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Ambulatory Safety Monitor

This e-mail newsletter reports news regarding occupational and patient safety for surgical centers and doctor´s offices, as well as offers tips and advice on billing, staffing, and procurement procedures.

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Ambulatory Safety Monitor

Issue 50, December 30, 2004

• Giving employees a voice leads to facility success

  Standards in the AAAHC’s chapter four and the JCAHO’s human resources chapter focus on...

• South of the border surgical excursions pose health risks

  American plastic surgeons are finding themselves increasingly called upon to clean up the botched...

Issue 49, December 23, 2004

• Don’t get burned: make surgical fire drills a priority

  Safety officers at Caritas Norwood (MA) Hospital wanted to test staff’s reaction time under...

• New device protects patients (and facilities) from ID theft

  Identity theft is a prevalent "designer crime" in this day and age, and it can lead to a lot of...

Issue 48, December 16, 2004

• Universal Protocol compliance isn’t kid stuff

  Surveyors looked for adherence to the JCAHO’s Universal Protocol for Preventing Wrong Site...

• OK task force reviews new proposals to boost patient safety

  Statistics gathered from ambulatory care facilities contributed to a new proposal for improving...

Issue 47, December 9, 2004

• Early start helps ASC earn accreditation

  When Central Indiana Orthopedic Surgery Center of Anderson opened a little more than a year ago...

• Accreditation Association reaches milestone

  The AAAHC announced last week that it recently accredited its 2,000th ambulatory care facility. The...

Issue 46, December 2, 2004

• Botox manufacturers deny responsibility in poisonings

  In the wake of four people in Florida requiring hospitalization for suspected botulism poisoning...

Issue 45, November 18, 2004

• A look at salaries in the ambulatory industry

  Ambulatory care professionals may be satisfied with the cash in their own pockets, but also seem to...

• Study: ambulatory clinics better than ERs for asthma care

  A new study conducted in Brazil among asthma sufferers points to the significant benefits of...

Issue 44, November 11, 2004

• JCAHO wants you... to know your drug pairs

  Be sure that your directory of look-alike and sound-alike drug pairs has at least 10 from the...

• ASCs could see big business from implantable lenses

  A vision correction procedure recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could...

Issue 43, November 4, 2004

• Record employees’ health with same care as patients’ health

  In addition to proper patient medical recordkeeping, ASCs must also make employee health records a...

• E-prescribing set to scrap docs’ scribbles on Long Island

  Joining the growing wave of hospitals looking to streamline and improve the working relationship...

Issue 42, October 28, 2004

• Improve quality by enrolling in the AAAHC Institute program

  Regardless of your accreditation affiliation, an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) can benefit from...

• Third quarter sees growth, losses for ASC operators

  Financial reports for the third quarter of 2004 indicate a mixed bag for the operators of...

Issue 41, October 21, 2004

• CASC credential program helps create great ASC leaders

  An ambulatory surgery center (ASC) administrator is a unique position, says Betty Bozzuto, RN, BS...

• JCAHO urges surgeons to wake up to "anesthesia awareness"

  It’s a patient’s worst nightmare: lying on the operating table while a surgical...

Issue 40, October 14, 2004

• Litigation review means more than just malpractice

  Just because you properly document malpractice litigation doesn’t mean you meet AAAHC...

• To err is human... but it’ll cost you

  Surgeons in Minnesota are about to receive greater incentive than ever to ensure that the...

Issue 39, October 7, 2004

• Clamping down on infection the JCAHO way

  In June, the JCAHO released its 2005 prepublication infection control (IC) standards for...

• Surgery on a Sunday?

  In a bid to ease overcrowding and operation costs-while at the same time competing with the growing...

Issue 38, September 30, 2004

• When patients’ pain doesn’t call it a day at quitting time

  Although an accredited ambulatory surgery center may list its business hours as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m...

• New grant plans to increase safety through info sharing

  A trio of Massachusetts healthcare organizations will have three years and $1.4 million from the...

Issue 37, September 23, 2004

• Stop living in Medicare denial

  A report that analyzed claims denials in 2003 from Medicare carrier HGSAdministrators outlined the...

• New Tulsa ASC offers more than meets the "I"

  Oklahoma physicians working at the brand-new Natalie Ambulatory Surgery Center in Tulsa, OK may be...

Issue 36, September 16, 2004

• Does your organization need terrorism insurance?

  Business owners are still feeling the impact from the terrorist attacks of September 11, and many...

• Partnership expected to lift Ascension to new heights

  St. Louis-based Ascension Health, the largest not-for-profit health system in the U.S., last week...

Issue 35, September 9, 2004

• Surviving your accreditation process

  Two decades of academic certification through the American Dental Association prepared the...

• National ASC Open House Day set to raise awareness

  For patients, visiting an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) isn’t exactly their idea of a...

• Power struggle the primary ill at OH surgical center

  Money is always at issue for any new and fledgling business, but owners of the New Albany Surgical...

Issue 34, September 1, 2004

• See which 2005 Patient Safety Goals affect you

  The JCAHO’s 2005 National Patient Safety Goals will mean ambulatory surgery centers must...

• ASC operator HealthSouth expects to end legal issues soon

  HealthSouth Corp. anticipates resolving its regulatory problems by the end of the year, raising...

• Hurricane Charley forces ASCs to reschedule procedures

  Hurricane Charley forced several Florida ambulatory surgery centers to shut their doors and...

Issue 33, August 25, 2004

• Care shouldn't stop once lights are out

  Although you may list your business hours as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, an accredited...

• JCAHO: ASCs must pick 10 look-alike drug names from list

  Ambulatory surgery centers and office-based surgery practices must choose at least 10 look-alike...

Issue 32, August 18, 2004

• Put open-minded people on the governing board

  Although the JCAHO and the AAAHC don't specify who must be present during a governing board...

• DEA guidance tells physicians how to prescribe pain meds

  Physicians can legally prescribe pain medications as long as they have an "established...

• MedAssets providers to offer efficient surgical pain relief

  MedAssets settled a contract agreement with I-Flow Corp. on August 10 to offer I-Flow’s...

Issue 31, August 11, 2004

• Involve pharmacists in therapy management

  Although the deadline to submit applications to participate in a therapy management pilot program...

• MO reporting law provides consumers infection-rate insight

  A Missouri reporting law signed in June will allow consumers to compare infection rates at...

Issue 30, August 4, 2004

• Four quick tips to cut costs, increase profits

  Operating an ambulatory center is becoming more expensive due to high malpractice premiums...

Issue 29, July 28, 2004

• Know your state’s certificate of need regulations

  Heads up! Ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) under construction may have to follow Certificate of...

• GAO report critical of JCAHO accreditation surveys

  Federal investigators found serious deficiencies in 500 JCAHO-accredited facilities surveyed...

• Senate passes error-reporting bill

  The Senate on July 22 unanimously passed a bill that establishes a confidential, voluntary...

Issue 28, July 21, 2004

• Amendment aims to lower malpractice costs in WY

  The Wyoming Legislature on July 15 voted in favor of a constitutional amendment that will allow...

• National surgical care expands to California

  National Surgical Care, a surgical facility management company, acquired two California ambulatory...

Issue 27, July 14, 2004

• Small changes can have a big impact at your ASC

  Healthcare facilities always look for ways to improve practices, but adopting the changes can often...

• Symbion sitting pretty after February IPO

  Healthcare facilities always look for ways to improve practices, but adopting the changes can often...

• New law requires ASCs to report pricing, quality data

  Florida ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) must now provide pricing and outcomes data to the state...

Issue 26, July 7, 2004

• Five quick tips to communicate about adverse outcomes

  How much information should staff reveal when procedures go wrong? And if they provide too much...

• PA bill to enhance patient safety through reporting

  The Pennsylvania House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that will give protection to...

• NJ surgery-center tax to help hospital funding

  The New Jersey Legislature increased the state’s hospital charity-care fund by 53%, coming at...

Issue 25, July 1, 2004

• Eight quick tips to encourage patient involvement in care

  Patients need to play a role in their own healthcare, but it can be difficult to make that happen.

• ASCs ready to take on new OR guidelines

  The JCAHO will introduce the Universal Protocol for Preventing Wrong Site, Wrong Procedure, Wrong...

• $16-million surgery center to open in Cincinnati area

  Butler County (OH) residents will have another choice for surgical procedures when a new surgical...

Issue 24, June 23, 2004

• Look to OSHA, not Life Safety Code(r), for training rules

  Are you looking for information on training requirements for fire extinguishers? If so, don’t...

• NY hospital recalls patients due to infection-control lapse

  North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY, recently alerted 177 patients who underwent...

• Check antibiotic use to reduce infections, save money

  New guidelines resulting from a recent study indicate facilities can save money and reduce the...

Issue 22, June 2, 2004

• Quick tips to stop infections during construction

  Construction projects can increase the risk of patients or healthcare workers acquiring infections...

• Seven quick tips to identify risk potentials in your ASC

  More than likely, there are problems in your private practice that you should address. These are...

• Anesthesia licensing draws criticism in DC

  Critics say a bill currently being considered by the city council in Washington, DC, to license...

• Study compares office-based and hospital surgery safety

  A key study provides strong proof that accredited outpatient surgeries have an overall safety...

• New CA center offers more services for growing population

  The John Muir/Mt. Diablo Health System plans to open its $23-million Brentwood Medical Center in...

Issue 20, May 20, 2004

• How to create a complete patient medication list

  Make sure medication lists are always in the same location in the patient charts, perhaps attached...

• GA hospital to add ASC, cancer center to meet demands

  One Georgia hospital is expanding its facilities and services to meet a growing patient demand.

• Hospitals give $1 million to educate nurses

  Three South Carolina hospitals will donate $1 million over the next three years to increase nursing...

Issue 19, May 12, 2004

• Create a plan to reduce bloodborne pathogen exposure

  To reduce your facility’s risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, your...

• Intern attacked at UCLA medical center

  An unidentified male stabbed a female medical intern in the emergency department last week at Olive...

Issue 18, May 6, 2004

• Quick and easy ideas to help you plan a mock survey

  When JCAHO surveyors arrive at your organization, they will first want complete lists of all...

• Funding saves inner-city hospital in St. Louis

  Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson approved a three-year extension of the...

Issue 17, April 28, 2004

• Get three tips, insight into an AAAHC survey

  When staff at the Delaware Eye Surgery Center in Rehoboth Beach, DE, experienced their first...

• WA hospital cuts infection rate in half

  Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, WA, cut its infection rate by more than half after participating in...

• CA investors plan surgical hospital despite moratorium

  A group of physicians and investors plan to build a $40-million surgical hospital in Loma Linda...

Issue 16, April 22, 2004

• Three tips to ensure multi-dose vial safety

  Using one multi-dose vial of medication for several patients is a fairly common practice, but how...

• NY health department can regulate office-based surgery

  The New York state Department of Health can regulate office-based surgeries even though the...

• St. Vincent’s network to close two NYC hospitals

  St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Centers will close two New York City hospitals as part of a...

Issue 15, April 14, 2004

• Discuss medication complications with patients

  Tracking patients’ progress is tricky in an ambulatory setting because they are not monitored...

• Canadian study looks at safety of pre-hospital care

  Healthcare providers must look at pre-hospital care to reduce medical complications, according to a...

• New knee replacement surgery could reduce hospital stays

  A minimally invasive knee replacement surgery could cut hospital stays by 30% and also be performed...

Issue 14, April 7, 2004

• Make evacuation drills realistic to prepare for fires

  It is important to make fire drills as realistic as possible so the entire surgical team knows...

• Physicians fear loss of practice without insurance control

  A group of New Hampshire obstetricians and gynecologists urged state lawmakers Monday to control...

Issue 13, April 1, 2004

• Four tips for complying with medication standards

  The JCAHO requires you to write and document your orders clearly-and requires other staff, such as...

• Detroit health system revenues increase by 8%

  Henry Ford Health System of Detroit earned $11.7 million in 2003, a year after it lost $11.8...

Issue 12, March 24, 2004

• Three ways to reduce infections and protect your patients

  Make sure your facility has proper measures in place to control infections and keep your patients...

• CMS issues referral criteria for specialty hospitals

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on March 19 released criteria for patient...

Issue 11, March 17, 2004

• Four tips for clear documentation

  Clear documentation about patient education, patient privacy, and patient assessments are necessary...

• Check out these top hot spots from an AAAHC survey

  Two AAAHC surveyors arrived without warning at the Yakima (WA) Ambulatory Surgery Center last...

• Patient-safety bill passes NJ Assembly

  New Jersey hospitals may have to report serious medical errors to the state under a bill that...

• Project Access provides uninsured with medical safety net

  Two Virginia ambulatory centers are among a number of organizations in the Roanoke Valley...

• FASA elects new leadership at annual meeting

  Jack Egnatinski was named the 14th president of the Federated Ambulatory Surgery Association (FASA...

Issue 10, March 10, 2004

• Make sure malpractice insurance covers liability claims

  As a healthcare provider, you can either purchase your own medical malpractice insurance or receive...

• CT governor wants cap on jury awards

  Connecticut Gov. John Rowland said last week he would compromise on his proposed plan to cap jury...

• PA nurses opposed to hospital’s ASC plan

  The union representing nearly 300 nurses at Butler Memorial Hospital in Butler, PA, has opposed the...

Issue 9, March 3, 2004

• Three quick tips for medication safety success

  For every medication you prescribe, document a diagnosis, condition, or indication for use. The...

• KY officials fear mass movement to rural health centers

  Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher’s administration, already strapped for Medicaid cash, fears a...

Issue 8, February 25, 2004

• Work with managers to provide job-specific HIPAA training

  One person cannot train every member of the work force on how to comply with the Health Insurance...

• Medical liability reform bill fails to reach floor debate

  Senate Republicans on Tuesday fell 12 votes short of the 60 votes needed for a floor debate on...

• NJ Senate approves error-reporting bill

  The New Jersey Senate on Monday unanimously approved a bill requiring physicians and other...

Issue 7, February 18, 2004

• Privilege v. scope of practice: How to handle AHPs

  Determining how to authorize allied health professional (AHP) care requires serious consideration...

Issue 6, February 12, 2004

• Put Critical Patient Information At Your Fingertips

  Have integral patient information-such as the patient's current list of medications, medication...

• HealthSouth Names Two Directors To Board

  Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operator HealthSouth Corp. named two new directors to its board...

Issue 5, February 4, 2004

• Dispose of patient records properly

  The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) shouldn't be the only...

Issue 4, January 28, 2004

• Consider American College of Surgeons' principles

  Momentum is building toward more states adopting regulations for office-based surgeries. In...

Issue 3, January 21, 2004

• Tips to help staff respond to clinical alarms

  The JCAHO's National Patient Safety Goal #6 requires that your clinical alarm systems work properly...

Issue 2, January 14, 2004

• Credentialing, documentation key in AAAHC survey

  Organize your paperwork and track ongoing staff education to prepare for your next AAAHC survey.

Issue 1, January 7, 2004

• Educate staff on how to comply with JCAHO abbreviations

  Educate staff on how to comply with JCAHO abbreviations

Issue 46, December 2, 2004

• Waiting for EMR? Here’s some way to make paper records fly

  Although technology can improve efficiency and productivity, it comes at a price that many...