The following guest post on patient safety in healthcare was submitted by Dixie Somers.
Asthma can be triggered at any time and in any type of environment. In a healthcare setting where nurses and physicians are trying to treat patients who may have severe asthma problems, the presence of allergens and environmental contaminants can be particularly troublesome. Keeping these patients safe requires additional measures to allow them to receive appropriate treatment without causing an attack.
Hospitals and healthcare organizations should ensure an environment free of allergens and environmental contaminants to increase patient safety for those afflicted with asthma.
Stress
Being in a hospital or clinic itself can be stressful and can bring on an attack before the individual can apply counter measures. Maintaining a positive, compassionate environment can help to reduce stress levels and the risk of an attack. Physicians can ensure that the patient is taking appropriate medications before they are admitted to a healthcare facility.
Pollen, Mold, Dust Mites
Careful attention should be given to the cleanliness of the environment, not only in regard to dirt brought in from the outside, but also to limit the amount of pollen, mold and dust mites that are known triggers for asthma attacks. Air purification systems should be installed and regularly maintained to ensure that the number of allergens in the environment is minimized.
Cold, Dry Air
Indoor temperatures should be carefully maintained at a comfortable level with care taken to provide appropriate moisture levels to prevent irritable of airways in affected patients. A humidity level between 30 to 50 percent is considered ideal. This action will benefit both those with asthma and non-asthmatic patients.
Chemical Fumes
Harsh cleaning products and other chemical sources that could produce fumes that could lead to an asthma attack should be minimized. Proactive efforts to require maintenance services to use non-toxic, organic cleaning compounds that are both effective and safe will help to protect asthmatic patients.
Record of Previous Hospitalizations
Patients who have severe asthma or who do not manage their symptoms well can be subject to increased risk for an attack in a healthcare setting because a number of common triggers may be present. In addition, research indicates that those who have previously been admitted for asthma problems are at higher risk for serious health effects when subsequently hospitalized. Because of these issues, health professionals must take particular care to ensure these patients are given proper instructions before, during and after their treatment in a facility.
Patients with asthma present additional concerns for healthcare professionals when they are being admitted to healthcare institutions. Implementing a number of measures in advance can help to ensure the safe medical care of these individuals.
Dixie Somers is a freelance writer and blogger from Phoenix, Arizona, who loves most to write for health, technology, and business niches. Dixie is the proud mother of three beautiful girls and wife to a wonderful husband.
The following guest post on patient engagement was submitted by Emma Sturgis.
In today’s healthcare environment, it’s easier than ever for a patient to switch providers. By contacting their insurance carrier, they can easily switch their preferred provider in the blink of an eye to finding an office that’s closer or that charges less for treatment.
Medical offices aren’t one-size-fits-all. Quality services are important, but there are hundreds of talented doctors looking for new patients daily. One way to truly improve patient retention is to give patients an experience they can’t get elsewhere. By investing your efforts into engaging your patients in their care, you can stand out among other offices and show your patients that you care as well.
Engage Your Patients While They Wait For You Part of seeing the doctor is waiting. If you’re really focused on improving customer satisfaction in your practice, one goal should always be to spend more time with your patient so they are spending less time in the examination room alone. When your patient is waiting, they should be engaging.
By investing in patient engagement technology, you can encourage all of your patients to engage in the experience right at their bedside. With an interactive tablet or TV system, the patient can read up on health tips, schedule appointments, order a meal, or look up good questions to ask doctors and nurses. Engagement platforms like these have proven to keep patients educated and entertained.
Hire an Advocate Dedicated to Patient Engagement There is more than one type of patient engagement solution. Tablets and TVs can quickly become engagement platforms in the examination room or the hospital room. Once the patient leaves, these solutions won’t keep the patient involved in their care and focused on staying educated about their healthcare and treatment.
One way that you can keep your patients accountable after their appointment ends or they are handed their discharge paperwork is to hire a patient engagement specialist. When you’re outside of a medical environment, you’re not quite as focused on healthcare because you have so much to distract you.
Advocates who specialize in patient engagement know that patients must be reminded of their health on a regular basis. The advocate will touch base with the patient, look for improvement opportunities, and monitor how the patient is progressing in their program. It’s important that your advocate is personable but also good at stressing the importance of what the doctor has prescribed.
Encourage Your Patients to Use Technology to Manage Their Meds Medications are necessary to treat some conditions. They can also help patients live more fulfilling lives if they are managed properly. Some clients who need to take prescribed drugs are less-than-dedicated to taking the right dosages at the right times. In fact, a huge reason there are bad outcomes in patients who take medications is because they aren’t managed right.
You can help your patients stay engaged in their healthcare when they are prescribed medications by recommending that they use special healthcare apps. These will remind the patient when to take their medications and gives information on side affects you should expect. It is a great way for a patient to get answers about their prescriptions without having to wait until their next appointment.
A patient is just as responsible for the outcome when they are being treated for an illness or a chronic disease. Unfortunately, some patients prefer not to be engaged and leave their health entirely in the hands of the doctor. If you want to show patients that they need to be involved in their care while improving satisfaction, here are 3 engagement solutions to consider implementing.
Emma is a freelance writer currently living in Boston, MA. She writes most often on education and business. To see more from Emma, say hi on Twitter @EmmaSturgis2
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The following guest post on patient safety in healthcare was submitted by Aaron Barriga.
LASIK is a widely adopted procedure to cure minor eye ailments like myopia and hypermetropia. It is a simple technique that makes the use of laser technology to correct the vision of a person. LASIK has been approved by the FDA and is considered safe. A person is treated using LASIK by creating a tiny flap on the surface of the eye and reshaping the exposed cornea gently with help of a laser beam. The procedure is highly accurate and controlled. With a remarkable success rate of 96%, LASIK helps patients achieve 20/20 vision. It is a minimally invasive procedure by which you can be cured of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Being the most popular form of corrective treatment, LASIK is widely available anywhere across the globe. Over 35 million treatments have been carried out so far.
Learn more about the safety risks of LASIK surgery.
Positive Results for Lasik Eye Surgery
Though results of undergoing LASIK are not the same for everyone, more than 95% of the people have achieved perfect vision through the treatment. It has been considered as one of the safest vision treatments. After undergoing the LASIK treatment, people have been able to get rid of their contact lenses and glasses permanently. They are able to do all types of daily life activities without experiencing any problems. This has largely improved the quality of their life. There are no precautions to be taken before the surgery and a person can return to routine work, a few days after the treatment.
Temporary Discomfort
Though the treatment is extremely safe and successful, there is some temporary discomfort caused by it. Also, after the LASIK surgery, you have to be very careful with your eyes in order to avoid any risks and complications. The first few days after the treatment are very crucial and if you take proper care of yourself in this time, you will be able to achieve perfect vision without any problem. Below are discomforts that you may encounter after the LASIK procedure. These are temporary problems and are usually cured as your eyes are completely healed:
a. Dry Eye: Reported in only 1.77% of the patients, dry eye is a problem that causes your eyes to dry abnormally. This usually happens as a result of medication and procedures involved in a LASIK surgery. It can be easily cured by eye drops that your doctor provides.
b. Infection: Only one in 10,000 patients experience serious infections following the LASIK treatment. Infections can be easily avoided by taking a few precautions like not letting dust or any foreign particle go inside your eye, wearing sunglasses, etc. If infection occurs, it is best to get in touch with your eye doctor immediately. Any delay can further increase the complications and damage your eyes.
c. Night Vision Problems: As the eyes heal following the surgery, they have high water content. This can cause glare from the light. The problem intensifies at night and, therefore, some people may suffer from light sensitivity which can cause night vision problems. Though chances of having 6-month stage are roughly 0.18%, it can be a great problem once it occurs.
d. LASIK flap complications: With advancements in technology, LASIK flap complications have considerably decreased. Even if the complications occur, there are procedures to minimize the effect and achieve better results.
e. Retreatment: LASIK is a highly successful treatment but still in some cases there may be a need to get retreatment. Every eye is different and heals in a different manner. Some eyes may not get cured in the first treatment and may require some intervention at a later stage to achieve the best results.
The Bottom Line
LASIK is a highly safe procedure for eye treatment. A patient can eliminate the need to depend on contact lenses and glasses after undergoing LASIK. Though LASIK has a high success rate and is extremely safe, it is always good to discuss the risks with your surgeon before you undergo it.
Author Bio:
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs with a mission of informing readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care and eye health. He loves collecting coasters from the different bars and restaurants he visits during his travels.
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Arxan’s infographic on healthcare IoT shows wearables, implantable medical technologies, and hospital equipment as three types of devices with their own specific vulnerabilities, including patient data theft. As the company points out on their page for protecting healthcare IoT applications, the FDA found that 400,000 hospitals used infusion pumps deemed to be remotely-hackable last year, merging cybersecurity risks with patient safety hazards. Blocking unauthorized access to hospital networks starts with guarding information, but it goes beyond protecting patients’ records. This includes preventing cryptographic key exposure in the embedded apps of the medical devices that contain extremely sensitive patient information, like how much insulin a diabetic patient needs per hour. Remote hacking and ransomware incidents, and even discoveries of vulnerable devices, stress the need for protecting hospital network data at all levels, including the binary logic of software that could be manipulated if a network’s security is compromised.
Arxan is a company that focuses on application attack-prevention and protection products for Internet of Things and other technologies, including mobile and desktop platforms.
The following post on patient safety in healthcare was submitted by Dennis Kaminski.
Every healthcare organization carries along with it the important obligation to ensure patient safety and the safety of staff and visitors. Life itself presents possible danger at every turn, as most of us know well, and becoming involved in any sort of treatment program or enrollment in any healthcare institution, therefore, involves incurring certain inherent dangers as well.
Maintaining patient safety in healthcare is important.
It has been widely bruited in the past that healthcare environments can be even more dangerous than life in the streets. This is because hospitals are, by their very nature, filled with sick patients. These patients may have diseases or injuries that could present a danger to others, particularly susceptible due to the nature of their own physical condition. Hospital-borne infections can and do cause deaths every year.
It is, therefore, vital that every organization allows plenty of time, and invests a good deal of efforts. This will assure that its particular operation takes into consideration every possible provision as a way of assuring the safety of its patients.
A major concern for an institution too, is the looming danger of lawsuits, lawsuits that, if serious enough, can force even a well-insured company into bankruptcy and closure. Of even graver importance, however, is the dark possibility of a person becoming gravely ill or injured during the company’s watch, a tragic event that has, in the past, led to death.
Health care groups and policies across our nation, fall mostly under the influence of social as well as economic conditions and, of course, the health guidelines and policies already in place regarding patient safety. Every nation, every jurisdiction, has its own set of policies regarding healthcare safety. These have been, over time, developed to meet the needs and goals of a target population.
Healthcare Safety and patient safety are something of blanket terms for a number of different populations and situations. This term includes care by health professionals, of course. Health care professionals alone carries a good many sub-categories that might be included: chiropractic, medical physicians, physician associates (nurses, attendants, technicians, and even janitorial workers). Dentistry, midwifery, optometry primary, secondary and tertiary care, medicine, midwifery and any other aid or treatment offered to a person who is suffering from one malady or another. All of these fall under the heading of patient care and/or healthcare safety.
The vast majority of patients being treated in healthcare facilities, receive proper and safe treatment. Yet as technology and the understanding of the human physique and mental capacities grows, the greater becomes the necessity to attune these complexities to the assurance of the safety of those who seek help. People make mistakes, errors in judgment and, being human, everyone in the healthcare industry walks about beneath the burden of knowing that at any step along the way, a mistake may be made. This can of course, be minor, but it can just as easily be a significant and far-reaching mistake that could, ultimately, be life-threatening.
Organizations, such as the National Patient Safety Agency has been set in place for one reason alone: To educate healthcare professionals in every possible way to incorporate every possible safety measure into the workplace, be the facility a small dental office or a large and active primary care facility that goes twenty-four hours a day.
One of the first and most important steps recommended is that the director of every operation create and organize a culture of safety around the center of activity.
The first and vital step the director should consider is to take the initiative, take the lead. The director should assemble the staff, explain exactly what measures must be followed and perhaps hand out papers. Directing staff is a first and important step in creating in the minds of employees and associates the importance and gravity of healthcare measures, as well as management’s determination to enforce proper health care measures in every aspect of the operation.
That would include not only sanitary procedures, but even frequently overlooked dangers, such as cables or débris lying on floors, obstacles that might easily trip up a hurrying attendant or patient. Wet floors or any slippery substance on floors present an extremely dangerous threat to a person who can take an unexpected life-threatening fall.
By combining attentive and concerned management with other factors, staff remains constantly aware of the safety measures that are necessary to maintaining a good clean operation without unexpected and unwelcome incidents.
Where there may be any possible doubt as to the effectiveness of a given facility, it is possible to bring in professional teams that analyze the facility, gather staff together and discuss aspects that may need improvement, share safety lessons so that management as well staff can implement better solutions to prevent future possible accidents or even tragedies.
It is also important not only to involve staff in these measures, but patients and the general public as well, should be kept informed as much as possible, of the progress, possibilities and threats that may lurk in even the most innocent-appearing environment.
Dennis Kaminski is the owner of SafetyMart. SafetyMart helps customers ranging from private businesses to government/municipal agencies, both large and small to address their safety needs and requirements.
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Protect patient safety in healthcare by following these 8 simple steps.
The following gust post on patient safety in healthcare was submitted by Gracy Liura.
There are very few experiences in life that cause more anxiety than having to be admitted into the hospital.
Take Legal Measures Ahead of Time
Coming up with a plan of constraints, requests, and procedures ahead of time can challenging and might even seem impossible. Knowing what to prepare for and who is going to be in charge, should you become incapacitated, appears to be an overwhelming task with so many emotions that can impede logic. At the same time, almost all aspects of life require a certain amount of planning, especially in relation to medical care and hospitalization. At this point, you (and your spouse or chosen “next of kin”) should pay a visit to the local hospital and request copies of the paperwork that need filling out upon admittance. Every hospital in every region is going to differ, but some of these forms usually include the following:
• The Wishes—place a number before the word “wishes,” and then, this document might sound familiar. This form covers a broad range of issues or topics related to a stay in the hospital, including which difficult decisions will need to be made and by who. You might pick up a copy at your local hospital or healthcare facility to take with you for legal consultation. In other words you (and your spouse, if applicable) can discuss and fill out the paperwork and talk with a lawyer who can offer valuable advice about upholding your requests. More than likely, the document might have to be notarized.
• List of Visitors (including clergy or ministers)—usually, in the stack of forms, there is a section, if not one page, where you make a list of visitors who would be allowed in the room for just a short time and who you would wish to stay for a longer period beyond visiting hours, if allowed by the hospital. This also includes any pastors, clergy, and/or laypersons should you wish to have some spiritual support for yourself and your family.
• “Next of Kin”—this list is similar to the one that is previously mentioned, but applies more to an extreme emergency situation when a family member needs to get to the hospital quickly and possibly notify anyone else. Again, if this list and the list of visitors is established ahead of time, then there might be less chaos for you and whoever is in charge of notifications, which means less chance for a family conflict to erupt that distracts the staff away from quality patient care (not to mention disturbs the other patients).
• Power of Attorney and/or Guardianship—you will most definitely need to seek legal counsel when establishing who will have power of attorney or assume guardianship if you reach the point of losing all capacity to make important decisions. Normally, spouses would act on each other’s behalf, or one of the older (or most responsible) of the adult children would be designated for this role. For single, young adults, often a parent is asked to take on this job in the event of a severe medical episode. Either way, you should ideally talk with the person who you would like to fulfill those duties before speaking with an attorney and going through all the legal procedures to make sure that he or she is in agreement with you. After all, this is the person who will be in charge of some of the most difficult decisions concerning your care.
• List of “tasks” for immediate and extended family members—this document, if you wished to create such a document, probably has no legal bearing, but it would help to not just ask for help from loved ones but to specify what exactly you need—for example, someone to ask questions, someone to take your belongings home, someone to look after children during your stay, etc. Having an informal family meeting for the sake of discussing the “what if” scenarios and how to address them can help dispel some of the fear that goes along with being hospitalized.
Ask a Relative or Friend to Stay
No, you are not being a “coward” if you ask your spouse, significant other, parent, or even your best friend to stay with you for a night or two after your procedure. After all, you are still “coming out of” anesthesia while taking pain medication and would definitely need the immediate help to get out of bed if necessary.
Invoke the Help of Family and Friends as Witnesses
When you are ill or injured, the brain is frantically processing all sorts of stimuli—from the physical symptoms to the emotional impact. Thus, you might consider asking family and friends to “rotate in shifts” to stay with you and observe the care that the staff is giving and to be able to take notes and pose questions when the doctor checks on you. Also, you will need to consider that possibly only one to two visitors at a time would be allowed.
Meet with the Hospital’s P.R. Rep
If you are having a procedure scheduled ahead of time, then visiting with a public relations representative could result in gaining some valuable information about the hospital’s policies on visitors, shift changes (remember you will be dealing with multiple care givers) and other pertinent topics as well as to ask some questions of your own.
Protect Personal Belongings
In the event that you have to go to the Emergency Room, the person who takes you there should collect your personal items, like wallet, keys, and cell phone right away. If you are going to the hospital for a pre-scheduled surgery, then ideally, you will have already made arrangements with the family member or friend who accompanies you when you register. This is extremely important because most hospitals post their policy that they are not responsible for stolen or missing items.
Try to Stay Observant
When you are on medication or just not feeling well at all, keeping watch over your surroundings can be difficult. Nonetheless, during the waking hours, some vigilance would be beneficial. This is not to encourage paranoia, which would impede your healing and recovery, but just simply being coherent and maintaining communication with nurses and doctors can make a difference in the safety factor.
Become Ambulatory as Quickly as Possible
Getting on your feet is not just a matter of safety, but also an important factor in the recovery process. (Again, you should abide by orders from your doctor.) With help from a nurse, physical therapy assistant, or whoever is staying with you, you can periodically stand up and perhaps even walk around for a few minutes at a time. This will not only prevent fluid from settling in your lungs, it will also help you to get a look at your surroundings, specifically exits as well as to familiarize yourself with care givers and security staff.
Maintain an Updated List of Medications and Dietary Restrictions
It is important to adopt the practice of keeping a list of your prescriptions and supplements, any restrictions and allergies in your wallet for a number of reasons. Granted, if you are going into the hospital for a surgery that has been in the planning for a while, then you would have already provided that information upon pre-registering, but in the event of an unexpected illness, then having that information handy can mean the difference between life and death. A copy of this information should also be given to your designated helper (or spouse) in the event that you are not able to advocate for yourself.
Gracy is a dedicated and qualified nutritionist with over six years of experience in the Indian food industry, currently blogging at hCGdropsratings.com. On this website, she gives honest and detailed reviews on the world’s best HCG diet drops based on Google trends and Amazon, Ebay ratings. Gracy has earned a MSc degree in Human Nutrition at Chinmaya degree College (BHEL) in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. You can contact her any time you’d want if you’ve got any questions regarding her guest posts.
The following guest post on how to protect patient safety in healthcare was submitted by Kara Masterson.
Healthcare technology has continued its rapid change over the last few decades. This impacts every level of healthcare. Physicians and office staff must work to integrate the appropriate improvements into every day practice, while continuing to provide excellent patient care. Hospitals must increase the effectiveness and efficiency of staff and offices while treating patients with acute and chronic conditions. Evaluating and utilizing applicable technology in each setting assist in protecting patients in the organization.
Learn more about how to better protect patient safety through healthcare technology.
In the Laboratory
Hospital laboratories are filled with opportunities for errors. For the most part, microscopes and slides have been replaced with sophisticated diagnostic machines that are able to conduct several individual tests from the same sample at the same time. Unfortunately, the danger of misidentification of specimens remains. Utilizing the most up to date equipment possible and having a reliable identification and reporting system go a long way in having confidence in the accuracy of test results. A study published by the National Institute of Health (NIH) suggests using bar codes on containers to “link specimens to identifying electronic information.”
Patient Engagement in Care
A relatively new area of health care technology can be found in interactive patient engagement systems. Generally used with in patient care or for patients with chronic diseases, the systems connect health care staff with patients through a cloud based service. With a patient-centered approach to health care, these systems are designed to keep patients and their families engaged and participating in their care leading to a positive outcome for the patient. The systems provide information, education and entertainment options for in patients. The systems can be monitored by nurses and staff and are designed to promote communication and interaction between the patient, family and hospital doctors and nurses.
Time-Sensitive Collaboration
The NIH reports that one of the greatest barriers to effective health care is effective communication between health care professionals. In order to improve this and get the best care possible for patients, doctors and software companies are teaming up to develop communication tools that allow such varied business operations as specialist collaboration, remote access and staff training. The cloud-based service uses the lessons learned from social media to improve health care for patients. Through video conferencing, patients can be evaluated and diagnosed by a remote specialist. A hospital system with multiple offices can bring staff together to learn more about the most recent health regulations. The software involved can be utilized on a variety of device types with nearly unlimited access points.
Remote Tracking Tools
More and more, doctors are utilizing remote tracking tools to assist in patient care. Caring for patients with multiple, chronic conditions continue to be one of the greatest concerns in health care. With remote tracking, patients with diabetes and kidney disease can be closely monitored in the home. Elderly patients also benefit from this technology through mobility monitoring and check in services. Other benefits of these tracking tools can be found in diagnostics where laboratories can “observe” patient statistics over a period of time to better understand reported symptoms. Patients are able to be at home, improving quality of life and reducing health care costs.
Technology that has a direct impact on diagnosis and treatment are constantly improving. The offices and companies that understand and embrace the innovations that work for their situations will improve patient care by being more accurate and efficient. Each tool comes with a price tag, so it will be incumbent on organization administrators to determine which will work best for the clientele the organization serves.
Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.
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Patient safety is a main theme of our blog, but what about healthcare worker safety? Enjoy this guest post from Patient Handling addressing common safety risks to healthcare workers.
Healthcare workers rank at the top of the list of professionals with the most challenging and risky jobs. Despite the fact that research studies and statistics have proved that hospitals are one of the most unsafe and dangerous places to work, healthcare professionals continue to serve humanity regardless of the wide range of threats to their health.
Patient safety is a hot topic in healthcare, but what about healthcare worker safety?
According to International Labour Organization’s database of 1994, almost 51% of nurses and midwives in Australia are at the risk of developing various diseases dur to exposure to contaminated sharps. While the situation has definitely improved since then, the rate is still almost double to that of the whole private industry, including the manufacturing and construction industries. These facts are startling.
Who Is Considered A Healthcare Worker?
Everyone who works within the healthcare industry; in a hospital, clinic, nursing facility, or any other health centre, for protecting and improving the health of the masses in any way, qualifies as a healthcare worker. Doctors, nurses, and paramedics all come under this category.
Most Common Injuries to Healthcare Workers Healthcare professionals work in a variety of settings and in the most difficult and challenging situations that expose them to unique dangers and risks almost all the time. Since the healthcare industry is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in Australia (more than 610,148 people were working as registered health practitioners, at one position or the other, in 2014), large numbers of people are continuously at risk.
The following types of injuries are most prevalent among healthcare workers:
• Musculoskeletal Injuries
The kind of work healthcare professionals are involved in is not only mentally challenging, but is also physically demanding. According to research studies, healthcare workers face 7 times higher risks for developing Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSDs) than workers working in other industries. Among all healthcare professionals, paramedics and nurses face the highest risk because they are involved in handling patients during rescues and transfers. Sprains and strains in different parts of the body are common issues healthcare workers suffer from as well.
• Fractures
Since healthcare professionals are almost always on the move, they are more prone to slips and falls which could cause fractures. Also, fractures could occur due to attacks by violent patients.
• Back Injuries
The nature of work healthcare professionals do everyday involves a lot bending, twisting, quick movements, and heavy lifting, which can cause back injuries, such as back pain and slip discs. Rescuing and transferring patients from one place to another, or from one position to another, requires non-neutral postures, rotations, and flexions that put a lot of stress on back muscles and spinal cord.
• Cuts and Incisions
People working in the healthcare industry work with sharp instruments, such as needles and surgical instruments, on a regular basis. Even the slightest mishandling or distraction could lead to cuts and incisions.
• Burns
Paramedics are usually at the risk of burns because they are responsible for rescuing patients in emergency situations, which also includes dealing with fire.
• Infections and Blood Borne Diseases
Airborne micro-organisms and exposure to bodily waste and mucous is common in healthcare facilities. Also, healthcare workers can catch various blood borne infections and diseases if they have cuts and wounds. This puts them at the risk of developing as serious a disease as Hepatitis or HIV.
This article is provided by the creative team behind Patient Handling.
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The following guest post on patient safety in healthcare was submitted by Dixie Somers.
Today’s health care consumer is protected by digital, physical, and legal patient safety rules and regulations. Hospitalists, administrators, physicians, nurses, and others in a hospital setting must be aware of the required physical safeguards, rules, and regulations in place to protect patients’ physical wellbeing and digital and legal patient information and records at all times.
Learn more about to protect patients’ physical wellbeing and digital and legal patient information and records.
Physical safeguards also include the physical steps, procedures, and policies required to secure the Covered Entity (CE) or the CE’s Business Associates’ (BAs) electronic data and HIT systems, equipment, and building structures in use. These safeguards should address protection against physical and environmental threats as well as possible unauthorized intrusions in the health care environment.
Physical Safeguards
The hospital is a complex physical environment. It’s important for all hospital staff to implement and practice good health habits on a personal and team level.
The hospital has a myriad of regulatory compliance issues to consider along with patient safety, including HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act), and Medicare/Medicaid payments regulations in addition to its own corporate governance policies.
Of course, it’s the legal and ethical duty of the hospital to protect the patient’s physical body from material harm when he or she is in the hospital. Safety guards and procedures should be strictly followed at all times.
Hospital Environmental Health
Dangers are always present in the hospital, including hazardous chemicals, infectious materials, chemotherapeutic agents, and radioactive matter, among others. Occupational safety and health administrators must work to ensure patient protection from exposure to these elements. A fire or resulting smoke from a hospital fire could be dangerous for the hospital’s most vulnerable patients. Life Safety Codes are in place for that reason. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local/municipal governments are required to enforce the laws and/or regulations concerning fire safety and hazardous materials in the hospital.
The hospital should review its fire and safety plan, fire drills/alarm notifications, fire safety equipment/maintenance and protective building features, hazardous materials/exposure control plan, waste containment, and personal protective equipment as part of the annual risk assessment.
Hospital Security
All people in the hospital—patients, staff, and members of the public—must be protected from harm in the hospital. Hospital security includes multiple factors. Day-to-day concerns referenced above or major accidents could threaten the hospital environment.
Since many people travel to and from the hospital each day, it’s important to protect individuals from potential altercations and robberies (including robbery of physical goods or stolen identification). Potential events could cause temporary overcrowding in the hospital.
It’s essential for the hospital to consider these and other potential scenarios that affect safety and security. Local, state, and federal laws address many situations but it’s also essential for the hospital to consider coordination with local emergency, fire, and police personnel.
As part of the yearly risk assessment, the hospital should review policies relating to security technology/security personnel, response to disruptive behaviors, monitor of materials in/out of the hospital building, and security of hazardous drugs/material/waste. There should also be an accurate WebID medical license verification system available to make sure that every doctor’s license is accurate.
Digital Privacy and Security in the Hospital
The hospital collects and uses patient information to treat its patients. It also collects personal financial information as part of its billing practices. Digital privacy is the patient’s right. Federal law requires the hospital to establish proper systems and procedures to protect the patient’s private information from prying eyes.
Workstations, devices, computers, and networks in use at the hospital must be secure. Each hospital must have proper security procedures and policies in place. Media controls, disposal of sensitive information, and access of information must be considered as part of the hospital’s compliance.
Patients have the right to sue the hospital and/or individual practitioners when private information is improperly accessed or breached.
Legal Malpractice Risks
Security of electronic health records (EHR) in the hospital and medical practice can advance both patient safety and the practice of medicine. However, it’s important for the hospital to know that, as new technology is adopted, potential liability risks are present.
Hospital staff can access patient information through EHR or via health information exchanges. Patients’ hospital charts, lab results, medication histories, radiology images and reports are accessed, exchanged, and reviewed. Patient injury can result from the hospital’s inability to make patient information available to providers treating him or her. If patient injury occurs from this type of information access error, the patient (or his/her family) may be able to file a legal malpractice claim against the hospital or individual providers.
Dixie Somers is a freelance writer and blogger from Phoenix, Arizona, who loves most to write for health, technology, and business niches. Dixie is the proud mother of three beautiful girls and wife to a wonderful husband.
https://www.rightpatient.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/patient-safety.jpg453800John Traderhttps://www.rightpatient.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/RightPatient-Logoup.pngJohn Trader2016-11-29 03:00:282021-07-16 11:46:34A Guide to Digital, Physical, and Legal Patient Safety
The following guest post on protecting your medical information from misuse was submitted by Christine DiGangi.
When it comes to personal information, your health records are about as personal as it gets. And while it may not seem as immediately damaging as someone hacking into your bank account, medical identity theft can seriously threaten your physical and financial health.
Medical identity theft can seriously threaten your physical and financial health.
How a Thief Might Misuse Your Medical Information
Think of all the information you’ve handed over at a doctor’s office: Name, birth date, address, Social Security number, insurance information, family medical history — these are all things someone can use to impersonate you. This makes health care providers targets for hackers. What can they do with your medical data? Plenty. They can open fraudulent financial accounts, commit crimes (besides identity theft), file a fraudulent tax return (and get the refund), buy prescription drugs with your insurance (and maybe sell them, which goes back to the crime problem), claim federal benefits like Social Security, use your insurance to get medical care and countless other things, all in your name. The results of such fraud can end up on your criminal record, medical history or credit report.
Say someone got their hands on your medical information and they used it to get medical treatment. That person’s health data could end up in your medical history and affect your future care. What if that person maxed out your insurance coverage, leaving you without the coverage you need? What if medical expenses that person generated don’t get paid? That could result in a collection account on your credit report and cause your credit score to drop until you dispute the error or resolve the identity theft. There’s a lot at stake. We asked identity theft expert Adam Levin, co-founder of Credit.com and author of “Swiped: How to Protect Yourself in a World Full of Scammers, Phishers, and Identity Thieves,” for his top tips on preventing your medical information from misuse. Here’s what he said.
You Don’t Have to Share Everything
A lot of people provide their Social Security number and other sensitive details to their healthcare provider without asking if it’s necessary, Levin said. Just because they ask for it doesn’t mean they need it.
“Find out how they intend to secure it,” Levin said. “Remember, they already have your medical insurance information and often require a credit card.”
When You Do Share Sensitive Information, Do It Carefully
Once you hand over your information, you no longer control it, so think about the way you’re providing your doctors with records. Levin said you should never send medical information to someone you don’t know unless you’re the one who contacted them.
“Know precisely to whom you are communicating and confirm that their requests are reasonable,” he said. “Remember, you should never send sensitive information by way of email or text. Only fax if you know who is standing next to the machine as you are faxing.”
Use Common-Sense Security
Lots of health care providers have gone digital, meaning you can access your records or pay your bills through an online account. While password security is important for all online accounts, it’s especially crucial when you’re setting your credentials for a medical website. And if you do end up with physical paperwork that includes details on your health, insurance or any other personally identifiable information, keep it in a safe place. If you want to discard it, use a cross-cutting shredder, Levin said.
More Resources on Medical Identity Theft
Until a fraud has been corrected (which can take months or even years), you may suffer some credit damage, which is another reason to try and prevent the fraud from happening and act quickly as soon as you detect it. While working toward a resolution, you’ll want to focus on what you can control, like practicing the safety tips we just described or improving other aspects of your credit. For example, you could work on making on-time payments and paying down debt, which are good things for your credit scores. If you’re having trouble accessing credit because of identity theft, getting a secured credit card might be able to help you keep your credit file active, because a secured card generally does not require a credit check.
Monitor your credit reports for unfamiliar collection accounts and other signs of identity theft, in addition to keeping an eye on your mail and insurance for bills regarding care you didn’t receive. The Federal Trade Commission has a guide on how to request and review your medical records for accuracy, as well as how to resolve identity theft.
Christine DiGangi is a reporter and the social media editor for Credit.com, covering a variety of personal finance topics. Her writing has been featured on USA Today, MSN, Yahoo! Finance and The New York Times International Weekly, among other outlets. You can find her on Twitter @writingbikes.
https://www.rightpatient.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/identity-theft-1.jpg445800John Traderhttps://www.rightpatient.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/RightPatient-Logoup.pngJohn Trader2016-11-18 06:00:272021-07-16 11:29:50How to Prevent Your Medical Information from Misuse
