The rising number of deaths due to medical errors have necessitated the implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHRs), to improve safety and care in hospitals. In a report by the Commonwealth Fund, the United States ranks amongst the least satisfactory when compared with other first world countries on the issue of medical safety. Automating...
With such a great number of languages, the U.S. healthcare scene faces some challenges with patient care. However, communication technology can certainly surmount these challenges. A census in 2000 showed that more than 47 million in the U.S. speak a language at home other than English. The number of citizens who have limited English proficiency...
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has come a long way since its inception in 1969. The agency has evolved and acknowledged the potential of medical informatics. It has awarded more than $250 million to support over 150 projects in this field. The AHRQ is tasked to research the importance of Information Technology...
Patient care and medical technology are always evolving and improving; this is why training and development doesn’t end in school. Further education is required, and part of it needs to be accomplished within the hospital itself. Importance of Training Despite a busy and fast paced work environment, medical facilities need continuous training for employees – particularly...
Did you know that it can actually cost over $50k to onboard a nurse in a hospital or medical facility? The cost is doubled when turnover rates increase because the hospital pays for onboarding and training for every new nurse. This is precisely why other industries, particularly manufacturing companies, impose training bonds to ensure...
Just-in-time training (JITT) is an effective method to proactively reduce errors related to medical interventions and procedures. Through JITT, nurses can watch short microlearning videos before engaging in critical care processes or prior to operating devices (particularly high-risk, low-use ones) which directly impact patients’ (as well as the nursing professional’s) safety. While this is a...
The World Health Organization started the Priority Medical Devices (PMD) project in 2007 to ensure the effectivity of medical devices when it comes to patient care. The campaign also aims to identify issues related to medical devices and recommend applicable resolutions to such concerns. While the program was requested by the Netherlands, its scope...
Medical errors affect patients, staff (nurses in particular) and the hospital itself. Incorrect administration of (or failure to administer) medication, as well as equipment misuse may harm patients or even cause death. In turn, nurses who are directly responsible can be reprimanded, suspended, or terminated. Some may even face lawsuits in the event that...
How much exactly does labor cost for nurses? Professional auditing company KPMG lists the usual items including payroll, insurance, recruitment related expenses, and non-productivity costs. Nurse Labor Cost Components Payroll includes base wages, differential pay, overtime, holiday pay, general paid time off, contributions for pension, potential additional bonuses, and more. Insurance not only includes health insurance...
While we were taught that “to err is human and to forgive is divine,” there is no room for error in hospitals – particularly for critical procedures. A single mistake when administering drugs or operating medical equipment can be detrimental for the patient and the hospital employee. Not all medical school theory is applicable to...