio hospitals report better trauma outcomes after ambulances stock blood for transfusions

San Antonio paramedics now carry whole blood in their ambulances to perform transfusions on trauma patients, and some local hospitals are reporting better outcomes as a result, according to EMS1.com. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Discharging heart patients on weekends not linked to higher readmission rates, study finds

Discharging a cardiac surgery patient on a weekend or holiday does not affect hospital readmis­sion rates, according to a study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. CLICK TO CONTINUE

IU Health forms 16 clinical councils to boost care quality

Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health developed 16 physician-led clinical councils this year to help improve care quality and reduce costs. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Readmission risk jumps 2.9% for every day spent in rural hospital

Healthcare facilities in rural cities across southern Appalachia report readmission rates well above the national average, in part due to increased length of stays and a patient population with a history of smoking and multiple comorbidities, according to a study published in CHESTCLICK TO CONTINUE

Hospital-acquired conditions dropped 21% in 5 years

Hospitals and health systems have significantly reduced hospi­tal-acquired conditions, unplanned readmissions and health­care-associated infections over the last 10 years, according to a report from the American Hospital Association. CLICK TO CONTINUE

In-hospital death risk higher among heart failure patients with do-not-resuscitate orders

A study published in the International Journal of General Medicine analyzed the influence of do-not-resuscitate orders on heart failure performance measures. CLICK TO CONTINUE

US News medical school rankings have little effect on patient outcomes, study finds

There is little or no relation between U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of the medical school a phy­sician attended and subsequent patient mortality or readmission rates, a study published in The BMJ found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

CMS eases readmission penalties for safety-net hospitals

Partially because of a push from Con­gress, CMS is easing its penalties for 30-day readmissions for hundreds of safety-net hospitals, according to NPR. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Septic shock mortality rates improved since ‘surviving sepsis’ guidelines released

Overall mortality rates in septic shock improved in the 10 years after the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines were introduced in 2004, a study published in CHEST found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

HAIs can be cut up to 55% through infection control interventions, study finds

Care facilities can cut healthcare-associated infections by up to 55 percent through evidence-based infection control interventions, regardless of a country’s econom­ic status, a review of 144 studies published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Physicians’ choice: Best hospitals for treating key conditions

In a survey asking physicians to rank their hospital preferences for the treatment of several conditions, Rochester, Minn.- based Mayo Clinic was ranked highest for the treatment of six of the 10 conditions, and Houston-based MD Anderson Cancer Center took the top spot in treating all five cancer types, a Medscape survey found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

4 ways to avoid communication errors during patient handoffs

As medical residents transfer patients from one team member to another, they can focus on several key strategies to avoid communication errors, according to a blog post on the AMA WireCLICK TO CONTINUE

How AI & natural language processing technologies can improve outcomes: Q&A with RCCH HealthCare Partners CMIO Dr. Vishal Bhatia

Vishal Bhatia, MD, chief medical in­formation officer at RCCH Health­Care Partners in Brentwood, Tenn., discusses the evolution of his role as CMIO and how artificial intelligence, natural language processing and voice recognition technologies can improve healthcare. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Understanding patient experience can help curb unneeded tests

When providers make efforts to better under­stand patients' experiences during imaging tests, it can help them decide whether or not these tests are necessary during care, a study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

 

DATA INFORMATICS & ANALYTICS

Google creates AI to detect when breast cancer spreads

Google’s artificial intelligence algorithm LYNA accurately detects the spread of breast cancer — but the company is taking pains to highlight that the tool is meant to assist, not replace, human pathologists. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Penn Medicine researchers predict depression diagnoses from Facebook posts

A Facebook user’s language ticks may tip off a clinician to their likelihood of developing depression, accord­ing to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. CLICK TO CONTINUE

NYU uses Google's AI to identify lung cancer

Researchers at New York University in New York City trained an artificial intelligence algorithm developed by Google to distinguish between two common types of lung cancer, Wired reported. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Stanford scientists use bioinformatics to trace hospital-acquired bloodstream infections to patients’ digestive tracts

Researchers at Stanford (Calif.) University found hospital-ac­quired bloodstream infections often begin in a patient’s digestive tract, according to a small study pub­lished by Nature Medicine. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Seattle database tracks superbugs, helps hospitals find best drugs to fight them

To better equip hospitals in the fight against antibi­otic resistance, a group of physicians and scientists in Seattle launched a nonprofit organization in September to develop a data­base of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the Seattle Times reported. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Duke University Hospital rolls out AI system for sepsis

Durham, N.C.-based Duke University Hospital in Novem­ber launched Sepsis Watch, a system that uses artificial intelligence to help identify patients in the early stages of sepsis, according to IEEE SpectrumCLICK TO CONTINUE

'AI Clinician' outperforms physicians in treating sepsis patients

An artificial intelligence software system trained to recommend sepsis treatments achieved better patient outcomes than physician-recommended treatments, according to a study published in Nature Medicine. CLICK TO CONTINUE

Machine learning model helps scientists identify source of deadly viruses

Researchers created a machine learning software that analyzes virus' genetic information to predict which groups of animals the virus will likely spread to, according to a paper published Nov. 1 in ScienceCLICK TO CONTINUE

Johns Hopkins researchers develop tool to predict patient no-shows

Researchers from Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University’s Malone Center for Engineering in Healthcare have cre­ated an algorithm to reduce patient no-shows and increase appointment availability. CLICK TO CONTINUE

AI tools to detect infection fall short when analyzing data across health systems

Artificial intelligence tools trained to detect pneumo­nia on chest X-rays significantly decreased in performance when tested on data at multiple health systems, a study published in PLOS Medicine found. CLICK TO CONTINUE

 

 

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