Zika threat intensifies: Congress to negotiate funding while Miami prepares for outbreak
As public health officials brace for the potential spread of Zika in the United States this summer, the Senate said this week it will work with House leaders on a final bill to provide adequate funding to combat the virus.
Racial gaps persist in coverage, outcomes
Despite progress under the Affordable Care Act, major racial disparities exist within healthcare, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Antibiotic stewardship programs reduce unneeded prescriptions, bacterial infections
As public officials continue to express concerns about the inappropriate use of antibiotics and the growth of drug-resistant superbugs, a new study finds that hospital stewardship programs can reduce the number of antibiotics prescribed to patients by as much as 40 percent.
Cleveland Clinic's strategy to address nurse retention, burnout
Nurse retention and burnout are issues that plague hospitals throughout the country, but Cleveland Clinic is taking an innovative approach to address the problems.
One in 5 hospitals fall short on 'never events'
Twenty percent of U.S. hospitals don't have a policy for "never events"--serious medical errors or adverse events that should never happen to a patients--that meet a national patient safety watchdog's standards, according to a new report.
Effective healthcare CEOs must avoid being too nice
Though research has shown that overtly narcissistic CEOs may be a detriment to the hospital workplace, an article in Harvard Business Review warns that hiring a leader who is too nice may also have a negative impact.
Nina Pham's lawyers say THR stonewalling on how Ebola spread
Nearly two years after nurse Nina Pham survived a case of Ebola contracted by treating a patient with the virus, her lawyers say the hospital where she worked won't disclose details of how the virus spread, according to a blog post from the Dallas Morning News.
Hospitals programs that prevent 'post-intensive care syndrome'
Even as the odds of survival for intensive care unit patients increase, most of them are ill-equipped to deal with "post-intensive care syndrome," the range of mental and physical problems that often follow an ICU stay, according to a series of articles published in AACN Advanced Critical Care.
6 ways hospitals can stem the opioid epidemic
As lawmakers grapple with funding programs to combat the opioid epidemic, public health officials have developed new guidelines to help hospitals and providers better communicate with patients about the risks and benefits of prescription opioids.
Hospital star ratings useful, but don't tell the whole story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' star rating system has raised questions about its usefulness, prompting the agency to break down exactly how it arrives at the ratings. But a look at the data shows it's unclear how much the system actually helps consumers choose the best care, according to JAMA.
Hospitals target balloons, flowers as potential infection threat
Hospitals, increasingly concerned about infection risk, are stepping up their scrutiny of potential risks, and the dragnet is ensnaring common bedside features such as balloons and flowers, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Board game may help train clinicians to reduce medication errors
A board game developed by City University London may help healthcare providers better understand medication errors to reduce such mistakes.
Medicare Shared Savings Program final rule boosts ACO care coordination incentives
A new final rule will improve how Medicare pays accountable care organizations in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to deliver better patient care and care coordination.
Jackson Health head Carlos Migoya reflects on first 5 years as CEO, talks the system's future
In an interview with Becker's Hospital Review, Carlos Migoya reflects on the past five years as CEO of the Miami-based Jackson Health System and how he brought the financially struggling system into the black.
A culture of safety may not be the key to keeping patients safe, study finds
New research suggests that hospitals with a strong sense of patient safety culture may not actually be keeping patients more safe.
Shifting outpatient services to primary care doesn't hurt patient safety
Moving hospital outpatient services to primary care comes at no cost to patient safety, according to a study from the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health Research that was published in Health Services and Delivery Research.
Advanced cancer patients likely to receive aggressive treatments, despite potential for harm
Cancer patients at the end of their lives still receive aggressive treatment, despite efforts by oncologists to curb the practice, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.
Hospital at Home model gains steam as Mt. Sinai program cuts costs, readmissions
Cutting readmissions and reducing medical errors, the nation's third-leading cause of death, are among the healthcare industry's top priorities, and the secret to solving both may be stepping up home care, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Obama comes out against VA privatization proposals
Proposals to privatize the embattled Department of Veterans Affairs have gained steam since an ongoing wait-times scandal broke two years ago, but President Barack Obama has come out against the idea in an interview with the Colorado Springs Gazette.
7 solutions to behavioral health obstacles
Amid healthcare's increased efforts to integrate behavioral health into care delivery, there are several steps hospital leaders can take to strengthen their behavioral health workforce, according to a report from the American Hospital Association (AHA).
