Lofton Set to Appear on Larry King Show – July 2007
AHA Board Chairman Kevin Lofton is scheduled to appear on CNN’s “Larry King Live” show at 8 p.m. Eastern Time tonight to talk about health care coverage. He will be joined by several other health care leaders. A plug for the show at CNN.com reads, “Access denied - America's health care crisis. Can the system be fixed ? And if so, at what cost?”
2008 American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize – July 2007
Applications are now available for the 2008 American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize, which honors leadership and innovation in patient care quality, safety, and commitment by hospitals.
Nominations may be made by:
Consumption of Small Amounts of Dark Chocolate Associated with Reduction in Blood Pressure- July 2007
Eating about 30 calories a day of dark chocolate (approximately 1½ Hershey's dark chocolate kisses) was associated with a lowering of blood pressure, without weight gain or other adverse effects, according to a study in the July 4 issue of JAMA. Previous research has indicated that consumption of high amounts of cocoa-containing foods can lower blood pressure (BP), believed to be due to the action of the cocoa polyphenols. "A particular concern is that the potential BP reduction contributed by the flavanols could be offset by the high sugar, fat and calorie intake with the cocoa products," the authors write. Find out More.
Scorecard Ranks States on Healthcare Access, Cost, Quality – July 2007
Health system performance varies widely across states, according to a scorecard released today by a Commonwealth Fund commission. The state scorecard assesses health system performance on 32 measures of access and quality, avoidable hospital use and costs, equity and healthy lives. If all states performed as well as the top quartile, the panel estimates the nation annually would save billions of dollars and have 90,000 fewer deaths under age 75 from preventable conditions and half as many uninsured people. To improve performance across states, the commission calls for universal health coverage, more information on practices and policies that contribute to high or varying performance, and national leadership and collaboration across public and private sectors.
The Free Webinar, "Making Sense of the Evidence: From Papers to Practice," is Available – July 2007
The Webinar, "Making Sense of the Evidence: From Papers to Practice," is available on demand 24/7. Speakers will discuss how clinicians are challenged with finding, understanding and applying scientific evidence that supports best practice. In many cases, evidence may be incomplete or lacking, but the need to maintain a safe and effective healthcare environment remains urgent. This Webinar will discuss what constitutes infection-related evidence, the differing ways it is used, and will provide tools to participants to facilitate understanding and use of evidence in published studies. To access this free Webinar, visit http://www.iceinstitute.com/webinar_evidence.html
Bill Would Promote Employee Wellness Programs– July 2007
Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) today introduced the Healthy Workforce Act, AHA-supported legislation that would provide tax incentives to businesses that offer comprehensive wellness programs. “Every year, U.S. businesses spend billions of dollars on employee health care yet thousands of employees suffer unnecessarily from common chronic conditions,” said AHA Executive Vice President Rick Pollack. “Today’s legislation rightly joins employers, health providers and Americans together to fight chronic disease and foster healthier lifestyles. Together, we can manage and often prevent chronic conditions. Many employers have programs in place that actively promote wellness. By acknowledging the hard work done and encouraging additional employers to join the effort, we can create a network of support and resources that help even more working Americans exercise regularly, eat healthier and access preventive tests and screenings. The American Hospital Association applauds Senator Harkin and others for their leadership and commitment to America’s health.”
Study: List Excludes Some Top Hospitals for Heart Attack Care – July 2007
U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of “best hospitals” excludes some top hospitals for heart attack care, according to a study in today’s Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers at Yale University School of Medicine compared 30-day mortality rates for heart attack patients at 50 hospitals ranked best for “heart and heart surgery” by the magazine in 2003 with similar patients at more than 3,800 other hospitals. While admission to a ranked hospital was associated with lower morality on average, nearly three times as many non-ranked hospitals performed as well, the study found. An accompanying editorial notes that most hospital rating systems “seem to do a reasonable job at identifying groups of hospitals that perform well on average, yet there is considerable uncertainty regarding the true performance of a particular hospital.” Thus, the authors suggest that the true value of the public information is to spur enhanced quality improvement efforts rather than to provide a solid foundation for consumer choice.
Joint Commission Introduction to Emergency Management - August 2007
Catastrophic emergencies are a threat to any health care organization, regardless of size, scope, or location. A single emergency can temporarily affect demand for services; however, multiple emergencies that occur concurrently or sequentially can adversely impact patient safety and the [organization]'s ability to provide care, treatment, and services for an extended length of time.Read More.
J&J (NYSE: JNJ) Sues Red Cross Over Use of Red Cross Emblem - August 2007
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 8, 2007-Today, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) filed a lawsuit against the American Red Cross and four of its licensing partners for "unlawful conduct" related to the nonprofit's use of the Red Cross emblem. Read this Article.
View the J&J Key Messages.
View J&J FAQ on the topic.
SPECIAL ALERT - New Leader Set to Take The Joint Commission Reins – August 2007
In a 15-minute teleconference with the media this afternoon The Joint Commission introduced Mark Chassin, M.D., M.P.P., M.P.H., to succeed Dennis O'Leary, M.D., as its next president, effective January 1. O'Leary, who has spent 21 years at the top of the Oakbrook Terrace, IL-based accreditation organization and slides into a president emeritus role next year, praised Chassin's selection as "absolutely a first-rate choice to be the next president of the Joint Commission." Read More.
From UF and IBM, a Blueprint for 'Smart' Healthcare - August 2007
Always on, connected, cheap and on sale everywhere. What people have come to expect in cell phones and personal communicators may soon become common in healthcare devices and products at home and in medical offices, thanks to new technology announced by the University of Florida (Gainesville) and IBM. The technology creates the first- ever roadmap for widespread commercial development of "smart" devices that, for example, take a person's blood pressure, temperature or respiration rate the minute a person steps into his or her house, then transmit it immediately and automatically to doctors or family. Read More.
Swabs in Hand, Hospital Cuts Deadly Infections – August 2007
At a veterans' hospital in Pittsburg, nurses swab the nasal passages of every arriving patient to test them for drug-resistant bacteria. Those found positive are housed in isolation rooms behind red painted lines that warn workers not to approach without wearing gowns and gloves. Every room and corridor is equipped with dispensers of foamy hand sanitizer. Blood pressure cuffs are discarded after use, and each room is assigned its own stethoscope to prevent the transfer of microorganisms. Using these and other relatively inexpensive measures, the hospital has significantly reduced the number of patients who develop deadly drug-resistant infections, long an unaddressed problem in American hospitals. Read more.
Hospital Quality Alliance Adopts Outpatient Measures – August 2007
The Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) has adopted, on a preliminary basis, 10 performance measures of hospital outpatient quality. That is, for the first time, the HQA will ask hospitals to voluntarily report to Hospital Compare information about hospital outpatient quality. These measures join the 32 inpatient clinical process and outcome measures, as well as other patient experiences of care measures, already adopted by the HQA. Subsequently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2008 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) proposed rule, in which the agency proposes to use the recently adopted HQA measures for reporting in the upcoming outpatient quality reporting program. Find out what you can do.
CMS Publishes Final Rule for Estimating Medicaid, SCHIP Improper Payments - September 2007
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today published a final rule setting forth state requirements for estimating improper payments for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The rule, effective Oct. 1, responds to public comments on last year's interim final rule. The Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 required federal agencies to report to Congress annual estimates of improper payments and actions to reduce erroneous payments. Read More.
