Sample records for national hospital organization

  1. Management and organization reforms at the Muhimbili National Hospital: challenges and prospects.

    PubMed

    Mwangu, M A; Mbembati, N A A; Muhondwa, E P Y; Leshabari, M T

    2008-08-01

    To establish the state of organization structures and management situation existing at the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) and Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences (MUCHS) prior to the start of the MNH reforms and physical infrastructure rehabilitations. A checklist of key information items was used to get facts and figures about the organization of the MNH and management situation. Interviews with MNH and MUCHS leaders, and documentation of existing hospital data were done to gather the necessary information. The survey reveals that there are a number of organizational, managerial and human resource deficiencies that are impinging on the smooth running of the hospital as a national referral entity. The survey also revealed a complex relationship existing between the hospital and the college (MUCHS) that has a bearing on the functioning of both entities. In order for the hospital to function effectively as a referral hospital with a training component inbuilt, four basic things need to be put in place among others: a sound organization structure; adequate staffing levels especially of specialist cadre; a functional information system especially for inpatient services and a good working relationship with the college.

  2. Management evaluation about introduction of electric medical record in the national hospital organization.

    PubMed

    Nakagawa, Yoshiaki; Tomita, Naoko; Irisa, Kaoru; Yoshihara, Hiroyuki; Nakagawa, Yoshinobu

    2013-01-01

    Introduction of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) into a hospital was started from 1999 in Japan. Then, most of all EMR company said that EMR improved efficacy of the management of the hospital. National Hospital Organization (NHO) has been promoting the project and introduced EMR since 2004. NHO has 143 hospitals, 51 hospitals offer acute-phase medical care services, the other 92 hospitals offer medical services mainly for chronic patients. We conducted three kinds of investigations, questionnaire survey, checking the homepage information of the hospitals and analyzing the financial statements of each NHO hospital. In this financial analysis, we applied new indicators which have been developed based on personnel costs. In 2011, there are 44 hospitals which have introduced EMR. In our result, the hospital with EMR performed more investment of equipment/capital than personnel expenses. So, there is no advantage of EMR on the financial efficacy.

  3. System of donor hospital transplant coordinators maintained and financed by national transplant organization improves donation rates, but it is effective only in one half of hospitals.

    PubMed

    Czerwiński, J; Danek, T; Trujnara, M; Parulski, A; Danielewicz, R

    2014-10-01

    In 2010, the system of donor hospital transplant coordinators was implemented in 200 hospitals in Poland on the basis of contracts with Poltransplant. This study evaluated whether the system (nationwide, maintained and funded by national organization) is sufficient, improved donation after brain death rates, and hospital activities. Donation indicators over a 21-month period of coordinators' work were compared with the 21-month period before their employment. The number of hospitals with a positive effect and with no effect was analyzed overall and in groups of hospitals with specific profiles. The implemented system resulted in increasing the number of potential donors by 27% (effectively, 24%); increasing utilized organs by 20% and multiorgan retrievals from 54% to 56%; decreasing the rate of utilized organs/actual donors from 2.65 to 2.57; and increasing family refusals from 8.5% to 9.3%. A positive effect was achieved in 102 hospitals (51%). Better results were achieved in regions where donation were initially low, namely, 59% in university hospitals, 63% in hospitals in large cities, 77% in hospitals with 2 coordinators, 67% in hospitals for adults, and 52% in hospitals where the coordinator was a doctor and not a nurse. This system resulted globally in increasing donation rates, but was effective only in one half of hospitals. Additional activities should be introduced to improve these results (quality systems, trainings, techniques for monitoring potential of donation, changes in profile of a coordinator). A formal analysis of coordinators' activities gives also the national organization a rational basis for their employment policy, taking into account the characteristics of hospitals and coordination teams.

  4. The internal organization of hospitals: a descriptive study.

    PubMed Central

    Sloan, F A

    1980-01-01

    This study presents descriptive information on several dimensions of the internal organization of hospitals, with particular emphasis on medical staff, using data from two unique national surveys. Three alternative theories of hospital behavior by economists are described and evaluated with these data. The study also shows how standard bed size, teaching, and ownership categories relate to important features of hospital organization. In this way, understanding of these standard "control" variables is enhanced. For example, systematic organizational differences between proprietary and other hospitals are reported, holding bed size and teaching status constant. No single theory of hospital behavior emerges as dominant. The tables demonstrate the diversity of hospitals and the likelihood that no single model can adequately describe the behavior of all hospitals. PMID:7204062

  5. Organization and evaluation of generalist palliative care in a Danish hospital.

    PubMed

    Bergenholtz, Heidi; Hølge-Hazelton, Bibi; Jarlbaek, Lene

    2015-05-06

    Hospitals have a responsibility to ensure that palliative care is provided to all patients with life-threatening illnesses. Generalist palliative care should therefore be acknowledged and organized as a part of the clinical tasks. However, little is known about the organization and evaluation of generalist palliative care in hospitals. Therefore the aim of the study was to investigate the organization and evaluation of generalist palliative care in a large regional hospital by comparing results from existing evaluations. Results from three different data sets, all aiming to evaluate generalist palliative care, were compared retrospectively. The data-sets derived from; 1. a national accreditation of the hospital, 2. a national survey and 3. an internal self-evaluation performed in the hospital. The data were triangulated to investigate the organization and evaluation of palliative care in order to identify concordances and/or discrepancies. The triangulation indicated poor validity of the results from existing methods used to evaluate palliative care in hospitals. When the datasets were compared, several discrepancies occurred with regard to the organization and the performance of generalist palliative care. Five types of discrepancies were found in 35 out of 56 sections in the fulfilment of the national accreditation standard for palliative care. Responses from the hospital management and the department managements indicated that generalist palliative care was organized locally--if at all--within the various departments and with no overall structure or policy. This study demonstrates weaknesses in the existing evaluation methods for generalist palliative care and highlights the lack of an overall policy, organization and goals for the provision of palliative care in the hospital. More research is needed to focus on the organization of palliative care and to establish indicators for high quality palliative care provided by the hospital. The lack of valid indicators

  6. Hospital collaboration with public safety organizations on bioterrorism response.

    PubMed

    Niska, Richard W

    2008-01-01

    To identify hospital characteristics that predict collaboration with public safety organizations on bioterrorism response plans and mass casualty drills. The 2003 and 2004 Bioterrorism and Mass Casualty Supplements to the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey examined collaboration with emergency medical services (EMS), hazardous materials teams (HAZMAT), fire departments, and law enforcement. The sample included 112 geographic primary sampling units and 1,110 hospitals. Data were weighted by inverse selection probability, to yield nationally representative estimates. Characteristics included residency and medical school affiliation, bed capacity, ownership, urbanicity and Joint Commission accreditation. The response rate was 84.6%. Chi-square analysis was performed with alpha set at p < 0.05. Logistic regression modeling yielded odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. During a bioterrorism incident, 68.9% of hospitals would contact EMS, 68.7% percent law enforcement, 61.6% fire departments, 58.1% HAZMAT, and 42.8% all four. About 74.2% had staged mass casualty drills with EMS, 70.4% with fire departments, 67.4% with law enforcement, 43.3% with HAZMAT, and 37.0% with all four. Predictors of drilling with some or all of these public safety organizations included larger bed capacity, nonprofit and proprietary ownership, and JCAHO accreditation. Medical school affiliation was a negative predictor of drilling with EMS. The majority of hospitals involve public safety organizations in their emergency plans or drills. Bed capacity was most predictive of drilling with these organizations. Medical school affiliation was the only characteristic negatively associated with drilling.

  7. In-hospital organization of primary care of patients presenting a life-threatening emergency: A French national survey in 32 university hospitals.

    PubMed

    Quintard, Hervé; Severac, Mathilde; Martin, Claude; Ichai, Carole

    2015-08-01

    The development of specialized units dedicated to life-threatening management has demonstrated to improve the prognosis of patients requiring such treatments. However, apart those focused on trauma and stroke, networks are still lacking in France. Despite, the implementation of standardisation of practices and guidelines, particularly in prehospital care, in-hospital clinical practices at admission remain heterogenous. This survey aimed to assess the structural and human organization of teaching hospitals in France concerning the primary in-hospital care for critically ill patients. A questionnaire of 45 items was sent by e-mail to 32 teaching hospitals between January and March 2013. It included information related to the description of the emergency department, of ICUs, and both structural and human organizations for primary in-hospital care of life-threatening patients. Seventy-five percent of teaching hospitals answered to the survey. Seven hundred to 1400 patients were admitted to emergency units per week and among them 10 to 20 were admitted for critically ill conditions. These latter were addressed in a specialized room of the emergency unit (Service d'admission des urgences vitales [SAUV]) in 40% of hospitals and in specialized room in ICU in 18% of cases. Intensivists were involved in 50% of hospitals, emergency physicians in 26% and it was mixed in 24% of hospitals. This survey is the first to assess the in-hospital organization of primary care for instable and life-threatening patients in France. Our results confirmed the extreme heterogeneity of structural and human organizations for primary in-hospital care of patients presenting at least one organ failure. Thus, a consensus is probably needed to homogenize and improve our practices. Copyright © 2015 Société française d’anesthésie et de réanimation (Sfar). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  8. Benchmarking organ procurement organizations: a national study.

    PubMed Central

    Ozcan, Y A; Begun, J W; McKinney, M M

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: An exploratory examination of the technical efficiency of organ procurement organizations (OPOs) relative to optimal patterns of production in the population of OPOs in the United States. DATA SOURCES: A composite data set with the OPO as the unit of analysis, constructed from a 1995 national survey of OPOs (n = 64), plus secondary data from the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations and the United Network for Organ Sharing. STUDY DESIGN: The study uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) to evaluate the technical efficiency of all OPOs. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Overall, six of the 22 larger OPOs (27 percent) are classified as inefficient, while 23 of the 42 smaller OPOs (55 percent) are classified as inefficient. Efficient OPOs recover significantly more kidneys and extrarenal organs; have higher operating expenses; and have more referrals, donors, extrarenal transplants, and kidney transplants. The quantities of hospital development personnel and other personnel, and formalization of hospital development activities in both small and large OPOs, do not significantly differ. CONCLUSIONS: Indications that larger OPOs are able to operate more efficiently relative to their peers suggest that smaller OPOs are more likely to benefit from technical assistance. More detailed information on the activities of OPO staff would help pinpoint activities that can increase OPO efficiency and referrals, and potentially improve outcomes for large numbers of patients awaiting transplants. PMID:10536974

  9. Gender Differences in Hospital CEO Compensation: A National Investigation of Not-for-Profit Hospitals.

    PubMed

    Song, Paula H; Lee, Shoou-Yih Daniel; Toth, Matthew; Singh, Simone R; Young, Gary J

    2018-01-01

    Gender pay equity is a desirable social value and an important strategy to fill every organizational stratum with gender-diverse talent to fulfill an organization's goals and mission. This study used national, large-sample data to examine gender difference in CEO compensation among not-for-profit hospitals. Results showed the average unadjusted annual compensation for female CEOs in 2009 was $425,085 compared with $581,121 for male CEOs. With few exceptions, the difference existed across all types of not-for-profit hospitals. After controlling for hospital- and area-level characteristics, female CEOs of not-for-profit hospitals earned 22.6% less than male CEOs of not-for-profit hospitals. This translates into an earnings differential of $132,652 associated with gender. Explanations and implications of the results are discussed.

  10. Hospital autonomy: the experience of Kenyatta National Hospital.

    PubMed

    Collins, D; Njeru, G; Meme, J; Newbrander, W

    1999-01-01

    An increasing number of countries are exploring the introduction or expansion of autonomous hospitals as one of the numerous health reforms they are introducing to their health system. Hospital autonomy is one of the forms of decentralization that is focused on a specific institution rather than on a political unit. It has gained much interest because it is an attempt to amalgamate the best elements of the public and private sectors in how a hospital is governed, managed and financed. This paper reviews the key elements of the concept of hospital autonomy, the reasons for its expanded use in many countries and a specific example of making a major teaching hospital autonomous in Kenya. A review of the successful experience of Kenyatta National Hospital and its process of introducing autonomy, with regard to governance, operations and management, and finances, lead to several conclusions on replicability. The legal framework is a critical element for successfully structuring the autonomous hospital. Additionally, success is highly dependent on the extent to which there is adequate funding during the process of attaining autonomy due to the length of the transition period needed. Autonomy must be granted within the context of the national health system and national health objectives and be consistent with those aims and their underlying societal values. Finally, as with decentralization, success is dependent upon the preparation done with the systems and management necessary for the proper governance and operation of autonomous hospitals.

  11. The necessity of strengthening the cooperation between tissue banks and organ transplant organizations at national, regional, and international levels.

    PubMed

    Morales Pedraza, Jorge

    2013-12-01

    The donation of tissues and organs increases significantly when tissue banks and organ transplant organizations work together in the procurement of organs and tissues at donor sources (hospitals, coroners system, organ procurement agencies, and funeral homes, among others). To achieve this important goal, national competent health authorities should considered the establishment of a mechanism that promote the widest possible cooperation between tissue banks and organ transplant organizations with hospitals, research medical institutions, universities, and other medical institutions and facilities. One of the issues that can facilitate this cooperation is the establishment of a coding and traceability system that could identify all tissues and organs used in transplant activities carried out in any country. The promotion of national, regional, and international cooperation between tissue banks and organ transplant organizations would enable the sharing of relevant information that could be important for medical practice and scientific studies carried out by many countries, particularly for those countries with a weak health care system.

  12. [Development of a measurement of intellectual capital for hospital nursing organizations].

    PubMed

    Kim, Eun A; Jang, Keum Seong

    2011-02-01

    This study was done to develop an instrument for measuring intellectual capital and assess its validity and reliability in identifying the components, human capital, structure capital and customer capital of intellectual capital in hospital nursing organizations. The participants were 950 regular clinical nurses who had worked for over 13 months in 7 medical hospitals including 4 national university hospitals and 3 private university hospitals. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey done from July 2 to August 25, 2009. Data from 906 nurses were used for the final analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha coefficients, item analysis, factor analysis (principal component analysis, Varimax rotation) with the SPSS PC+ 17.0 for Windows program. Developing the instrument for measuring intellectual capital in hospital nursing organizations involved a literature review, development of preliminary items, and verification of validity and reliability. The final instrument was in a self-report form on a 5-point Likert scale. There were 29 items on human capital (5 domains), 21 items on customer capital (4 domains), 26 items on structure capital (4 domains). The results of this study may be useful to assess the levels of intellectual capital of hospital nursing organizations.

  13. Deceased Organ Donor Management: Does Hospital Volume Matter?

    PubMed

    Patel, Madhukar S; Mohebali, Jahan; Sally, Mitchell; Groat, Tahnee; Vagefi, Parsia A; Chang, David C; Malinoski, Darren J

    2017-03-01

    Identification of strategies to improve organ donor use remains imperative. Despite the association between hospital volume and outcomes for many common disease processes, there have been no studies that assess the impact of organ donor hospital volume on organ yield. A prospective observational study of all deceased organ donors managed by 10 organ procurement organizations across United Network for Organ Sharing regions 4, 5, and 6 was conducted from February 2012 to June 2015. To study the impact of hospital volume on organ yield, each donor was placed into a hospital-volume quartile based on the number of donors managed by their hospital. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify the independent effect of hospital volume on the primary outcomes measure of having ≥4 organs transplanted per donor. Data from 4,427 donors across 384 hospitals were collected and hospitals were assigned quartiles based on their volume of deceased donors. Hospitals managed a mean ± SD of 3.3 ± 5.2 donors per hospital per year. After adjusting for age, ethnicity, donor type, blood type, BMI, creatinine, and organ procurement organization/donor service area, being managed in hospitals within the highest volume quartile remained a positive independent predictor of ≥4 organs transplanted per donor (odds ratio = 1.52; 95% CI 1.29 to 1.79; p < 0.001). Deceased organ donor hospital volume impacts organ yield, with the highest-volume centers being 52% more likely to achieve ≥4 organs transplanted per donor. Efforts should be made to share practices from these higher-volume centers and consideration should be given to centralization of donor care. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  14. Incidence of Hospitalized Stroke in the Czech Republic: The National Registry of Hospitalized Patients.

    PubMed

    Sedova, Petra; Brown, Robert D; Zvolsky, Miroslav; Kadlecova, Pavla; Bryndziar, Tomas; Kubelka, Tomáš; Weiss, Viktor; Volný, Ondřej; Bednarik, Josef; Mikulik, Robert

    2017-05-01

    Contemporary stroke incidence data are not available in some countries and regions, including in Eastern Europe. Based on previous validation of the accuracy of the National Registry of Hospitalized Patients (NRHOSP), we report the incidence of hospitalized stroke in the Czech Republic (CR) using the NRHOSP. The results of the prior validation study assessing the accuracy of coding of stroke diagnoses in the NRHOSP were applied, and we calculated (1) the overall incidence of hospitalized stroke and (2) the incidence rates of hospitalized stroke for the three main stroke types: cerebral infarction (International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision, CI I63), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH I60), and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH I61). We calculated the average annual age- and sex-standardized incidence. The overall incidence of hospitalized stroke was 241 out of 100,000 individuals. The incidence of hospitalized stroke for the main stroke types was 8.2 cases in SAH, 29.5 in ICH, and 211 in CI per 100,000 individuals. The standardized annual stroke incidence adjusted to the 2000 World Health Organization population for overall stroke incidence of hospitalized stroke was 131 per 100,000 individuals. Standardized stroke incidence for stroke subtypes was 5.7 cases in SAH, 16.7 in ICH, and 113 in CI per 100,000 individuals. These studies provide an initial assessment of the burden of stroke in this part of the world. The estimates of hospitalized stroke in the CR and Eastern Europe suggest that ICH is about three times more common than SAH, and hemorrhagic stroke makes up about 18% of strokes. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Animal-assisted interventions: A national survey of health and safety policies in hospitals, eldercare facilities, and therapy animal organizations.

    PubMed

    Linder, Deborah E; Siebens, Hannah C; Mueller, Megan K; Gibbs, Debra M; Freeman, Lisa M

    2017-08-01

    Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) programs are increasing in popularity, but it is unknown to what extent therapy animal organizations that provide AAI and the hospitals and eldercare facilities they work with implement effective animal health and safety policies to ensure safety of both animals and humans. Our study objective was to survey hospitals, eldercare facilities, and therapy animal organizations on their AAI policies and procedures. A survey of United States hospitals, eldercare facilities, and therapy animal organizations was administered to assess existing health and safety policies related to AAI programs. Forty-five eldercare facilities, 45 hospitals, and 27 therapy animal organizations were surveyed. Health and safety policies varied widely and potentially compromised human and animal safety. For example, 70% of therapy animal organizations potentially put patients at risk by allowing therapy animals eating raw meat diets to visit facilities. In general, hospitals had stricter requirements than eldercare facilities. This information suggests that there are gaps between the policies of facilities and therapy animal organizations compared with recent guidelines for animal visitation in hospitals. Facilities with AAI programs need to review their policies to address recent AAI guidelines to ensure the safety of animals and humans involved. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Financial Analysis of National University Hospitals in Korea.

    PubMed

    Lee, Munjae

    2015-10-01

    This paper provides information for decision making of the managers and the staff of national university hospitals. In order to conduct a financial analysis of national university hospitals, this study uses reports on the final accounts of 10 university hospitals from 2008 to 2011. The results of comparing 2008 and 2011 showed that there was a general decrease in total assets, an increase in liabilities, and a decrease in total medical revenues, with a continuous deficit in many hospitals. Moreover, as national university hospitals have low debt dependence, their management conditions generally seem satisfactory. However, some individual hospitals suffer severe financial difficulties and thus depend on short-term debts, which generally aggravate the profit and loss structure. Various indicators show that the financial state and business performance of national university hospitals have been deteriorating. These research findings will be used as important basic data for managers who make direct decisions in this uncertain business environment or by researchers who analyze the medical industry to enable informed decision-making and optimized execution. Furthermore, this study is expected to contribute to raising government awareness of the need to foster and support the national university hospital industry.

  17. Financial Analysis of National University Hospitals in Korea

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Munjae

    2015-01-01

    Objectives This paper provides information for decision making of the managers and the staff of national university hospitals. Methods In order to conduct a financial analysis of national university hospitals, this study uses reports on the final accounts of 10 university hospitals from 2008 to 2011. Results The results of comparing 2008 and 2011 showed that there was a general decrease in total assets, an increase in liabilities, and a decrease in total medical revenues, with a continuous deficit in many hospitals. Moreover, as national university hospitals have low debt dependence, their management conditions generally seem satisfactory. However, some individual hospitals suffer severe financial difficulties and thus depend on short-term debts, which generally aggravate the profit and loss structure. Various indicators show that the financial state and business performance of national university hospitals have been deteriorating. Conclusion These research findings will be used as important basic data for managers who make direct decisions in this uncertain business environment or by researchers who analyze the medical industry to enable informed decision-making and optimized execution. Furthermore, this study is expected to contribute to raising government awareness of the need to foster and support the national university hospital industry. PMID:26730356

  18. Metadata - National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) is an annual probability survey that collects information on the characteristics of inpatients discharged from non-federal short-stay hospitals in the United States.

  19. Changes in NHS organization of care and management of hospital admissions with COPD exacerbations between the national COPD audits of 2003 and 2008.

    PubMed

    George, P M; Stone, R A; Buckingham, R J; Pursey, N A; Lowe, D; Roberts, C M

    2011-10-01

    The 2003 UK Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) audit revealed wide variability between hospital units in care delivered. To assess whether processes of care, patient outcomes and organization of care have improved since 2003. A UK national audit was performed in 2008 to survey the organization and delivery of clinical care provided to patients admitted to hospital with COPD. All UK acute hospital Trusts (units) were invited to participate. Each unit completed cross-sectional resource and organization questionnaires and a prospective clinical audit comprising up to 60 consecutively admitted cases of COPD exacerbation. Comparison between 2003 and 2008 includes aggregated statistics for units participating in both audit rounds. A total of 192 units participated in both audit rounds (6197 admissions in 2003 and 8170 in 2008). In 2008, patients were older and of a poorer functional class. Overall mortality was unchanged but adjusting for age and performance status, inpatient mortality (P = 0.05) and 90-day mortality (P = 0.001) were both reduced in 2008. More patients were discharged under a respiratory specialist (P < 0.01), treated with non-invasive ventilation if acidotic (P < 0.001) and accepted onto early discharge schemes (P < 0.01) while median length of stay fell from 6 to 5 days (P < 0.001). Within these mean data, however, there remains considerable inter-unit variation in organization, resources and outcomes. Overall improvements in resources and organization are accompanied by reduced mortality, shorter admissions and greater access to specialist services. There remains, however, considerable variation in the quality of secondary care provided between units.

  20. Process-based organization design and hospital efficiency.

    PubMed

    Vera, Antonio; Kuntz, Ludwig

    2007-01-01

    The central idea of process-based organization design is that organizing a firm around core business processes leads to cost reductions and quality improvements. We investigated theoretically and empirically whether the implementation of a process-based organization design is advisable in hospitals. The data came from a database compiled by the Statistical Office of the German federal state of Rheinland-Pfalz and from a written questionnaire, which was sent to the chief executive officers (CEOs) of all 92 hospitals in this federal state. We used data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure hospital efficiency, and factor analysis and regression analysis to test our hypothesis. Our principal finding is that a high degree of process-based organization has a moderate but significant positive effect on the efficiency of hospitals. The main implication is that hospitals should implement a process-based organization to improve their efficiency. However, to actually achieve positive effects on efficiency, it is of paramount importance to observe some implementation rules, in particular to mobilize physician participation and to create an adequate organizational culture.

  1. Review of childhood measles admissions at the National Hospital, Abuja.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, P A; Babaniyi, I B; Otuneye, A T

    2010-12-01

    The global disease burden from measles as a vaccine preventable disease remains high despite decades of interventions by various organs and agencies. To determine the prevalence and outcome of childhood cases of measles admitted into the children's emergency ward of the National hospital and highlight the possible contributing factors. Retrospective. A total number of 43 children with measles presenting at the National Hospital Abuja, seen over a 40 months period; January 2002 and April 2005. Cases-folders of patients seen at the Emergency Paediatric Unit (EPU) of the National Hospital Abuja during the period under review with the clinical diagnosis of measles were reviewed. The children were aged between seven to 12months, with 25 (58.1%) age 24months and below. Twenty three (53.5%) of the subjects had received prior measles vaccination. History of contact with cases of acute measles was present in 26 (60.5%). Associated protein energy malnutrition (PEM) was found in 30 (69.8%) with 28 (65.1 %) parents of these children being of lower social economic classes (III, IV &V). Recorded complications included gastroenteritis, bronchopneumonia, laryngo-tracheo-bronchitis as part of croup syndrome, tuberculosis, and otitis media. Three fatalities (7.0%) were record in this review, all in association with bronchopneumonia. Measles with its complications still present as a fatal illness even among vaccinated children.

  2. Organ Donor Recovery Performed at an Organ Procurement Organization-Based Facility Is an Effective Way to Minimize Organ Recovery Costs and Increase Organ Yield.

    PubMed

    Doyle, Majella; Subramanian, Vijay; Vachharajani, Neeta; Collins, Kelly; Wellen, Jason R; Stahlschmidt, Emily; Brockmeier, Diane; Coleman, Jason; Kappel, Dean; Chapman, William C

    2016-04-01

    A new era in organ donation with national redistricting is being proposed. With these proposals, costs of organ acquisition are estimated to more than double. Traditionally, organ recoveries occur in the donor hospital setting, incurring premium hospital expenses. The aim of the study was to determine organ recovery costs and organ yield for donor recoveries performed at an organ procurement organization (OPO) facility. In 2001, we established an OPO facility and in 2008 began transferring the donor expeditiously when brain death was declared. The OPO donor and hospital costs on a per donor basis were calculated. Donation after cardiac death donors cannot be transferred and were included in the hospital cost analysis. From January 2009 to December 2014, nine hundred and sixty-three donors originating in our OPO had organs recovered and transplanted. Seven hundred and sixty-six (79.5%) donors were transferred to the OPO facility 8.6 hours (range 0.6 to 23.6 hours) after declaration of brain death. Donor recovery cost was 51% less when donors were transferred to the OPO facility ($16,153 OPO recovery vs $33,161 hospital recovery; p < 0.0001). Organ yield was 27.5% better (3.43 organs) from OPO-recovered donors vs an organ yield of 2.69 from hospital-recovered donors (p < 0.0001). Standard criteria donor organ yield from our OPO was 6% higher than the national average (3.92 vs 3.7 nationally; p = 0.012) and expanded criteria donor organ yield was 18% higher (2.2 vs 1.87 nationally; p = 0.03). An OPO facility for donor organ recovery increases efficiency and organ yield, reduces costs, and minimizes organ acquisition charge. As we face new considerations with broader sharing, increased efficiencies, cost. and organ use should be considered. Copyright © 2016 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. [Neuropathological research on organs of patients of the "Heil- und pflegeanstalt" (state hospital) Günzburg].

    PubMed

    Steger, F; Strube, W; Becker, T

    2011-03-31

    The two Kaiser Wilhelm-Institutes (KWI) in Berlin (1914, new building 1931) and in Munich (1917, new building 1926-28), specialized on pathologic anatomical as well as psychiatric genetic research, were set up before times of National Socialism. Data evaluation is based on patient documents and annual reports of the archive of today's district hospital Günzburg and on patient documents (copies) of the historical archive of today's Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry. The KWI in Munich was indirectly provided with brain material by Bavarian "Heil- und Pflegeanstalten" (state hospitals) including the state hospital Günzburg. During National Socialism patients' organs were sent from the "Heil- und Pflegeanstalt" (state hospital) Günzburg to the KWI in Munich for the purpose of conducting research. Commemorating patients' fates and clarifying what happened defines a place of remembrance.

  4. Local, regional and national interoperability in hospital-level systems architecture.

    PubMed

    Mykkänen, J; Korpela, M; Ripatti, S; Rannanheimo, J; Sorri, J

    2007-01-01

    Interoperability of applications in health care is faced with various needs by patients, health professionals, organizations and policy makers. A combination of existing and new applications is a necessity. Hospitals are in a position to drive many integration solutions, but need approaches which combine local, regional and national requirements and initiatives with open standards to support flexible processes and applications on a local hospital level. We discuss systems architecture of hospitals in relation to various processes and applications, and highlight current challenges and prospects using a service-oriented architecture approach. We also illustrate these aspects with examples from Finnish hospitals. A set of main services and elements of service-oriented architectures for health care facilities are identified, with medium-term focus which acknowledges existing systems as a core part of service-oriented solutions. The services and elements are grouped according to functional and interoperability cohesion. A transition towards service-oriented architecture in health care must acknowledge existing health information systems and promote the specification of central processes and software services locally and across organizations. Software industry best practices such as SOA must be combined with health care knowledge to respond to central challenges such as continuous change in health care. A service-oriented approach cannot entirely rely on common standards and frameworks but it must be locally adapted and complemented.

  5. Accountable care organizations: financial advantages of larger hospital organizations.

    PubMed

    Camargo, Rodrigo; Camargo, Thaisa; Deslich, Stacie; Paul, David P; Coustasse, Alberto

    2014-01-01

    Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are groups of providers who agree to accept the responsibility for elevating the health status of a defined group of patients, with the goal of enabling people to take charge of their health and enroll in shared decision making with providers. The large initial investment required (estimated at $1.8 million) to develop an ACO implies that the participation of large health care organizations, especially hospitals and health systems, is required for success. Findings of this study suggest that ACOs based in a larger hospital organization are more likely to meet Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services criteria for formation because of financial and structural assets of those entities.

  6. Exploring the networking behaviors of hospital organizations.

    PubMed

    Di Vincenzo, Fausto

    2018-05-08

    Despite an extensive body of knowledge exists on network outcomes and on how hospital network structures may contribute to the creation of outcomes at different levels of analysis, less attention has been paid to understanding how and why hospital organizational networks evolve and change. The aim of this paper is to study the dynamics of networking behaviors of hospital organizations. Stochastic actor-based model for network dynamics was used to quantitatively examine data covering six-years of patient transfer relations among 35 hospital organizations. Specifically, the study investigated about determinants of patient transfer evolution modeling partner selection choice as a combination of multiple organizational attributes and endogenous network-based processes. The results indicate that having overlapping specialties and treating patients with the same case-mix decrease the likelihood of observing network ties between hospitals. Also, results revealed as geographical proximity and membership of the same LHA have a positive impact on the networking behavior of hospitals organizations, there is a propensity in the network to choose larger hospitals as partners, and to transfer patients between hospitals facing similar levels of operational uncertainty. Organizational attributes (overlapping specialties and case-mix), institutional factors (LHA), and geographical proximity matter in the formation and shaping of hospital networks over time. Managers can benefit from the use of these findings by clearly identifying the role and strategic positioning of their hospital with respect to the entire network. Social network analysis can yield novel information and also aid policy makers in the formation of interventions, encouraging alliances among providers as well as planning health system restructuring.

  7. Metadata - National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) is designed to collect information on the services provided in hospital emergency and outpatient departments and in ambulatory surgery centers.

  8. Hospitals as learning organizations: fostering innovation through interactive learning.

    PubMed

    Dias, Casimiro; Escoval, Ana

    2015-01-01

    The article aims to provide an analytical understanding of hospitals as "learning organizations." It further analyzes the development of learning organizations as a way to enhance innovation and performance in the hospital sector. The article pulls together primary data on organizational flexibility, innovation, and performance from 95 administrators from hospital boards in Portugal, collected through a survey, interviews with hospital's boards, and a nominal group technique with a panel of experts on health systems. Results show that a combination of several organizational traits of the learning organization enhances its capacity for innovation development. The logistic model presented reveals that hospitals classified as "advanced learning organizations" have 5 times more chance of developing innovation than "basic learning organizations." Empirical findings further pointed out incentives, standards, and measurement requirements as key elements for integration of service delivery systems and expansion of the current capacity for structured and real-time learning in the hospital sector. The major implication arising from this study is that policy needs to combine instruments that promote innovation opportunities and incentives, with instruments stimulating the further development of the core components of learning organizations. Such a combination of policy instruments has the potential to ensure a wide external cooperation through a learning infrastructure.

  9. The role of private hospitals in South Africa. Part II. Towards a national policy on private hospitals.

    PubMed

    Broomberg, J

    1993-05-01

    This paper reviews some aspects of present state policy on private hospitals and sets out broad policy guidelines, as well as specific policy options, for the future role of private hospitals in South Africa. Current state policy is reviewed via an examination of the findings and recommendations of the two major Commissions of Inquiry into the role of private hospitals over the last 2 decades, and comparison of these with the present situation. The analysis confirms that existing state policy on private hospitals is inadequate, and suggests some explanations for this. Policy options analysed include the elimination of the private hospital sector through nationalization; partial integration of private hospitals into a centrally financed health care system (such as a national health insurance system); and the retention of separate, privately owned hospitals that will remain privately financed and outside the system of national health care provision. These options are explained and their merits and the associated problems debated. While it is recognised that, in the long term, public ownership of hospitals may be an effective way of attaining equity and efficiency in hospital services, the paper argues that elimination of private hospitals is not a realistic policy option for the foreseeable future. In this scenario, partial integration of private hospitals under a centrally financed system is argued to be the most effective way of improving the efficiency of the private hospital sector, and of maximising its contribution to national health care resources.

  10. The role of private non-profit healthcare organizations in NHS systems: Implications for the Portuguese hospital devolution program.

    PubMed

    Almeida, Álvaro S

    2017-06-01

    The national health services (NHS) of England, Portugal, Finland and other single-payer universalist systems financed by general taxation, are based on the theoretical principle of an integrated public sector payer-provider. However, in practice one can find different forms of participation of non-public healthcare providers in those NHS, including private for profit providers, but also third sector non-profit organizations (NPO). This paper reviews the role of non-public non-profit healthcare organizations in NHS systems. By crossing a literature review on privatization of national health services with a literature review on the comparative performance of non-profit and for-profit healthcare organizations, this paper assesses the impact of contracting private non-profit healthcare organizations on the efficiency, quality and responsiveness of services, in public universal health care systems. The results of the review were then compared to the existing evidence on the Portuguese hospital devolution to NPO program. The evidence in this paper suggests that NHS health system reforms that transfer some public-sector hospitals to NPO should deliver improvements to the health system with minimal downside risks. The very limited existing evidence on the Portuguese hospital devolution program suggests it improved efficiency and access, without sacrificing quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. The dysfunctional consequences of a performance measurement system: the case of the Iranian national hospital grading programme.

    PubMed

    Aryankhesal, Aidin; Sheldon, Trevor A; Mannion, Russell; Mahdipour, Saeade

    2015-07-01

    Performance measurement systems are increasingly used to reward and improve provider performance. However, such initiatives may also inadvertently induce a range of unintended and dysfunctional side-effects. This study explores the unintended and adverse consequences induced by the Iranian national hospital grading programme, which incorporates financial incentives for meeting nationally defined standards. We interviewed key informants across four key groups with a legitimate interest in healthcare performance: four purposively selected hospitals; four health insurance organizations; the Iranian hospital accreditation body; and one grading agency. The transcribed interviews and field notes were analysed thematically, and subsequently, member checking was conducted. Seven dysfunctional consequences were identified: misrepresentation of data by hospitals; increased anxiety and stress among hospital employees; tunnel vision; financial pressures on poorly graded hospitals; incentives to purchase unnecessary equipment; erosion of public trust; and restricting access to hospital services by patients. These were caused by the way the grading system was implemented: poor standards of audit; the way in which the audit process was conducted; and the timing of audits. The pay for performance element of the grading system and the focus on structural aspects in the standards made improvement in grading particularly difficult for those hospitals that had been assessed as under-performing. Although the Iranian hospital grading system has resulted in a significant increase in the adoption of national standards, it has nevertheless induced a range of perverse outcomes. To mitigate these requires further refinement and recalibration of the system. © The Author(s) 2015.

  12. Higher cost sharing for visiting general hospitals and the changing trend in the first-visited healthcare organization among newly diagnosed hypertension patients.

    PubMed

    Shin, Jaeyong; Choi, Young; Lee, Sang Gyu; Kim, Tae Hyun; Park, Eun-Cheol

    2016-10-01

    Unnecessary use of high-quality resources in general hospitals hinders treatment of patients with urgent and complicated conditions. Thus, the Korean Government has sought to reduce general hospital visiting of patients with 52 mild diseases, including hypertension. The higher cost sharing for medical expenses and medications from general hospitals were enacted in 2009 and 2011, respectively.We determined whether these regulations were effective through evaluating changing trends in first-visited healthcare organizations and defined the first visiting healthcare organization level (primary clinics, hospital, and general hospital) as an outcome measure.Data of 32,830 mild hypertension patients from 2004 to 2013 were retrieved from the Korean National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort. This was a retrospective study involving a large national cohort with patient samples (representing 2% of the total Korean population) stratified on the basis of sociodemographic information.Mutinomial logistic regression were performed for the first visiting to different health organizations, compared to the first visiting to primary clinics.Patients in 2012 and 2013 had significantly lower odds ("2012": 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.56-0.81/"2013": 0.66, 95% CI 0.54-0.81) of first visiting general hospitals compared with those in 2008, although decreased tendencies (albeit nonsignificant) were already evident in 2010 and 2011.Thus, government health policies for cost-containment seem effective in decreasing first visiting of general hospitals among patients with mild essential hypertension. These policies have since extended to Medical Aid beneficiaries; thus, it is needed to continue monitor their results carefully.

  13. National Hospital Input Price Index

    PubMed Central

    Freeland, Mark S.; Anderson, Gerard; Schendler, Carol Ellen

    1979-01-01

    The national community hospital input price index presented here isolates the effects of prices of goods and services required to produce hospital care and measures the average percent change in prices for a fixed market basket of hospital inputs. Using the methodology described in this article, weights for various expenditure categories were estimated and proxy price variables associated with each were selected. The index is calculated for the historical period 1970 through 1978 and forecast for 1979 through 1981. During the historical period, the input price index increased an average of 8.0 percent a year, compared with an average rate of increase of 6.6 percent for overall consumer prices. For the period 1979 through 1981, the average annual increase is forecast at between 8.5 and 9.0 percent. Using the index to deflate growth in expenses, the level of real growth in expenditures per inpatient day (net service intensity growth) averaged 4.5 percent per year with considerable annual variation related to government and hospital industry policies. PMID:10309052

  14. National hospital input price index.

    PubMed

    Freeland, M S; Anderson, G; Schendler, C E

    1979-01-01

    The national community hospital input price index presented here isolates the effects of prices of goods and services required to produce hospital care and measures the average percent change in prices for a fixed market basket of hospital inputs. Using the methodology described in this article, weights for various expenditure categories were estimated and proxy price variables associated with each were selected. The index is calculated for the historical period 1970 through 1978 and forecast for 1979 through 1981. During the historical period, the input price index increased an average of 8.0 percent a year, compared with an average rate of increase of 6.6 percent for overall consumer prices. For the period 1979 through 1981, the average annual increase is forecast at between 8.5 and 9.0 per cent. Using the index to deflate growth in expenses, the level of real growth in expenditures per inpatient day (net service intensity growth) averaged 4.5 percent per year with considerable annual variation related to government and hospital industry policies.

  15. Modular organization and hospital performance.

    PubMed

    Kuntz, Ludwig; Vera, Antonio

    2007-02-01

    The concept of modularization represents a modern form of organization, which contains the vertical disaggregation of the firm and the use of market mechanisms within hierarchies. The objective of this paper is to examine whether the use of modular structures has a positive effect on hospital performance. The empirical section makes use of multiple regression analyses and leads to the main result that modularization does not have a positive effect on hospital performance. However, the analysis also finds out positive efficiency effects of two central ideas of modularization, namely process orientation and internal market mechanisms.

  16. Sharing organs with foreign nationals.

    PubMed

    Bruni, Rebecca; Wright, Linda

    2011-03-01

    Organs for transplantation are an absolute scarcity throughout the world, and many countries do not offer transplantation. Developed countries with transplant programs receive requests to list foreign nationals for transplantation. Any national standard deserves justification by a thorough exploration of the issues. In this article, the issues regarding organ transplantation for foreign nationals in Canada are explored. Currently Canada has no policy on listing foreign nationals for transplantation. Three topics are reviewed: (1) arguments for and against the transplantation of organs from deceased donors to foreign nationals, (2) relevant legislation and position statements, and (3) relevant practices in other countries. Finally, practical policy options are suggested. This article's analysis of the issues will provide guidance for health care professionals and policy makers in Canada and developed countries exploring listing foreign nationals for transplantation.

  17. Hospital library service and the changes in national standards.

    PubMed Central

    Glitz, B; Flack, V; Lovas, I M; Newell, P

    1998-01-01

    Two important sets of standards affecting hospital libraries were significantly revised in 1994, those of the Medical Library Association (MLA) and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). As part of its continuing efforts to monitor library services within its region, the University of California, Los Angeles Biomedical Library, Regional Medical Library for the Pacific Southwest Region of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) conducted a survey in late 1994, in part to determine the effects of these revised standards on regional hospital libraries. Data from the survey were also used to provide a view of hospital libraries in the Pacific Southwest region, and to make comparisons with similar data collected in 1989. Results showed that while libraries remained stable in overall number, size, and staffing, services, especially those associated with end-user searching and interlibrary loan, increased enormously. With respect to the MLA standards, results show a high compliance level. Interesting differences were seen between the perceptions of library staff concerning their rate of compliance with the JCAHO standards and their actual compliance as measured by the MLA criteria. While some libraries appear to measure up better than their own perceptions would indicate, others may be fully aware of their actual compliance level. PMID:9549016

  18. Learning organizations, internal marketing, and organizational commitment in hospitals.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Yafang

    2014-04-04

    Knowledge capital is becoming more important to healthcare establishments, especially for hospitals that are facing changing societal and industrial patterns. Hospital staff must engage in a process of continual learning to improve their healthcare skills and provide a superior service to their patients. Internal marketing helps hospital administrators to improve the quality of service provided by nursing staff to their patients and allows hospitals to build a learning culture and enhance the organizational commitment of its nursing staff. Our empirical study provides nursing managers with a tool to allow them to initiate a change in the attitudes of nurses towards work, by constructing a new 'learning organization' and using effective internal marketing. A cross-sectional design was employed. Two hundred questionnaires were distributed to nurses working in either a medical centre or a regional hospital in Taichung City, Taiwan, and 114 valid questionnaires were returned (response rate: 57%). The entire process of distribution and returns was completed between 1 October and 31 October 2009. Hypothesis testing was conducted using structural equation modelling. A significant positive correlation was found between the existence of a 'learning organization', internal marketing, and organizational commitment. Internal marketing was a mediator between creating a learning organization and organizational commitment. Nursing managers may be able to apply the creation of a learning organization to strategies that can strengthen employee organizational commitment. Further, when promoting the creation of a learning organization, managers can coordinate their internal marketing practices to enhance the organizational commitment of nurses.

  19. Rural hospitals' experience with the National Practitioner Data Bank.

    PubMed

    Neighbor, W E; Baldwin, L M; West, P A; Hart, L G

    1997-04-01

    This study examined hospital administrators' experiences with the National Practitioner Data Bank. One hundred forty-nine rural hospital administrators completed questionnaires assessing their perceptions of the data bank. Nearly 90% of respondents rated the data bank as an important source of information for credentialing. Three percent indicated it had directly affected privileging decisions; 43% and 34%, respectively, believed the costs exceeded or equaled the benefits. Twenty percent reported changes that could decrease disciplinary action reports to the data bank. While the National Practitioner Data Bank is an important source of information to rural hospitals, it may, affect few credentialing decisions and motivate behavioral changes that could have a paradoxical effect on quality assurance.

  20. Outsourcing and its implications for hospital organizations in Turkey.

    PubMed

    Yigit, Vahit; Tengilimoglu, Dilaver; Kisa, Adnan; Younis, Mustafa Zeedan

    2007-01-01

    To thrive in this era of global competition, all organizations must explore new managerial approaches to get an edge in the marketplace. One increasingly appealing approach is outsourcing. Hospitals are particularly fertile environments for outsourcing, given their role as providers of a broad and complex array of services, many of which may be bought from other institutions. The purpose of this study is to determine the types of services that hospitals in Turkey buy from other organizations. The study sample included 14 university hospitals, 20 Ministry of Health Hospitals, 15 Social Insurance Organization Hospitals and 31 private hospitals in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, and Eskisehir, which are the biggest cities in Turkey. The following services were found to be outsourced: hospital management information systems (83.8%), cleaning services (81.3%), maintenance services (72.5%), leased medical devices (75.0%), food services (60.0%), patient direction services (63.8%), magnetic imaging services (60.0%), other imaging services (48.8%), laboratory services (42.5%), security services (38.8%), laundry services (36.3%), patient transportation services (33.8%), accounting services (26.3%), ambulance services (22.5%), patient satisfaction measurement services (13.8%), consultancy services (12.5%), and financial and investment services (9.5%). Private hospitals bought more services than public facilities did. The sampled hospitals chose to outsource services in order to decrease costs (78.8%), increase the quality of services rendered (65.5%), increase flexibility and share risk (36.6%), and increase profits (11.2%). The results of this study suggest that outsourcing, when applied judiciously through cost and risk analysis, is a cost-effective approach that can be used by most hospitals.

  1. Evaluation of hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

    PubMed

    Sheils, Catherine R; Dahlke, Allison R; Kreutzer, Lindsey; Bilimoria, Karl Y; Yang, Anthony D

    2016-11-01

    The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program is well recognized in surgical quality measurement and is used widely in research. Recent calls to make it a platform for national public reporting and pay-for-performance initiatives highlight the importance of understanding which types of hospitals elect to participate in the program. Our objective was to compare characteristics of hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to characteristics of nonparticipating US hospitals. The 2013 American Hospital Association and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Healthcare Cost Report Information System datasets were used to compare characteristics and operating margins of hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to those of nonparticipating hospitals. Of 3,872 general medical and surgical hospitals performing inpatient surgery in the United States, 475 (12.3%) participated in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Participating hospitals performed 29.0% of all operations in the United States. Compared with nonparticipating hospitals, American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program hospitals had a higher mean annual inpatient surgical case volume (6,426 vs 1,874; P < .001) and a larger mean number of hospital beds (420 vs 167; P < .001); participating hospitals were more often teaching hospitals (35.2% vs 4.1%; P < .001), had more quality-related accreditations (P < .001), and had higher mean operating margins (P < .05). States with the highest proportions of hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program had established surgical quality improvement collaboratives. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program hospitals are large teaching

  2. Ancillary hospital personnel faced with organ donation and transplantation.

    PubMed

    Ríos, A; Conesa, C; Ramírez, P; Galindo, P J; Martínez, L; Fernández, O M; Montoya, M J; Rodríguez, M M; Lucas, D; Parrilla, P

    2006-04-01

    To reduce the number of family organ donation refusals, it is necessary not only to act on the general public but also on the health care system. In this respect, there are data suggesting that the percentage of hospital personnel against donation is high, especially among ancillary personnel. The objective herein was to analyze the attitudes of ancillary hospital professionals toward donation of their own organs and determine factors that conditioned such attitudes. A random sample in a third-level hospital with a solid organ transplant program was stratified by ancillary services: administrative, porters, maintenance, cleaning, and cooking. Attitudes toward donation of one's own organs after death were evaluated using a questionnaire on psychosocial aspects validated in our area. It included various psychosocial variables that could affect such attitudes. The Student t test and chi-square test were used to evaluate the data. We analyzed 277 respondents of mean age 43 +/- 8 years and 96% women. The level of acceptance of organ donation was 64% (n = 178), whereas 46% were either against or undecided (n = 98). The variables which determined the attitudes were understanding of brain death (P = .004); attitude toward cadaveric manipulation, especially toward autopsy (P = .013) and cremation (P = .004); concern about mutilation after donation (P = .014); religion (P = .032); partner's attitude toward donation (P < .0001); and possibility of needing an organ in the future (P = .031). Ancillary hospital personnel had similar attitudes toward donation as those of the general public as observed in other studies. The attitudes were determined by many psychosocial factors. A campaign to raise awareness among professionals has become a priority, given that working in a hospital, their unfavorable attitude could have a strong negative impact on the general public.

  3. [Obstetric care in Mali: effect of organization on in-hospital maternal mortality].

    PubMed

    Zongo, A; Traoré, M; Faye, A; Gueye, M; Fournier, P; Dumont, A

    2012-08-01

    Maternal mortality is still too high in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in referral hospitals. Solutions exist but their implementation is a great issue in the poor-resources settings. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of the organization of obstetric care services on maternal mortality in referral hospitals in Mali. This is a multicentric observational survey in 22 referral hospitals. Clinical data on 42,929 women delivering in the 22 hospitals within the 2007 to 2008 study period were collected. Organization evaluation was based on explicit criteria defined by an expert committee. The effect of the organization on in-hospital mortality adjusted on individual and institutional characteristics was estimated using multi-level logistic regression models. The results show that an optimal organization of obstetric care services based on eight explicit criteria reduced in-hospital maternal mortality by 41% compared with women delivering in a referral hospital with sub-optimal organization defined as non-compliance with at least one of the eight criteria (ORa=0.59; 95% CI=0.34-0.92). Furthermore, local policies that improved financial access to emergency obstetric care had a significant impact on maternal outcome. Criteria for optimal organization include the management of labor and childbirth by qualified personnel, an organization of human resources that allows timely management of obstetric emergencies, routine use of partography for all patients and availability of guidelines for the management of complications. These conditions could be easily implemented in the context of Mali to reduce in-hospital maternal mortality. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. A national study of transitional hospital services in mental health.

    PubMed Central

    Dorwart, R A; Hoover, C W

    1994-01-01

    OBJECTIVES. Shifts in care for the seriously mentally ill from inpatient to community-based treatment have highlighted the importance of transitional care. Our objectives were to document the kinds and quantity of transitional services provided by psychiatric hospitals nationally and to assess the impact of hospital type (psychiatric vs general), ownership (public vs private), case mix, and revenue source on provision of these services. METHODS. A national sample of nonfederal inpatient mental health facilities (n = 915) was surveyed in 1988, and data were analyzed by using multiple regression. RESULTS. Half (46%) of the facilities surveyed provided patient follow-up of 1 week or less, and almost all (93%) conducted team review of discharge plans, but 74% provided no case management services. Hospital type was the most consistent predictor of transitional care, with psychiatric hospitals providing more of these services than general hospitals. Severity of illness, level of nonfederal funding, urbanicity, and teaching hospital affiliation were positively associated with provision of case management. CONCLUSIONS. Transitional care services for mentally ill patients leaving the hospital were found to be uneven and often inadequate. Reasons for broad variation in services are discussed. PMID:8059877

  5. Interim Results of a National Test of the Rapid Assessment of Hospital Procurement Barriers in Donation (RAPiD)

    PubMed Central

    Traino, H. M.; Alolod, G. P.; Shafer, T.; Siminoff, L. A.

    2012-01-01

    Organ donation remains a major public health challenge with over 114 000 people on the waitlist in the United States. Among other factors, extant research highlights the need to improve the identification and timely referral of potential donors by hospital health-care providers (HCPs) to organ procurement organizations (OPOs). We implemented a national test of the Rapid Assessment of hospital Procurement barriers in Donation (RAPiD) to identify assets and barriers to the organ donation and patient referral processes; assess hospital–OPO relationships and offer tailored recommendations for improving these processes. Having partnered with seven OPOs, data were collected at 70 hospitals with high donor potential in the form of direct observations and interviews with 2358 HCPs. We found that donation attitudes and knowledge among HCPs were high, but use of standard referral criteria was lacking. Significant differences were found in the donation-related attitudes, knowledge and behaviors of physicians and emergency department staff as compared to other staff in intensive care units with high organ donor potential. Also, while OPO staff were generally viewed positively, they were often perceived as outsiders rather than members of healthcare teams. Recommendations for improving the referral and donation processes are discussed. PMID:22900761

  6. National and Regional Representativeness of Hospital Emergency Department Visit Data in the National Syndromic Surveillance Program, United States, 2014

    PubMed Central

    Coates, Ralph J.; Pérez, Alejandro; Baer, Atar; Zhou, Hong; English, Roseanne; Coletta, Michael; Dey, Achintya

    2016-01-01

    Objective We examined the representativeness of the nonfederal hospital emergency department (ED) visit data in the National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP). Methods We used the 2012 American Hospital Association Annual Survey Database, other databases, and information from state and local health departments participating in the NSSP about which hospitals submitted data to the NSSP in October 2014. We compared ED visits for hospitals submitting 15 data with all ED visits in all 50 states and Washington, DC. Results Approximately 60.4 million of 134.6 million ED visits nationwide (~45%) were reported to have been submitted to the NSSP. ED visits in 5 of 10 regions and the majority of the states were substantially underrepresented in the NSSP. The NSSP ED visits were similar to national ED visits in terms of many of the characteristics of hospitals and their service areas. However, visits in hospitals with the fewest annual ED visits, in rural trauma centers, and in hospitals serving populations with high percentages of Hispanics and Asians were underrepresented. Conclusions NSSP nonfederal hospital ED visit data were representative for many hospital characteristics and in some geographic areas but were not very representative nationally and in many locations. Representativeness could be improved by increasing participation in more states and among specific types of hospitals. PMID:26883318

  7. Antimicrobial usage in German acute care hospitals: results of the third national point prevalence survey and comparison with previous national point prevalence surveys.

    PubMed

    Aghdassi, Seven Johannes Sam; Gastmeier, Petra; Piening, Brar Christian; Behnke, Michael; Peña Diaz, Luis Alberto; Gropmann, Alexander; Rosenbusch, Marie-Luise; Kramer, Tobias Siegfried; Hansen, Sonja

    2018-04-01

    Previous point prevalence surveys (PPSs) revealed the potential for improving antimicrobial usage (AU) in German acute care hospitals. Data from the 2016 German national PPS on healthcare-associated infections and AU were used to evaluate efforts in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). A national PPS in Germany was organized by the German National Reference Centre for Surveillance of Nosocomial Infections in 2016 as part of the European PPS initiated by the ECDC. The data were collected in May and June 2016. Results were compared with data from the PPS 2011. A total of 218 hospitals with 64 412 observed patients participated in the PPS 2016. The prevalence of patients with AU was 25.9% (95% CI 25.6%-26.3%). No significant increase or decrease in AU prevalence was revealed in the group of all participating hospitals. Prolonged surgical prophylaxis was found to be common (56.1% of all surgical prophylaxes on the prevalence day), but significantly less prevalent than in 2011 (P < 0.01). The most frequently administered antimicrobial groups were penicillins plus β-lactamase inhibitors (BLIs) (23.2%), second-generation cephalosporins (12.9%) and fluoroquinolones (11.3%). Significantly more penicillins plus BLIs and fewer second-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones were used in 2016. Overall, an increase in the consumption of broad-spectrum antimicrobials was noted. For 68.7% of all administered antimicrobials, the indication was documented in the patient notes. The current data reaffirm the points of improvement that previous data identified and reveal that recent efforts in AMS in German hospitals require further intensification.

  8. [Historical origins between National Medical Association of China and Boji Hospital in Guangzhou].

    PubMed

    Liu, Pinming

    2015-09-01

    In 2015, National Medical Association of China, now being called the Chinese Medical Association, celebrates its centennial and Boji Hospital in Guangzhou ( also known as Canton Hospital, or the Canton Pok Tsai Hospital, and now Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University ) marks its 180th anniversary. Three major historical events establish the role of Boji Hospital in the founding and development of the National Medical Association of China during the last 100 years, viz.: ①hosting and participating in the establishment of the Medical Missionary Association of China and its official journal: the China Medical Missionary Journal; ②holding the 11th scientific sessions of the National Medical Association of China; ③nominating Dr. Wu Lien-teh as a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1935 by William Warder Cadbury, the president of Boji Hospital.

  9. Examining the impact of succession management practices on organizational performance: A national study of U.S. hospitals.

    PubMed

    Groves, Kevin S

    2017-08-03

    Spearheaded by the industry's transition from volume- to value-based care, the health care reform movement has spurred both unprecedented challenges and opportunities for developing more effective and sustainable health care delivery organizations. Whereas the formidable challenges of leading hospitals and health systems have been widely discussed, including reimbursement degradation, the rapidly aging workforce, and the imminent wave of executive retirements, the opportunity to leverage succession management and talent development capabilities to overcome these challenges has been largely overlooked. To address this key research and practice need, this multiphase study develops and validates an assessment of succession management practices for health care organizations. Utilizing data collected from two national samples of hospital organizations, the results provide a 32-item succession management assessment comprising seven distinct sets of succession management practices. The results indicate that succession management practices are strongly associated with multiple hospital performance metrics, including patient satisfaction and Medicare Spending per Beneficiary, leadership bench strength, and internal/external placement rate for executive level positions. The author concludes this article with a discussion of several practical implications for health care executives and boards, including employing the succession management assessment for diagnosing development opportunities, benchmarking succession planning and talent development practices against similar hospitals or health systems, and elevating the profile of succession management as a strategic priority in today's increasingly uncertain health care landscape.

  10. [Organization of clinical care of North Fleet hospitals in XVIII century].

    PubMed

    Kostiuk, A V

    2013-02-01

    Clinical care of national navy hospitals was normed from reception of patients till hospital discharge. After admission to the hospital, patient got competent medical care and corresponding attendance. But the situation changed in XVIII century, period of wars. In conditions of war time hospitals were overcrowded with patients and wounded. The number of patients went beyond the bedspace. Deficit of vacant beds was supplied with the help of additional beds; deficit of medical staff was supplied with the help of participation of another medial staff. Huge number of patients with different diseases, including contagious diseases, conduced communication of contagious diseases inside the hospital. Diagnostics and methods of treatment of these diseases were not enough researched. Taking into account results of statistical analysis of data about the number of fatality cases (peace time--4-10%, war time--20%), we can make a conclusion that clinical care of national navy hospitals was satisfying.

  11. Nations Hospitable to Organized Crime and Terrorism

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-10-01

    illegal migrants from Somalia, Ethiopia, China, India, and Sri Lanka pass through the airport’s weak customs barriers en route to Western Europe and...osmium-187, possibly en route to terrorist organizations or Iraq. In December 2001, Moscow authorities arrested a group of Chechens from Kazakhstan...utilizes the city as a transit point en route to Sri Lanka.492 The LTTE continues to procure arms from arsenals abandoned after Cambodia’s civil war

  12. 76 FR 79192 - Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From the Georgia Hospital Association...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-21

    ... The Georgia Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation Patient Safety Organization (GHA... Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation Patient Safety Organization (GHA-PSO), PSO number... and Education Foundation Patient Safety Organization (GHA-PSO) was delisted effective at 12:00...

  13. A National Health Service Hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme: a qualitative analysis of provision.

    PubMed

    O'Driscoll, Jamie M; Shave, Robert; Cushion, Christopher J

    2007-10-01

    This paper reports a study examining the effectiveness of a London National Health Service Trust Hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme, from the perspectives of healthcare professionals and patients. Cardiovascular disease is the world's leading cause of death and disability. Substantial research has reported that, following a cardiac event, cardiac rehabilitation can promote recovery, improve exercise capacity and patient health, reduce various coronary artery disease risk factors and subsequently reduce hospitalization costs. Despite these findings and the introduction of the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease, there is wide variation in the practice, management and organization of cardiac rehabilitation services. A purposeful sample of three postmyocardial infarction patients registered on the selected hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme, coupled with 11 healthcare professionals were selected. The patients acted as individual case studies. The authors followed all three patients through phase III of their cardiac rehabilitation programme. The research attempted to explore the roles and procedures of a London hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme through an interpretative framework involving qualitative research methods. Participant observation and in-depth semi-structured interviews were the instruments used to collect data. Whilst the healthcare professionals were enthusiastic about coronary heart disease prevention, the London NHS trust hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme had several barriers, which reduced the programme's success and prevented it from achieving National Service Framework targets. The barriers were complex and mainly included service-related factors, such as lack of professional training, weak communication between primary and secondary care and confused roles and identities. Although the study has immediate relevance for the local area, it highlighted issues of more general relevance to cardiac

  14. Knowledge Management Enablers and Process in Hospital Organizations.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hyun-Sook

    2017-02-01

    This research aimed to investigate the effects of knowledge management enablers, such as organizational structure, leadership, learning, information technology systems, trust, and collaboration, on the knowledge management process of creation, storage, sharing, and application. Using data from self-administered questionnaires in four Korean tertiary hospitals, this survey investigated the main organizational factors affecting the knowledge management process in these organizations. A total of 779 questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 18.0. The results showed that organizational factors affect the knowledge management process differently in each hospital organization. From a managerial perspective, the implications of these factors for developing organizational strategies that encourage and foster the knowledge management process are discussed.

  15. [The Unified National Health System and the third sector: Characterization of non-hospital facilities providing basic health care services in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil].

    PubMed

    Canabrava, Claudia Marques; Andrade, Eli Iôla Gurgel; Janones, Fúlvio Alves; Alves, Thiago Andrade; Cherchiglia, Mariangela Leal

    2007-01-01

    In Brazil, nonprofit or charitable organizations are the oldest and most traditional and institutionalized form of relationship between the third sector and the state. Despite the historical importance of charitable hospital care, little research has been done on the participation of the nonprofit sector in basic health care in the country. This article identifies and describes non-hospital nonprofit facilities providing systematically organized basic health care in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 2004. The research focused on the facilities registered with the National Council on Social Work, using computer-assisted telephone and semi-structured interviews. Identification and description of these organizations showed that the charitable segment of the third sector conducts organized and systematic basic health care services but is not recognized by the Unified National Health System as a potential partner, even though it receives referrals from basic government services. The study showed spatial and temporal overlapping of government and third-sector services in the same target population.

  16. National Hospital Management Portal (NHMP): a framework for e-health implementation.

    PubMed

    Adetiba, E; Eleanya, M; Fatumo, S A; Matthews, V O

    2009-01-01

    Health information represents the main basis for health decision-making process and there have been some efforts to increase access to health information in developing countries. However, most of these efforts are based on the internet which has minimal penetration especially in the rural and sub-urban part of developing countries. In this work, a platform for medical record acquisition via the ubiquitous 2.5G/3G wireless communications technologies is presented. The National Hospital Management Portal (NHMP) platform has a central database at each specific country's national hospital which could be updated/accessed from hosts at health centres, clinics, medical laboratories, teaching hospitals, private hospitals and specialist hospitals across the country. With this, doctors can have access to patients' medical records more easily, get immediate access to test results from laboratories, deliver prescription directly to pharmacists. If a particular treatment can be provided to a patient more effectively in another country, NHMP makes it simpler to organise and carry out such treatment abroad.

  17. [Myths about organ donation on health personnel, potential recipients and relatives of potential donors in a peruvian hospital: a qualitative study].

    PubMed

    Gómez-Rázuri, Katherine; Ballena-López, José; León-Jiménez, Franco

    2016-03-01

    To explore the myths regarding organ donation at a national hospital in Lambayeque, Peru during 2014. A qualitative-phenomenological study was performed using 24 unstructured in-depht interview of health personnel, potential recipients and relatives of potential donors. Sampling was intentional opinion-based, completed by theoretical saturation in each group. An interview guide was used, which was assessed by five experts, and data triangulation was performed. Twenty-three interviewees (95,8%) reported a favorable attitude towards organ donation. On their National Identification Document, thirteen (54,2%) had marked "no" for donation. The myths were: age or illness can preclude donation; that the recipient may experience the donor's behaviours and lives in it; brain death is undestood as the immobility of the body and a reversible state; religions do not accept organ donation because it affects physical integrity and resurrection; and that there are preferences on the organ donor waiting list and that organ trafficking taxes place. Myths explored in this study involved religious, socio-cultural, psychological and ethical misperceptions. The apparent lack of knowledge of the brain death diagnosis is the starting point of the donation process. Therefore, the presence of a hospital coordinator, the role of spiritual leaders and the correct information provided by media would be key parts to dispell these myths.

  18. Organization of infection control in European hospitals.

    PubMed

    Hansen, S; Zingg, W; Ahmad, R; Kyratsis, Y; Behnke, M; Schwab, F; Pittet, D; Gastmeier, P

    2015-12-01

    The Prevention of Hospital Infections by Intervention and Training (PROHIBIT) survey was initiated to investigate the status of healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) prevention across Europe. This paper presents the methodology of the quantitative PROHIBIT survey and outlines the findings on infection control (IC) structure and organization including management's support at the hospital level. Hospitals in 34 countries were invited to participate between September 2011 and March 2012. Respondents included IC personnel and hospital management. Data from 309 hospitals in 24 countries were analysed. Hospitals had a median (interquartile range) of four IC nurses (2-6) and one IC doctor (0-2) per 1000 beds. Almost all hospitals (96%) had defined IC objectives, which mainly addressed hand hygiene (87%), healthcare-associated infection reduction (84%), and antibiotic stewardship (66%). Senior management provided leadership walk rounds in about half of hospitals, most often in Eastern and Northern Europe, 65% and 64%, respectively. In the majority of hospitals (71%), sanctions were not employed for repeated violations of IC practices. Use of sanctions varied significantly by region (P < 0.001), but not by countries' healthcare expenditure. There is great variance in IC staffing and policies across Europe. Some areas of practice, such as hand hygiene, seem to receive considerably more attention than others that are equally important, such as antibiotic stewardship. Programmes in IC suffer from deficiencies in human resources and local policies, ubiquitous factors that negatively impact on IC effectiveness. Strengthening of IC policies in European hospitals should be a public health priority. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  19. Howard University Hospital finds partner in helping children succeed.

    PubMed

    Botvin, Judith D

    2005-01-01

    Howard University Hospital, Washington, D.C., becomes the site for the launch of a national ad campaign by the nonprofit youth education organization, Communities in Schools. The hospital and university share the organization's mission of supporting young people in the community.

  20. The patients' library movement: an overview of early efforts in the United States to establish organized libraries for hospital patients.

    PubMed Central

    Panella, N M

    1996-01-01

    The patients' library movement in the United States, a dynamic, cohesive drive begun and sustained by librarians and physicians, strove to promote placement of organized libraries for patients in hospitals. It took shape in the early years of this century, evolving from its proponents' deeply held conviction that books and reading foster the rehabilitation of sick people. The American Library Association's World War I service to hospitalized military personnel dramatically reinforced the conviction; the post-World War I institution of public library extension services to general hospitals explicitly reflected it. Enormous energy was infused into the patients' library movement. Throughout the first half of this century, there were sustained efforts not only to establish organized libraries for hospitalized people but also to expand and systematically study bibliotherapy and to shape patients' librarianship as a professional specialty. The movement's achievements include the establishment of patients' library committees within national and international associations; impetus for development of academic programs to train patients' librarians; and publication, from 1944 through 1970, of successive sets of standards for hospital patients' libraries. The first of these remain the first standards written and issued by a professional library association for a hospital library. PMID:8938330

  1. Independent practice associations and physician-hospital organizations can improve care management for smaller practices.

    PubMed

    Casalino, Lawrence P; Wu, Frances M; Ryan, Andrew M; Copeland, Kennon; Rittenhouse, Diane R; Ramsay, Patricia P; Shortell, Stephen M

    2013-08-01

    Pay-for-performance, public reporting, and accountable care organization programs place pressures on physicians to use health information technology and organized care management processes to improve the care they provide. But physician practices that are not large may lack the resources and size to implement such processes. We used data from a unique national survey of 1,164 practices with fewer than twenty physicians to provide the first information available on the extent to which independent practice associations (IPAs) and physician-hospital organizations (PHOs) might make it possible for these smaller practices to share resources to improve care. Nearly a quarter of the practices participated in an IPA or a PHO that accounted for a significant proportion of their patients. On average, practices participating in these organizations provided nearly three times as many care management processes for patients with chronic conditions as nonparticipating practices did (10.4 versus 3.8). Half of these processes were provided only by IPAs or PHOs. These organizations may provide a way for small and medium-size practices to systematically improve care and participate in accountable care organizations.

  2. Learning organizations, internal marketing, and organizational commitment in hospitals

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Knowledge capital is becoming more important to healthcare establishments, especially for hospitals that are facing changing societal and industrial patterns. Hospital staff must engage in a process of continual learning to improve their healthcare skills and provide a superior service to their patients. Internal marketing helps hospital administrators to improve the quality of service provided by nursing staff to their patients and allows hospitals to build a learning culture and enhance the organizational commitment of its nursing staff. Our empirical study provides nursing managers with a tool to allow them to initiate a change in the attitudes of nurses towards work, by constructing a new ‘learning organization’ and using effective internal marketing. Methods A cross-sectional design was employed. Two hundred questionnaires were distributed to nurses working in either a medical centre or a regional hospital in Taichung City, Taiwan, and 114 valid questionnaires were returned (response rate: 57%). The entire process of distribution and returns was completed between 1 October and 31 October 2009. Hypothesis testing was conducted using structural equation modelling. Results A significant positive correlation was found between the existence of a ‘learning organization’, internal marketing, and organizational commitment. Internal marketing was a mediator between creating a learning organization and organizational commitment. Conclusion Nursing managers may be able to apply the creation of a learning organization to strategies that can strengthen employee organizational commitment. Further, when promoting the creation of a learning organization, managers can coordinate their internal marketing practices to enhance the organizational commitment of nurses. PMID:24708601

  3. [Issues related to national university medical schools: focusing on the low wages of university hospital physicians].

    PubMed

    Takamuku, Masatoshi

    2015-01-01

    University hospitals, bringing together the three divisions of education, research, and clinical medicine, could be said to represent the pinnacle of medicine. However, when compared with physicians working at public and private hospitals, physicians working at university hospitals and medical schools face extremely poor conditions. This is because physicians at national university hospitals are considered to be "educators." Meanwhile, even after the privatization of national hospitals, physicians working for these institutions continue to be perceived as "medical practitioners." A situation may arise in which physicians working at university hospitals-performing top-level medical work while also being involved with university and postgraduate education, as well as research-might leave their posts because they are unable to live on their current salaries, especially in comparison with physicians working at national hospitals, who focus solely on medical care. This situation would be a great loss for Japan. This potential loss can be prevented by amending the classification of physicians at national university hospitals from "educators" to "medical practitioners." In order to accomplish this, the Japan Medical Association, upon increasing its membership and achieving growth, should act as a mediator in negotiations between national university hospitals, medical schools, and the government.

  4. Hospital-based health technology assessment (HTA) in Finland: a case study on collaboration between hospitals and the national HTA unit.

    PubMed

    Halmesmäki, Esa; Pasternack, Iris; Roine, Risto

    2016-04-05

    This study examines, as a part of the European Union funded Adopting Hospital Based Health Technology Assessment (AdHopHTA) project, the results and barriers of collaboration between Finnish hospitals and the national health technology assessment (HTA) agency, Finohta. A joint collaborative HTA program has existed since 2006 between the Finnish hospitals and the national agency. A case study method was used. Information about the collaboration between Finnish hospitals and Finohta was retrieved from interviews and publications, and categorised per theme. Hypotheses and indicators of successful collaboration were determined beforehand and reflected on the observations from the interviews and literature. Overall, 48 collaborative HTA reports have been performed during 7 years of collaboration. However, there were no clear indications that the use of HTA information or the transparency of decision-making regarding new technologies would have increased in hospitals. The managerial commitment to incorporate HTAs into the decision-making processes in hospitals was still low. The quality of the collaborative HTA reports was considered good, but their applicability in the hospital setting limited. There were differing expectations about the timing and relevance of the content. Signs of role conflict and mistrust were observed. Despite collaborative efforts to produce HTAs for hospitals, the impact of HTA information on hospital decision-making appears to remain low. The difficulties identified in this case study, such as lack of managerial commitment in hospitals, can hopefully be better addressed in the future with the guidance and tools having been developed in the AdHopHTA project. Collaboration between hospitals and national HTA agencies remains important for the efficient sharing of skills and resources.

  5. Total expenditures per patient in hospital-owned and physician-owned physician organizations in California.

    PubMed

    Robinson, James C; Miller, Kelly

    Hospitals are rapidly acquiring medical groups and physician practices. This consolidation may foster cooperation and thereby reduce expenditures, but also may lead to higher expenditures through greater use of hospital-based ambulatory services and through greater hospital pricing leverage against health insurers. To determine whether total expenditures per patient were higher in physician organizations (integrated medical groups and independent practice associations) owned by local hospitals or multihospital systems compared with groups owned by participating physicians. Data were obtained on total expenditures for the care provided to 4.5 million patients treated by integrated medical groups and independent practice associations in California between 2009 and 2012. The patients were covered by commercial health maintenance organization (HMO) insurance and the data did not include patients covered by commercial preferred provider organization (PPO) insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. Total expenditures per patient annually, measured in terms of what insurers paid to the physician organizations for professional services, to hospitals for inpatient and outpatient procedures, to clinical laboratories for diagnostic tests, and to pharmaceutical manufacturers for drugs and biologics. Annual expenditures per patient were compared after adjusting for patient illness burden, geographic input costs, and organizational characteristics. Of the 158 organizations, 118 physician organizations (75%) were physician-owned and provided care for 3,065,551 patients, 19 organizations (12%) were owned by local hospitals and provided care for 728,608 patients, and 21 organizations (13%) were owned by multihospital systems and provided care for 693,254 patients. In 2012, physician-owned physician organizations had mean expenditures of $3066 per patient (95% CI, $2892 to $3240), hospital-owned physician organizations had mean expenditures of $4312 per patient (95% CI, $3768 to $4857), and

  6. A taxonomy of hospitals participating in Medicare accountable care organizations.

    PubMed

    Bazzoli, Gloria J; Harless, David W; Chukmaitov, Askar S

    2017-03-03

    Medicare was an early innovator of accountable care organizations (ACOs), establishing the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) and Pioneer programs in 2012-2013. Existing research has documented that ACOs bring together an array of health providers with hospitals serving as important participants. Hospitals vary markedly in their service structure and organizational capabilities, and thus, one would expect hospital ACO participants to vary in these regards. Our research identifies hospital subgroups that share certain capabilities and competencies. Such research, in conjunction with existing ACO research, provides deeper understanding of the structure and operation of these organizations. Given that Medicare was an initiator of the ACO concept, our findings provide a baseline to track the evolution of ACO hospitals over time. Hierarchical clustering methods are used in separate analyses of MSSP and Pioneer ACO hospitals. Hospitals participating in ACOs with 2012-2013 start dates are identified through multiple sources. Study data come from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, American Hospital Association, and Health Information and Management Systems Society. Five-cluster solutions were developed separately for the MSSP and Pioneer hospital samples. Both the MSSP and Pioneer taxonomies had several clusters with high levels of health information technology capabilities. Also distinct clusters with strong physician linkages were present. We examined Pioneer ACO hospitals that subsequently left the program and found that they commonly had low levels of ambulatory care services or health information technology. Distinct subgroups of hospitals exist in both the MSSP and Pioneer programs, suggesting that individual hospitals serve different roles within an ACO. Health information technology and physician linkages appear to be particularly important features in ACO hospitals. ACOs need to consider not only geographic and service mix when selecting hospital

  7. The Impact of National Cultural Differences on Nurses' Acceptance of Hospital Information Systems.

    PubMed

    Lin, Hsien-Cheng

    2015-06-01

    This study aims to explore the influence of national cultural differences on nurses' perceptions of their acceptance of hospital information systems. This study uses the perspective of Technology Acceptance Model; national cultural differences in terms of masculinity/femininity, individualism/collectivism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance are incorporated into the Technology Acceptance Model as moderators, whereas time orientation is a control variable on hospital information system acceptance. A quantitative research design was used in this study; 261 participants, US and Taiwan RNs, all had hospital information system experience. Data were collected from November 2013 to February 2014 and analyzed using a t test to compare the coefficients for each moderator. The results show that individualism/collectivism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance all exhibit significant difference on hospital information system acceptance; however, both masculinity/femininity and time orientation factors did not show significance. This study verifies that national cultural differences have significant influence on nurses' behavioral intention to use hospital information systems. Therefore, hospital information system providers should emphasize the way in which to integrate different technological functions to meet the needs of nurses from various cultural backgrounds.

  8. Quality Improvement Strategies in Accountable Care Organization Hospitals.

    PubMed

    Mora, Arthur M; Walker, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are hoped to lower costs and improve health care quality. However, hospitals remain unsure how to bring about the quality improvement (QI) required to increase financial viability. This success may hinge on the use of sophisticated measurement tracking and the use of multiple QI tools. This study aims to assess the current approaches that ACO hospitals are using to improve quality and to compare their strategies with non-ACO hospitals. The 2013 American Hospital Association's Annual Survey and the Survey of Care Systems and Payment data were merged to identify ACO and non-ACO hospitals. ACO and non-ACO hospital rates of reported use of multiple QI tools and the ability to detect and track readmissions across organizational boundaries were compared. ACO hospitals were significantly less likely to use only 1 QI tool (43.5% vs 65.2%; P < .001) and more likely to use 2 (36.4% vs 28.1%; P < .05), 3 (12.1% vs 6.5%; P < .001), or 4 (8.0% vs 0.2%; P < .001) QI tools. ACO hospitals were significantly more likely to have the capability to detect readmissions (34.1% vs 22.8%; P < .001) and track readmissions (90.5% vs 85.7%; P < .05). Results suggest that ACO hospitals are incorporating more sophisticated measurements and combinations of QI tools than non-ACO hospitals. It remains to be seen whether this leads to accelerated changes across the quality domains in ACO hospitals.

  9. Patients' perceptions of interactions with hospital staff are associated with hospital readmissions: a national survey of 4535 hospitals.

    PubMed

    Yang, Lianping; Liu, Chaojie; Huang, Cunrui; Mukamel, Dana B

    2018-01-29

    Reducing 30-day hospital readmissions has become a focus of the current national payment policies. Medicare requires that hospitals collect and report patients' experience with their care as a condition of payment. However, the extent to which patients' experience with hospital care is related to hospital readmission is unknown. We established multivariate regression models in which 30-day risk-adjusted readmission rates were the dependent variables and patients' perceptions of the responsiveness of the hospital staff and communication (as measured by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores) were the independent variables of interest. We selected six different clinical conditions for analyses, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, hip/knee surgery, pneumonia, and stroke. Data included all acute care hospitals reporting in Hospital Compare in 2014. The number of hospitals with reported readmissions ranged from 2234 hospitals for AMI to 3758 hospitals for pneumonia. The average 30-day readmission rates ranged from 5.19% for knee/hip surgery to 22.7% for COPD. Patient experience of hospital-staff responsiveness as "top-box" ranged from 64% to 67% across the six clinical conditions, communication with nurses ranged from 77% to 79% and communication with doctors ranged from 80% to 81% (higher numbers are better). Our finding suggests that hospitals with better staff responsiveness were significantly more likely to have lower 30-day readmissions for all conditions. The effect size depended on the baseline readmission rates, with the largest effect on hospitals in the upper 75th quartile. A ten-percentage-point increase in staff responsiveness led to a 0.03-0.18 percentage point decrease in readmission rates. We found that neither communication with physicians nor communication with nurses was significantly associated with hospital readmissions. Our findings

  10. A national analysis of the relationship between hospital factors and post-cardiac arrest mortality.

    PubMed

    Carr, Brendan G; Goyal, Munish; Band, Roger A; Gaieski, David F; Abella, Benjamin S; Merchant, Raina M; Branas, Charles C; Becker, Lance B; Neumar, Robert W

    2009-03-01

    We sought to generate national estimates for post-cardiac arrest mortality, to assess trends, and to identify hospital factors associated with survival. We used a national sample of US hospitals to identify patients resuscitated after cardiac arrest from 2000 to 2004 to describe the association between hospital factors (teaching status, location, size) and mortality, length of stay, and hospital charges. Analyses were performed using logistic regression. A total of 109,739 patients were identified. In-hospital mortality was 70.6%. A 2% decrease in unadjusted mortality from 71.6% in 2000 to 69.6% in 2004 (OR 0.96, P < 0.001) was observed. Mortality was lower at teaching hospitals (OR 0.58, P = 0.001), urban hospitals (OR 0.63, P = 0.004), and large hospitals (OR 0.55, P < 0.001). Mortality after in-hospital cardiac arrest decreased over 5 years. Mortality was lower at urban, teaching, and large hospitals. There are implications for dissemination of best practices or regionalization of post-cardiac arrest care.

  11. Intra-hospital organ and tissue donation coordination project: cost-effectiveness and social benefits

    PubMed Central

    Silva, Vanessa Silva e; Moura, Luciana Carvalho; Leite, Renata Fabiana; de Oliveira, Priscilla Caroliny; Schirmer, Janine; Roza, Bartira De’ Aguiar

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To evaluate the viability of a professional specialist in intra-hospital committees of organ and tissue donation for transplantation. METHODS Epidemiological, retrospective and cross-sectional study (2003-2011 and 2008-2012), which was performed using organ donation for transplants data in the state of Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil. Nine hospitals were evaluated (hospitals 1 to 9). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the differences in the number of brain death referrals and actual donors (dependent variables) after the professional specialist started work (independent variable) at the intra-hospital committee of organ and tissue donation for transplantation. To evaluate the hospital invoicing, the hourly wage of the doctor and registered nurse, according to the legislation of the Consolidation of Labor Laws, were calculated, as were the investment return and the time elapsed to do so. RESULTS Following the nursing specialist commencement on the committee, brain death referrals and the number of actual donors increased at hospital 2 (4.17 and 1.52, respectively). At hospital 7, the number of actual donors also increased from 0.005 to 1.54. In addition, after the nurse started working, hospital revenues increased by 190.0% (ranging 40.0% to 1.955%). The monthly cost for the nurse working 20 hours was US$397.97 while the doctor would cost US$3,526.67. The return on investment was 275% over the short term (0.36 years). CONCLUSIONS This paper showed that including a professional specialist in intra-hospital committees for organ and tissue donation for transplantation proved to be cost-effective. Further economic research in the area could contribute to the efficient public policy implementation of this organ and tissue harvesting model. PMID:26487290

  12. National Differences in Trends for Heart Failure Hospitalizations by Sex and Race/Ethnicity.

    PubMed

    Ziaeian, Boback; Kominski, Gerald F; Ong, Michael K; Mays, Vickie M; Brook, Robert H; Fonarow, Gregg C

    2017-07-01

    National heart failure (HF) hospitalization rates have not been appropriately age standardized by sex or race/ethnicity. Reporting hospital utilization trends by subgroup is important for monitoring population health and developing interventions to eliminate disparities. The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used to estimate the crude and age-standardized rates of HF hospitalization between 2002 and 2013 by sex and race/ethnicity. Direct standardization was used to age-standardize rates to the 2000 US standard population. Relative differences between subgroups were reported. The national age-adjusted HF hospitalization rate decreased 30.8% from 526.86 to 364.66 per 100 000 between 2002 and 2013. Although hospitalizations decreased for all subgroups, the ratio of the age-standardized rate for men compared with women increased from 20% greater to 39% ( P trend=0.002) between 2002 and 2013. Black men had a rate that was 229% ( P trend=0.141) and black women, 240% ( P trend=0.725) with reference to whites in 2013 with no significant change between 2002 and 2013. Hispanic men had a rate that was 32% greater in 2002 and the difference narrowed to 4% ( P trend=0.047) greater in 2013 relative to whites. For Hispanic women, the rate was 55% greater in 2002 and narrowed to 8% greater ( P trend=0.004) in 2013 relative to whites. Asian/Pacific Islander men had a 27% lower rate in 2002 that improved to 43% ( P trend=0.040) lower in 2013 relative to whites. For Asian/Pacific Islander women, the hospitalization rate was 24% lower in 2002 and improved to 43% ( P trend=0.021) lower in 2013 relative to whites. National HF hospitalization rates have decreased steadily during the recent decade. Disparities in HF burden and hospital utilization by sex and race/ethnicity persist. Significant population health interventions are needed to reduce the HF hospitalization burden among blacks. An evaluation of factors explaining the improvements in the HF hospitalization rates among

  13. Neoliberalist influences on nursing hospital work process and organization.

    PubMed

    Souza, Norma Valéria Dantas de Oliveira; Gonçalves, Francisco Gleidson de Azevedo; Pires, Ariane da Silva; David, Helena Maria Scherlowski Leal

    2017-01-01

    To describe and analyze the influence of the neoliberal economic and political model on the nursing hospital work process and organization. Qualitative descriptive research, having as its scenery a university hospital. The subjects were 34 nursing workers. The data collection took place from March to July 2013, through semi-structured interview. The data treatment technique used was content analysis, which brought up the following category: working conditions precariousness and its consequences to the hospital work process and organization in the neoliberal context. The consequences of neoliberalism on hospital work process and organization were highlighted, being observed physical structure, human resources and material inadequacies that harms the assistance quality. In addition to wage decrease that cause the need of second jobs and work overload. There is a significant influence of the neoliberal model on hospital work, resulting on working conditions precariousness. Descrever e analisar a influência do modelo econômico e político neoliberal na organização e no processo de trabalho hospitalar de enfermagem. Pesquisa qualitativa e descritiva, tendo como cenário um hospital universitário. Os participantes foram 34 trabalhadores de enfermagem. A coleta ocorreu de março a julho de 2013, por meio de entrevista semiestruturada. A técnica de tratamento dos dados foi a análise de conteúdo, que fez emergir a seguinte categoria: precarização das condições laborais e suas repercussões para organização e processo de trabalho hospitalar no contexto neoliberal. Evidenciaram-se repercussões do neoliberalismo na organização e no processo de trabalho hospitalar, verificando-se inadequações na estrutura física, nos recursos humanos e materiais, que afetavam a qualidade da assistência. Além de perdas salariais que levam à necessidade de outros empregos e sobrecarga de trabalho. Há forte influência do modelo neoliberal no trabalho hospitalar, resultando

  14. Are health care provider organizations ready to tackle diagnostic error? A survey of Leapfrog-participating hospitals.

    PubMed

    Newman-Toker, David E; Austin, J Matthew; Derk, Jordan; Danforth, Melissa; Graber, Mark L

    2017-06-27

    A 2015 National Academy of Medicine report on improving diagnosis in health care made recommendations for direct action by hospitals and health systems. Little is known about how health care provider organizations are addressing diagnostic safety/quality. This study is an anonymous online survey of safety professionals from US hospitals and health systems in July-August 2016. The survey was sent to those attending a Leapfrog Group webinar on misdiagnosis (n=188). The instrument was focused on knowledge, attitudes, and capability to address diagnostic errors at the institutional level. Overall, 61 (32%) responded, including community hospitals (42%), integrated health networks (25%), and academic centers (21%). Awareness was high, but commitment and capability were low (31% of leaders understand the problem; 28% have sufficient safety resources; and 25% have made diagnosis a top institutional safety priority). Ongoing efforts to improve diagnostic safety were sparse and mostly included root cause analysis and peer review feedback around diagnostic errors. The top three barriers to addressing diagnostic error were lack of awareness of the problem, lack of measures of diagnostic accuracy and error, and lack of feedback on diagnostic performance. The top two tools viewed as critically important for locally tackling the problem were routine feedback on diagnostic performance and culture change to emphasize diagnostic safety. Although hospitals and health systems appear to be aware of diagnostic errors as a major safety imperative, most organizations (even those that appear to be making a strong commitment to patient safety) are not yet doing much to improve diagnosis. Going forward, efforts to activate health care organizations will be essential to improving diagnostic safety.

  15. Quality indicators for the hospital transfusion chain: a national survey conducted in 100 dutch hospitals.

    PubMed

    Zijlker-Jansen, P Y; Janssen, M P; van Tilborgh-de Jong, A J W; Schipperus, M R; Wiersum-Osselton, J C

    2015-10-01

    The 2011 Dutch Blood Transfusion Guideline for hospitals incorporates seven internal quality indicators for evaluation of the hospital transfusion chain. The indicators aim to measure guideline compliance as shown by the instatement of a hospital transfusion committee and transfusion safety officer (structural indicators), observance of transfusion triggers and mandatory traceability of labile blood components (process indicators). Two voluntary online surveys were sent to all Dutch hospitals for operational years 2011 and 2012 to assess compliance with the guideline recommendations. Most hospitals had a hospital transfusion committee and had appointed a transfusion safety officer (TSO). In 2012, only 23% of hospitals complied with the recommended minimum of four annual transfusion committee meetings and 8 h/week for the TSO. Compliance with the recommended pretransfusion haemoglobin threshold for RBC transfusion was achieved by 90% of hospitals in over 80% of transfusions; 58% of hospitals measured the pretransfusion platelet count in over 80% of platelet transfusions and 87% of hospitals complied with the legally mandatory traceability of blood components in over 95% of transfusions. With the current blood transfusion indicators, it is feasible to monitor aspects of the quality of the hospital transfusion chain and blood transfusion practice and to assess guideline compliance. The results from this study suggest that there are opportunities for significant improvement in blood transfusion practice in the Netherlands. These indicators could potentially be used for national and international benchmarking of blood transfusion practice. © 2015 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  16. Developing a national framework of quality indicators for public hospitals.

    PubMed

    Simou, Effie; Pliatsika, Paraskevi; Koutsogeorgou, Eleni; Roumeliotou, Anastasia

    2014-01-01

    The current study describes the development of a preliminary set of quality indicators for public Greek National Health System (GNHS) hospitals, which were used in the "Health Monitoring Indicators System: Health Map" (Ygeionomikos Chartis) project, with the purpose that these quality indicators would assess the quality of all the aspects relevant to public hospital healthcare workforce and services provided. A literature review was conducted in the MEDLINE database to identify articles referring to international and national hospital quality assessment projects, together with an online search for relevant projects. Studies were included if they were published in English, from 1980 to 2010. A consensus panel took place afterwards with 40 experts in the field and tele-voting procedure. Twenty relevant projects and their 1698 indicators were selected through the literature search, and after the consensus panel process, a list of 67 indicators were selected to be implemented for the assessment of the public hospitals categorized under six distinct dimensions: Quality, Responsiveness, Efficiency, Utilization, Timeliness, and Resources and Capacity. Data gathered and analyzed in this manner provided a novel evaluation and monitoring system for Greece, which can assist decision-makers, healthcare professionals, and patients in Greece to retrieve relevant information, with the long-term goal to improve quality in care in the GNHS hospital sector. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Support for smoking cessation interventions in physician organizations: results from a national study.

    PubMed

    McMenamin, Sara B; Schauffler, Helen Halpin; Shortell, Stephen M; Rundall, Thomas G; Gillies, Robin R

    2003-12-01

    To document the extent to which physician organizations, defined as medical groups and independent practice associations, are providing support for smoking cessation interventions and to identify external incentives and organizational characteristics associated with this support. This research uses data from the National Study of Physician Organizations and the Management of Chronic Illness, conducted by the University of California at Berkeley, to document the extent to which physician organizations provide support for smoking cessation interventions. Of 1587 physician organizations nationally with 20 or more physicians, 1104 participated, for a response rate of 70%. Overall, 70% of physician organizations offered some support for smoking cessation interventions. Specifically, 17% require physicians to provide interventions, 15% evaluate interventions, 39% of physician organizations offer smoking health promotion programs, 25% provide nicotine replacement therapy starter kits, and materials are provided on pharmacotherapy (39%), counseling (37%), and self-help (58%). Factors positively associated with organizational support include income or public recognition for quality measures, financial incentives to promote smoking cessation interventions, requirements to report HEDIS (Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set) scores, awareness of the 1996 Clinical Practice Guideline on Smoking Cessation, being a medical group, organizational size, percentage of primary care physicians, and hospital/HMO ownership of the organization. Physician organizations are providing support for smoking cessation interventions, yet the level of support might be improved with more extensive use of external incentives. Financial incentives targeted specifically at promoting smoking cessation interventions need to be explored further. Additionally, emphasis on quality measures should continue, including an expansion of HEDIS smoking cessation measures.

  18. Antibiotic Stewardship Programs in U.S. Acute Care Hospitals: Findings From the 2014 National Healthcare Safety Network Annual Hospital Survey.

    PubMed

    Pollack, Lori A; van Santen, Katharina L; Weiner, Lindsey M; Dudeck, Margaret A; Edwards, Jonathan R; Srinivasan, Arjun

    2016-08-15

    The National Action Plan to Combat Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria calls for all US hospitals to improve antibiotic prescribing as a key prevention strategy for resistance and Clostridium difficile Antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) will be important in this effort but implementation is not well understood. We analyzed the 2014 National Healthcare Safety Network Annual Hospital Survey to describe ASPs in US acute care hospitals as defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Core Elements for Hospital ASPs. Univariate analyses were used to assess stewardship infrastructure and practices by facility characteristics and a multivariate model determined factors associated with meeting all ASP core elements. Among 4184 US hospitals, 39% reported having an ASP that met all 7 core elements. Although hospitals with greater than 200 beds (59%) were more likely to have ASPs, 1 in 4 (25%) of hospitals with less than 50 beds reported achieving all 7 CDC-defined core elements of a comprehensive ASP. The percent of hospitals in each state that reported all seven elements ranged from 7% to 58%. In the multivariate model, written support (adjusted relative risk [RR] 7.2 [95% confidence interval [CI], 6.2-8.4]; P < .0001) or salary support (adjusted RR 1.5 [95% CI, 1.4-1.6]; P < .0001) were significantly associated with having a comprehensive ASP. Our findings show that ASP implementation varies across the United States and provide a baseline to monitor progress toward national goals. Comprehensive ASPs can be established in facilities of any size and hospital leadership support for antibiotic stewardship appears to drive the establishment of ASPs. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

  19. Support for hospital-based HIV testing and counseling: a national survey of hospital marketing executives.

    PubMed Central

    Boscarino, J A; Steiber, S R

    1995-01-01

    Today, hospitals are involved extensively in social marketing and promotional activities. Recently, investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that routine testing of hospital patients for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) could identify more than 100,000 patients with previously unrecognized HIV infections. Several issues are assessed in this paper. These include hospital support for voluntary HIV testing and AIDS education and the impact that treating AIDS patients has on the hospital's image. Also tested is the hypothesis that certain hospitals, such as for-profit institutions and those outside the AIDS epicenters, would be less supportive of hospital-based AIDS intervention strategies. To assess these issues, a national random sample of 193 executives in charge of hospital marketing and public relations were surveyed between December 1992 and January 1993. The survey was part of an ongoing annual survey of hospitals and included questions about AIDS, health education, marketing, patient satisfaction, and hospital planning. Altogether, 12.4 percent of executives indicated their hospital had a reputation for treating AIDS patients. Among hospitals without an AIDS reputation, 34.1 percent believed developing one would be harmful to the hospital's image, in contrast to none in hospitals that had such a reputation (chi 2 = 11.676, df = 1, P = .0006). Although 16.6 percent did not know if large-scale HIV testing should be implemented, a near majority (47.7 percent) expressed some support. In addition, 15 percent reported that HIV-positive physicians on the hospital's medical staff should not be allowed to practice medicine, but 32.1 percent indicated that they should.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:7638335

  20. Burden of Clostridium difficile Infections in French Hospitals in 2014 From the National Health Insurance Perspective.

    PubMed

    Leblanc, Soline; Blein, Cécile; Andremont, Antoine; Bandinelli, Pierre-Alain; Galvain, Thibaut

    2017-08-01

    OBJECTIVE To describe the hospital stays of patients with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) and to measure the hospitalization costs of CDI (as primary and secondary diagnoses) from the French national health insurance perspective DESIGN Burden of illness study SETTING All acute-care hospitals in France METHODS Data were extracted from the French national hospitalization database (PMSI) for patients covered by the national health insurance scheme in 2014. Hospitalizations were selected using the International Classification of Diseases, 10 th revision (ICD-10) code for CDI. Hospital stays with CDI as the primary diagnosis or the secondary diagnosis (comorbidity) were studied for the following parameters: patient sociodemographic characteristics, mortality, length of stay (LOS), and related costs. A retrospective case-control analysis was performed on stays with CDI as the secondary diagnosis to assess the impact of CDI on the LOS and costs. RESULTS Overall, 5,834 hospital stays with CDI as the primary diagnosis were included in this study. The total national insurance costs were €30.7 million (US $33,677,439), and the mean cost per hospital stay was €5,267±€3,645 (US $5,777±$3,998). In total, 10,265 stays were reported with CDI as the secondary diagnosis. The total national insurance additional costs attributable to CDI were estimated to be €85 million (US $93,243,725), and the mean additional cost attributable to CDI per hospital stay was €8,295±€17,163, median, €4,797 (US $9,099±$8,827; median, $5,262). CONCLUSION CDI has a high clinical and economic burden in the hospital, and it represents a major cost for national health insurance. When detected as a comorbidity, CDI was significantly associated with increased LOS and economic burden. Preventive approaches should be implemented to avoid CDIs. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:906-911.

  1. National Rules for Drug–Drug Interactions: Are They Appropriate for Tertiary Hospitals?

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    The application of appropriate rules for drug–drug interactions (DDIs) could substantially reduce the number of adverse drug events. However, current implementations of such rules in tertiary hospitals are problematic as physicians are receiving too many alerts, causing high override rates and alert fatigue. We investigated the potential impact of Korean national DDI rules in a drug utilization review program in terms of their severity coverage and the clinical efficiency of how physicians respond to them. Using lists of high-priority DDIs developed with the support of the U.S. government, we evaluated 706 contraindicated DDI pairs released in May 2015. We evaluated clinical log data from one tertiary hospital and prescription data from two other tertiary hospitals. The measured parameters were national DDI rule coverage for high-priority DDIs, alert override rate, and number of prescription pairs. The coverage rates of national DDI rules were 80% and 3.0% at the class and drug levels, respectively. The analysis of the system log data showed an overall override rate of 79.6%. Only 0.3% of all of the alerts (n = 66) were high-priority DDI rules. These showed a lower override rate of 51.5%, which was much lower than for the overall DDI rules. We also found 342 and 80 unmatched high-priority DDI pairs which were absent in national rules in inpatient orders from the other two hospitals. The national DDI rules are not complete in terms of their coverage of severe DDIs. They also lack clinical efficiency in tertiary settings, suggesting improved systematic approaches are needed. PMID:27822925

  2. National Trends in Patients Hospitalized for Stroke and Stroke Mortality in France, 2008 to 2014.

    PubMed

    Lecoffre, Camille; de Peretti, Christine; Gabet, Amélie; Grimaud, Olivier; Woimant, France; Giroud, Maurice; Béjot, Yannick; Olié, Valérie

    2017-11-01

    Stroke is the leading cause of death in women and the third leading cause in men in France. In young adults (ie, <65 years old), an increase in the incidence of ischemic stroke was observed at a local scale between 1985 and 2011. After the implementation of the 2010 to 2014 National Stroke Action Plan, this study investigates national trends in patients hospitalized by stroke subtypes, in-hospital mortality, and stroke mortality between 2008 and 2014. Hospitalization data were extracted from the French national hospital discharge databases and mortality data from the French national medical causes of death database. Time trends were tested using a Poisson regression model. From 2008 to 2014, the age-standardized rates of patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke increased by 14.3% in patients <65 years old and decreased by 1.5% in those aged ≥65 years. The rate of patients hospitalized for hemorrhagic stroke was stable (+2.0%), irrespective of age and sex. The proportion of patients hospitalized in stroke units substantially increased. In-hospital mortality decreased by 17.1% in patients with ischemic stroke. From 2008 to 2013, stroke mortality decreased, except for women between 45 and 64 years old and for people aged ≥85 years. An increase in cardiovascular risk factors and improved stroke management may explain the increase in the rates of patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke. The decrease observed for in-hospital stroke mortality may be because of recent improvements in acute-phase management. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  3. Organizational learning in the implementation and adoption of national electronic health records: case studies of two hospitals participating in the National Programme for Information Technology in England.

    PubMed

    Takian, Amirhossein; Sheikh, Aziz; Barber, Nicholas

    2014-09-01

    To explore the role of organizational learning in enabling implementation and supporting adoption of electronic health record systems into two English hospitals. In the course of conducting our prospective and sociotechnical evaluation of the implementation and adoption of electronic health record into 12 "early adopter" hospitals across England, we identified two hospitals implementing virtually identical versions of the same "off-the-shelf" software (Millennium) within a comparable timeframe. We undertook a longitudinal qualitative case study-based analysis of these two hospitals (referred to hereafter as Alpha and Omega) and their implementation experiences. Data included the following: 63 in-depth interviews with various groups of internal and external stakeholders; 41-h on-site observation; and content analysis of 218 documents of various types. Analysis was both inductive and deductive, the latter being informed by the "sociotechnical changing" theoretical perspective. Although Alpha and Omega shared a number of contextual similarities, our evaluation revealed fundamental differences in visions of electronic health record and the implementation strategy between the hospitals, which resulted in distinct local consequences of electronic health record implementation and impacted adoption. Both hospitals did not, during our evaluation, see the hoped-for benefits to the organization as a result of the introduction of electronic health record, such as speeding-up tasks. Nonetheless, the Millennium software worked out to be easier to use at Omega. Interorganizational learning was at the heart of this difference. Despite the turbulent overall national "roll out" of electronic health record systems into the English hospitals, considerable opportunities for organizational learning were offered by sequential delivery of the electronic health record software into "early adopter" hospitals. We argue that understanding the process of organizational learning and its

  4. 75 FR 51919 - National Organic Program; Amendment to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-24

    ...-10-0051; NOP-10-04IR] RIN 0581-AD04 National Organic Program; Amendment to the National List of... recommendation submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board... the annotation of one substance on the National List, methionine, to extend its use in organic poultry...

  5. Minority Use of a National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and Non-specialty Hospitals in Two Florida Regions.

    PubMed

    Sultan, Dawood H; Gishe, Jemal; Hanciles, Angella; Comins, Meg M; Norris, Claire M

    2015-09-01

    To examine cancer treatment disparities at a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center (NCI-CCC) and non-specialty hospitals. Florida hospital discharge datasets were used. ICD9-CM codes were used to define patients with female reproductive organ cancers (FROC), male reproductive organ cancers (MROC), and OTHER cancer diagnoses. A total of 7462 NCI-CCC patients and 21,875 non-specialty hospital patients were included in the statistical analysis. Data analysis was conducted in SAS 9.2. Increases in age reduced the odds of receiving treatment at the NCI-CCC. Male patients were more likely than female patients to be treated at the NCI-CCC. Age-adjusted odds of African American and Hispanic out/inpatients being treated at the NCI-CCC were significantly lower than those of White out/inpatients. Only patients with workers' compensation, charity, or other insurance had higher odds of being treated at the NCI-CCC. The odds of minority patients receiving outpatient treatment at the NCI-CCC declined after 2005. The odds of receiving inpatient treatment at the NCI-CCC significantly increased after 2006. More targeted outreach by the NCI-CCC is required. However, we expect the creation of local Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to reduce the numbers of minority and older patients at the NCI-CCC. Coordinated quality care at ACOs implies a potential for retaining the patient market share held by non-specialty hospitals and a potential for increased demand for ACO care by minority and older patients.

  6. [Problems in career planning for novice medical technologists in Japanese national hospitals].

    PubMed

    Ogasawara, Shu; Tsutaya, Shoji; Akimoto, Hiroyuki; Kojima, Keiya; Yabaka, Hiroyuki

    2012-12-01

    Skills and knowledge regarding many different types of test are required for medical technologists (MTs) to provide accurate information to help doctors and other medical specialists. In order to become an efficient MT, specialized training programs are required. Certification in specialized areas of clinical laboratory sciences or a doctoral degree in medical sciences may help MTs to realize career advancement, a higher earning potential, and expand the options in their career. However, most young MTs in national university hospitals are employed as part-time workers on a three-year contract, which is too short to obtain certifications or a doctoral degree. We have to leave the hospital without expanding our future. We need to take control of our own development in order to enhance our employability within the period. As teaching and training hospitals, national university hospitals in Japan are facing a difficult dilemma in nurturing MTs. I hope, as a novice medical technologist, that at least university hospitals in Japan create an appropriate workplace environment for novice MTs.

  7. [Communication of psychiatric hospitals' specialization].

    PubMed

    Thielscher, Christian; Kox, Andreas; Schütte, Michael

    2010-09-01

    To analyze whether specialization of psychiatric hospitals results in quality improvement, and whether it can and should be measured and communicated to patients and ambulatory care physicians. Depth interviews with key deciders in the German psychiatric care system. There are several specializations within the system of psychiatric hospital care which can be communicated to patients and physicians; this would facilitate choice of hospital. There is no national database available yet. Data collection and communication as provided by an independent organization would improve knowledge about hospital specialization.

  8. Improving hospital death certification in Viet Nam: results of a pilot study implementing an adapted WHO hospital death report form in two national hospitals.

    PubMed

    Walton, Merrilyn; Harrison, Reema; Chevalier, Anna; Esguerra, Esmond; Van Duong, Dang; Chinh, Nguyen Duc; Giang, Huong

    2016-01-01

    Viet Nam does not have a system for the national collection of death data that meets international requirements for mortality reporting. It is identified as a 'no-report' country by the WHO. Verbal autopsy reports are used in the community but exclude deaths in hospitals. This project was undertaken in Bach Mai National General Hospital and Viet Duc Surgical and Trauma Hospital in Viet Nam from 1 March 2013 to 31 March 2015. In phase 1, a modified hospital death report form, consistent with the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, was developed. Small group training in use of the report form was delivered to 427 doctors. In phase two, death data were collected, collated and analysed. In phase three, a random sample (7%) of all report forms was checked for accuracy and completeness against medical records. During the 23 months of the study, 3956 deaths were recorded. Across both hospitals, 222 distinct causes of deaths were recorded. Traumatic cerebral oedema was the immediate cause of death (15% of cases, 575/3956 patients), followed by septic shock (13%, 528/3956), brain compression (11%, 416/3956), intracerebral haemorrhage (8%, 336/3956) and pneumonia (5%, 186/3956); 67% (2639/3956) of patients were discharged home to die and 33% (1314/3956) of deaths were due to a road traffic accident, or injury at home or at work. This study confirms the viability of implementing a death report form system compliant with international standards in hospitals in Viet Nam and provides the foundation for introducing a national death report form scheme. These data are critical to comprehensive knowledge of causes of death in Viet Nam. Death data about patients discharged home to die is presented for the first time, with implications for countries where this is a cultural preference.

  9. Promising Practices for Achieving Patient-centered Hospital Care: A National Study of High-performing US Hospitals.

    PubMed

    Aboumatar, Hanan J; Chang, Bickey H; Al Danaf, Jad; Shaear, Mohammad; Namuyinga, Ruth; Elumalai, Sathyanarayanan; Marsteller, Jill A; Pronovost, Peter J

    2015-09-01

    Patient-centered care is integral to health care quality, yet little is known regarding how to achieve patient-centeredness in the hospital setting. The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey measures patients' reports on clinician behaviors deemed by patients as key to a high-quality hospitalization experience. We conducted a national study of hospitals that achieved the highest performance on HCAHPS to identify promising practices for improving patient-centeredness, common challenges met, and how those were addressed. We identified hospitals that achieved the top ranks or remarkable recent improvements on HCAHPS and surveyed key informants at these hospitals. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, we described the interventions used at these hospitals and developed an explanatory model for achieving patient-centeredness in hospital care. Fifty-two hospitals participated in this study. Hospitals used similar interventions that focused on improving responsiveness to patient needs, the discharge experience, and patient-clinician interactions. To improve responsiveness, hospitals used proactive nursing rounds (reported at 83% of hospitals) and executive/leader rounds (62%); for the discharge experience, multidisciplinary rounds (56%), postdischarge calls (54%), and discharge folders (52%) were utilized; for clinician-patient interactions, hospitals promoted specific desired behaviors (65%) and set behavioral standards (60%) for which employees were held accountable. Similar strategies were also used to achieve successful intervention implementation including HCAHPS data feedback, and employee and leader engagement and accountability. High-performing hospitals used a set of patient-centered care processes that involved both leaders and clinicians in ensuring that patient needs and preferences are addressed.

  10. EPA’s National Organic Program Guidance

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The National Organic Program is a USDA program, including concerning the eligibility of inert ingredients for use in the NOP. EPA’s role is to assist USDA by assuring that USDA’s policies are implemented for organic claims by registered pesticide products.

  11. Adherence with national guidelines in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia: results from the CAPO study in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Levy, Gur; Perez, Mario; Rodríguez, Benito; Hernández Voth, Ana; Perez, Jorge; Gnoni, Martin; Kelley, Robert; Wiemken, Timothy; Ramirez, Julio

    2015-04-01

    The Community-Acquired Pneumonia Organization (CAPO) is an international observational study in 130 hospitals, with a total of 31 countries, to assess the current management of hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). 2 Using the centralized database of CAPO was decided to conduct this study with the aim of evaluate the level of adherence with national guidelines in Venezuela, to define in which areas an intervention may be necessary to improve the quality of care of hospitalized patients with CAP. In this observational retrospective study quality indicators were used to evaluate the management of hospitalized patients with CAP in 8 Venezuelan's centers. The care of the patients was evaluated in the areas of: hospitalization, oxygen therapy, empiric antibiotic therapy, switch therapy, etiological studies, blood cultures indication, and prevention. The compliance was rated as good (>90%), intermediate (60% to 90%), or low (<60%). A total of 454 patients with CAP were enrolled. The empiric treatment administered within 8 hours of the patient arrival to the hospital was good (96%), but the rest of the indicators showed a low level of adherence (<60%). We can say that there are many areas in the management of CAP in Venezuela that are not performed according to the national guidelines of SOVETHORAX.1 In any quality improvement process the first step is to evaluate the difference between what is recommended and what is done in clinical practice. While this study meets this first step, the challenge for the future is to implement the processes necessary to improve the management of CAP in Venezuela. Copyright © 2013 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  12. Hospital cultural competency as a systematic organizational intervention: Key findings from the national center for healthcare leadership diversity demonstration project.

    PubMed

    Weech-Maldonado, Robert; Dreachslin, Janice L; Epané, Josué Patien; Gail, Judith; Gupta, Shivani; Wainio, Joyce Anne

    Cultural competency or the ongoing capacity of health care systems to provide for high-quality care to diverse patient populations (National Quality Forum, 2008) has been proposed as an organizational strategy to address disparities in quality of care, patient experience, and workforce representation. But far too many health care organizations still do not treat cultural competency as a business imperative and driver of strategy. The aim of the study was to examine the impact of a systematic, multifaceted, and organizational level cultural competency initiative on hospital performance metrics at the organizational and individual levels. This demonstration project employs a pre-post control group design. Two hospital systems participated in the study. Within each system, two hospitals were selected to serve as the intervention and control hospitals. Executive leadership (C-suite) and all staff at one general medical/surgical nursing unit at the intervention hospitals experienced a systematic, planned cultural competency intervention. Assessments and interventions focused on three organizational level competencies of cultural competency (diversity leadership, strategic human resource management, and patient cultural competency) and three individual level competencies (diversity attitudes, implicit bias, and racial/ethnic identity status). In addition, we evaluated the impact of the intervention on diversity climate and workforce diversity. Overall performance improvement was greater in each of the two intervention hospitals than in the control hospital within the same health care system. Both intervention hospitals experienced improvements in the organizational level competencies of diversity leadership and strategic human resource management. Similarly, improvements were observed in the individual level competencies for diversity attitudes and implicit bias for Blacks among the intervention hospitals. Furthermore, intervention hospitals outperformed their respective

  13. 75 FR 1555 - National Organic Program; Proposed Amendments to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-12

    ... use in organic crops soil amendment purposes due to the quick degradation of sulfurous acid, provided...-09-0081; TM-09-04] RIN 0581-AC93 National Organic Program; Proposed Amendments to the National List... the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on November 19...

  14. National Organizations Raising Public Consciousness. Part II.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Exceptional Parent, 1980

    1980-01-01

    Statements of seven national organizations (Muscular Dystrophy Association, Spina Bifida Association of America, National Easter Seal Society, International Association of Parents of the Deaf, American Foundation for the Blind, Down's Syndrome Congress, and the National Society for Autistic Children) about raising community awareness of issues…

  15. 75 FR 77521 - National Organic Program; Amendments to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-13

    ...-08-06FR] RIN 0581-AC91 National Organic Program; Amendments to the National List of Allowed and... (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) from November 30, 2007, and May 22, 2008. This... restrictive annotations, for use in organic crop production, and adds gellan gum, fortified cooking wine...

  16. Opinions on the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program: results of a national survey of hospital leaders.

    PubMed

    Joynt, Karen E; Figueroa, Jose E; Oray, John; Jha, Ashish K

    2016-08-01

    To determine the opinions of US hospital leadership on the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), a national mandatory penalty-for-performance program. We developed a survey about federal readmission policies. We used a stratified sampling design to oversample hospitals in the highest and lowest quintile of performance on readmissions, and hospitals serving a high proportion of minority patients. We surveyed leadership at 1600 US acute care hospitals that were subject to the HRRP, and achieved a 62% response rate. Results were stratified by the size of the HRRP penalty that hospitals received in 2013, and adjusted for nonresponse and sampling strategy. Compared with 36.1% for public reporting of readmission rates and 23.7% for public reporting of discharge processes, 65.8% of respondents reported that the HRRP had a "great impact" on efforts to reduce readmissions. The most common critique of the HRRP penalty was that it did not adequately account for differences in socioeconomic status between hospitals (75.8% "agree" or "agree strongly"); other concerns included that the penalties were "much too large" (67.7%), and hospitals' inability to impact patient adherence (64.1%). These sentiments were each more common in leaders of hospitals with higher HRRP penalties. The HRRP has had a major impact on hospital leaders' efforts to reduce readmission rates, which has implications for the design of future quality improvement programs. However, leaders are concerned about the size of the penalties, lack of adjustment for socioeconomic and clinical factors, and hospitals' inability to impact patient adherence and postacute care. These concerns may have implications as policy makers consider changes to the HRRP, as well as to other Medicare value-based payment programs that contain similar readmission metrics.

  17. Family informed consent to organ donation--who performs better: organ procurement organizations, in-hospital coordinators, or intensive care unit professionals?

    PubMed

    Lenzi, J A; Sarlo, R; Assis, A; Ponte, M; Paura, P; Araújo, C; Rocha, E

    2014-01-01

    Successful organ donation in countries adopting informed consent legislation depends on adequate interviewing of potential donors' families. As the number of both referral and effective donors in Brazil increases, health care managers argue whether educational efforts should be directed toward training in-hospital coordinators (IHC)--based on the "Spanish model"--or on the creation of extra-hospital-based professionals (Organ Procurement Organizations [OPOs], the "American model"). Meanwhile, many potential donor families are still approached by intensive care unit (ICU) professionals not trained in donation interviews. The aim of our study was to compare performances in obtaining informed consent from potential donors' families, according to the type of health care professional conducting the interviews: OPO, IHC, or ICU staff. In this retrospective 2-year study performed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, we observed an increase in referrals (285 to 411) and consent rates (48.1% to 55.7%). Each year, OPO professionals conducted most family interviews (58.6% and 60.4%, respectively) and obtained better consent rates (63.5% and 64.5%, respectively), when compared to IHC (41.8% and 53.7%, respectively) or untrained ICU professionals (22.1% and 13.4%, respectively). Our results show that adequate professional training is necessary for obtaining family consent for organ donation. Both established international policies for organ procurement and donation, namely the "Spanish model" with its IHCs or the "American model" of extra-hospital OPOs, may equally achieve this task. However, family interviews performed by untrained ICU professionals result in low donation rates and should be discouraged. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Directory of National Recreation Organizations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Exceptional Parent, 1991

    1991-01-01

    Thirty national recreation organizations serving individuals with disabilities are listed, along with addresses and telephone numbers. Sample recreational activities covered include Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts, various wheelchair sports, skiing, golfing, and horticultural therapy. (JDD)

  19. 78 FR 25879 - National Organic Program (NOP); Sunset Review (2013)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-03

    ... CFR Part 205 [Document Number AMS-NOP-11-0003; NOP-10-13PR] RIN 0581-AD13 National Organic Program... (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) following their November 2011 and May 2012..., National Organic Program, USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2646-So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington...

  20. Marketing strategies of hospital service organizations in Nigeria: a study of selected privately owned hospitals in Port Harcourt.

    PubMed

    Okwandu, Gabriel A

    2002-01-01

    This study was centered on the identification of the marketing strategies of hospitals and the factors that militate against their effective adoption and implementation. A total of 80 hospitals in Port Harcourt responded to a structured questionnaire administered on them. It was found, among other things, that many hospital organizations apply marketing strategies, and that hospitals that adopt effective marketing strategies perform better than those that do not. Some of the factors militating against the effective adoption and implementation of marketing strategies include lack of planning, lack of top management support, and non-utilization of all the promotional mix elements.

  1. 76 FR 23914 - National Organic Program; Periodic Residue Testing

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-29

    ... Service 7 CFR Part 205 [Document Number AMS-NOP-10-0102; NOP-10-10] RIN 0581-AD10 National Organic Program... proposed rule would clarify a provision of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and the regulations...) National Organic Program (NOP) regulations to make clear that accredited certifying agents must conduct...

  2. ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in hospital settings: dispensing and administration--2011.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, Craig A; Schneider, Philip J; Scheckelhoff, Douglas J

    2012-05-01

    Results of the 2011 ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in hospital settings that pertain to dispensing and administration are presented. A stratified random sample of pharmacy directors at 1401 general and children's medical-surgical hospitals in the United States were surveyed by mail. In this national probability sample survey, the response rate was 40.1%. Decentralization of the medication-use system continues, with 40% of hospitals using a decentralized system and 58% of hospitals planning to use a decentralized model in the future. Automated dispensing cabinets were used by 89% of hospitals, robots were used by 11%, carousels were used in 18%, and machine-readable coding was used in 34% of hospitals to verify doses before dispensing. Overall, 65% of hospitals had a United States Pharmacopeia chapter 797 compliant cleanroom for compounding sterile preparations. Medication administration records (MARs) have become increasingly computerized, with 67% of hospitals using electronic MARs. Bar-code-assisted medication administration was used in 50% of hospitals, and 68% of hospitals had smart infusion pumps. Health information is becoming more electronic, with 67% of hospitals having partially or completely implemented an electronic health record and 34% of hospitals having computerized prescriber order entry. The use of these technologies has substantially increased over the past year. The average number of full-time equivalent staff per 100 occupied beds averaged 17.5 for pharmacists and 15.0 for technicians. Directors of pharmacy reported declining vacancy rates for pharmacists. Pharmacists continue to improve medication use at the dispensing and administration steps of the medication-use system. The adoption of new technology is changing the philosophy of medication distribution, and health information is rapidly becoming electronic.

  3. Creating Accountable Care Organizations: The Extended Hospital Medical Staff

    PubMed Central

    Fisher, Elliott S.; Staiger, Douglas O.; Bynum, Julie P.W.; Gottlieb, Daniel J.

    2007-01-01

    Many current policies and approaches to performance measurement and payment reform focus on individual providers; they risk reinforcing the fragmented care and lack of coordination experienced by patients with serious illness. In this paper we show that Medicare beneficiaries receive most of their care from relatively coherent local delivery systems comprising physicians and the hospitals where they work or admit their patients. Efforts to create accountable care organizations at this level—the extended hospital medical staff—deserve consideration as a potential means of improving the quality and lowering the cost of care. PMID:17148490

  4. University hospital doctors: what are their beliefs about organ donation?

    PubMed

    Bassit, N H; Habiblah, M; Fadili, W; Laouad, I

    2013-01-01

    Organ and human tissue donation is not well developed in Morocco. This is due in part to the refusal of families, but also to a lack of awareness. We conducted a survey of a representative sample of doctors more exposed to the donation process to assess their knowledge and attitudes toward organ donation and their training needs. This is a cross-sectional study of physicians in Marrakech University Hospital. An anonymous questionnaire adapted to Moroccan context, assessing the knowledge, opinions, attitudes, and needs regarding organ donation was given to doctors. Among 130 distributed questionnaires, we collected 115 completely answered surveys. Respondees were as follows: 60.8% were females, 87 were residents and 28 interns, 80% were aged from 25 to 34 years, and 60% had practiced their profession for 1 to 5 years. Results showed that 28% don't know that tissue and organ donation from a cadaver is authorized in Morocco, 6% are aware of the organs and tissues that can be taken, 76% know the definition of brain death, 35% don't believe in this concept, 88% were favorable for the removal of organs and tissue of deceased persons, 10% ignore that Islam allows organ donation, 62% will give their organs and tissues after death, 25% refuse organ donation of a parent, and 30% refuse it of their children after death. Our findings show that there is discordance between knowledge and attitudes of doctors in our hospital toward organ donation. The promotion of organ donation requires good training of our teams to sensitize the population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Support for hospital-based HIV testing and counseling: a national survey of hospital marketing executives.

    PubMed

    Boscarino, J A; Steiber, S R

    1995-01-01

    Today, hospitals are involved extensively in social marketing and promotional activities. Recently, investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that routine testing of hospital patients for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) could identify more than 100,000 patients with previously unrecognized HIV infections. Several issues are assessed in this paper. These include hospital support for voluntary HIV testing and AIDS education and the impact that treating AIDS patients has on the hospital's image. Also tested is the hypothesis that certain hospitals, such as for-profit institutions and those outside the AIDS epicenters, would be less supportive of hospital-based AIDS intervention strategies. To assess these issues, a national random sample of 193 executives in charge of hospital marketing and public relations were surveyed between December 1992 and January 1993. The survey was part of an ongoing annual survey of hospitals and included questions about AIDS, health education, marketing, patient satisfaction, and hospital planning. Altogether, 12.4 percent of executives indicated their hospital had a reputation for treating AIDS patients. Among hospitals without an AIDS reputation, 34.1 percent believed developing one would be harmful to the hospital's image, in contrast to none in hospitals that had such a reputation (chi 2 = 11.676, df = 1, P = .0006). Although 16.6 percent did not know if large-scale HIV testing should be implemented, a near majority (47.7 percent) expressed some support. In addition, 15 percent reported that HIV-positive physicians on the hospital's medical staff should not be allowed to practice medicine, but 32.1 percent indicated that they should. Also, 33.1 percent thought the hospital should be more involved in AIDS education. Finally, certain hospital characteristics,such as location and for-profit status, were not associated with support for hospital-based AIDS interventions. Contrary to what was

  6. Safety organizing, emotional exhaustion, and turnover in hospital nursing units.

    PubMed

    Vogus, Timothy J; Cooil, Bruce; Sitterding, Mary; Everett, Linda Q

    2014-10-01

    Prior research has found that safety organizing behaviors of registered nurses (RNs) positively impact patient safety. However, little research exists on how engaging in safety organizing affects caregivers. While we know that organizational processes can have divergent effects on organizational and employee outcomes, little research exists on the effects of pursuing highly reliable performance through safety organizing on caregivers. Specifically, we examined whether, and the conditions under which, safety organizing affects RN emotional exhaustion and nursing unit turnover rates. Subjects included 1352 RNs in 50 intensive care, internal medicine, labor, and surgery nursing units in 3 Midwestern acute-care hospitals who completed questionnaires between August and December 2011 and 50 Nurse Managers from the units who completed questionnaires in December 2012. Cross-sectional analyses of RN emotional exhaustion linked to survey data on safety organizing and hospital incident reporting system data on adverse event rates for the year before survey administration. Cross-sectional analysis of unit-level RN turnover rates for the year following the administration of the survey linked to survey data on safety organizing. Multilevel regression analysis indicated that safety organizing was negatively associated with RN emotional exhaustion on units with higher rates of adverse events and positively associated with RN emotional exhaustion with lower rates of adverse events. Tobit regression analyses indicated that safety organizing was associated with lower unit level of turnover rates over time. Safety organizing is beneficial to caregivers in multiple ways, especially on nursing units with high levels of adverse events and over time.

  7. Accountable care organization hospitals differ in health IT capabilities.

    PubMed

    Walker, Daniel M; Mora, Arthur M; Scheck McAlearney, Ann

    2016-12-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate health information technology (IT) adoption in hospitals participating in accountable care organizations (ACOs) and compare this adoption to non-ACO hospitals. A cross-sectional sample of US nonfederal, acute care hospitals with data from 3 matched sources: the 2013 American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey, the 2013 AHA Survey of Care Systems and Payments (CSP), and the 2014 AHA Information Technology Supplement. To compare health IT adoption in ACO- and non-ACO hospitals, we created measures of Meaningful Use (MU) Stage 1 and Stage 2 core and menu criteria, patient engagement-oriented health IT, and health information exchange (HIE) participation. Adoption was compared using both naïve and multivariate logit models. Of the 393 ACO hospitals and 810 non-ACO hospitals, a greater percentage of ACO hospitals were capable of meeting MU Stage 1 (50.9% vs 41.6%; P < .01) and Stage 2 (7.6% vs 4.8%; P < .05), having patient engagement health IT (39.8% vs 15.2%; P < .001), and participating in HIE (49.0% vs 30.1%; P < .001). In adjusted models, no difference was found between ACO and non-ACO hospital ability to meet MU Stage 1 or Stage 2, but ACO hospitals were more likely to have patient engagement health IT (odds ratio (OR), 2.20; 95% CI, 1.59-3.04) and be HIE participants (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.03-1.92). ACO-participating hospitals appear to be focused more on adopting health IT that aligns with broader strategic goals rather than those that achieve MU. Aligning adoption with quality and payment reform may be a productive path forward to encourage hospital health IT adoption behavior.

  8. Customizing national models for a medical center's population to rapidly identify patients at high risk of 30-day all-cause hospital readmission following a heart failure hospitalization.

    PubMed

    Cox, Zachary L; Lai, Pikki; Lewis, Connie M; Lindenfeld, JoAnn; Collins, Sean P; Lenihan, Daniel J

    2018-05-28

    Nationally-derived models predicting 30-day readmissions following heart failure (HF) hospitalizations yield insufficient discrimination for institutional use. Develop a customized readmission risk model from Medicare-employed and institutionally-customized risk factors and compare the performance against national models in a medical center. Medicare patients age ≥ 65 years hospitalized for HF (n = 1,454) were studied in a derivation cohort and in a separate validation cohort (n = 243). All 30-day hospital readmissions were documented. The primary outcome was risk discrimination (c-statistic) compared to national models. A customized model demonstrated improved discrimination (c-statistic 0.72; 95% CI 0.69 - 0.74) compared to national models (c-statistics of 0.60 and 0.61) with a c-statistic of 0.63 in the validation cohort. Compared to national models, a customized model demonstrated superior readmission risk profiling by distinguishing a high-risk (38.3%) from a low-risk (9.4%) quartile. A customized model improved readmission risk discrimination from HF hospitalizations compared to national models. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. National estimates of hospital utilization by children with gastrointestinal disorders: analysis of the 1997 kids' inpatient database.

    PubMed

    Guthery, Stephen L; Hutchings, Caroline; Dean, J Michael; Hoff, Charles

    2004-05-01

    To identify and to generate national estimates of the principal gastrointestinal (GI) diagnoses associated with hospital utilization and to describe national hospital utilization patterns associated with pediatric GI disorders. We analyzed a nationwide and stratified probability sample of 1.9 million hospital discharges from 1997 of children 18 years and younger, weighted to 6.7 million discharges nationally. Principal GI diagnoses were identified through the use of the Clinical Classification Software and Major Diagnostic Categories. In 1997 in the United States, there were 329,825 pediatric discharges associated with a principal GI diagnosis, accounting for more than 2.6 billion US dollars in hospital charges and more than 1.1 million hospital days. Appendicitis, intestinal infection, noninfectious gastroenteritis, abdominal pain, esophageal disorders, and digestive congenital anomalies combined accounted for 75.1% of GI discharge diagnoses, 64.2% of GI hospital charges, and 68.0% of GI hospital days. Excluding normal newborn infants and conditions related to pregnancy, GI disorders were the third leading cause of hospitalization. GI disorders are a leading cause of hospitalization of children. A minority of GI conditions account for the majority of measures of utilization. Children are hospitalized for GI conditions and at institutions that are distinct from adults.

  10. National Hospital Discharge Survey: 2001 annual summary with detailed diagnosis and procedure data.

    PubMed

    Kozak, Lola Jean; Owings, Maria F; Hall, Margaret J

    2004-06-01

    This report presents 2001 national estimates and selected trend data on the use of non-Federal short-stay hospitals in the United States. Estimates are provided by selected patient and hospital characteristics, diagnoses, and surgical and nonsurgical procedures performed. Admission source and type, collected for the first time in the 2001 National Hospital Discharge Survey, are shown. The estimates are based on data collected through the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS). The survey has been conducted annually since 1965. In 2001, data were collected for approximately 330,000 discharges. Of the 477 eligible non-Federal short-stay hospitals in the sample, 448 (94 percent) responded to the survey. Estimates of diagnoses and procedures are presented according to International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code numbers. Rates are computed with 2001 population estimates based on the 2000 census. The appendix includes a comparison of rates computed with 1990 and 2000 census-based population estimates. An estimated 32.7 million inpatients were discharged from non-Federal short-stay hospitals in 2001. They used 159.4 million days of care and had an average length of stay of 4.9 days. Common first-listed discharge diagnoses included delivery, psychoses, pneumonia, malignant neoplasm, and coronary atherosclerosis. Males had higher rates for procedures such as cardiac catheterization and coronary artery bypass graft, and females had higher rates for procedures such as cholecystectomy and total knee replacement. The rates of all cesarean deliveries, primary and repeat, rose from 1995 to 2001; the rate of vaginal birth after cesarean delivery dropped 37 percent during this period.

  11. 'Shell shock' revisited: an examination of the case records of the National Hospital in London.

    PubMed

    Linden, Stefanie Caroline; Jones, Edgar

    2014-10-01

    During the First World War the National Hospital for the Paralysed and Epileptic, in Queen Square, London, then Britain's leading centre for neurology, took a key role in the treatment and understanding of shell shock. This paper explores the case notes of all 462 servicemen who were admitted with functional neurological disorders between 1914 and 1919. Many of these were severe or chronic cases referred to the National Hospital because of its acknowledged expertise and the resources it could call upon. Biographical data was collected together with accounts of the patient's military experience, his symptoms, diagnostic interpretations and treatment outcomes. Analysis of the notes showed that motor syndromes (loss of function or hyperkinesias), often combined with somato-sensory loss, were common presentations. Anxiety and depression as well as vegetative symptoms such as sweating, dizziness and palpitations were also prevalent among this patient population. Conversely, psychogenic seizures were reported much less frequently than in comparable accounts from German tertiary referral centres. As the war unfolded the number of physicians who believed that shell shock was primarily an organic disorder fell as research failed to find a pathological basis for its symptoms. However, little agreement existed among the Queen Square doctors about the fundamental nature of the disorder and it was increasingly categorised as functional disorder or hysteria.

  12. 76 FR 46595 - National Organic Program (NOP); Sunset Review (2011)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-03

    ...-07-14FR] RIN 0581-AC77 National Organic Program (NOP); Sunset Review (2011) AGENCY: Agricultural... the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on November 5... exemption (use) of 12 substances in organic production and handling. Consistent with the recommendations...

  13. 26 CFR 1.501(e)-1 - Cooperative hospital service organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... illustrated by the following example. Example. An organization performs industrial engineering services on a...-hospitals), warehousing, billing and collection, food, clinical (including radiology), industrial engineering (including the installation, maintenance and repair of biomedical and similar equipment...

  14. 26 CFR 1.501(e)-1 - Cooperative hospital service organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... illustrated by the following example. Example. An organization performs industrial engineering services on a...-hospitals), warehousing, billing and collection, food, clinical (including radiology), industrial engineering (including the installation, maintenance and repair of biomedical and similar equipment...

  15. 26 CFR 1.501(e)-1 - Cooperative hospital service organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... illustrated by the following example. Example. An organization performs industrial engineering services on a...-hospitals), warehousing, billing and collection, food, clinical (including radiology), industrial engineering (including the installation, maintenance and repair of biomedical and similar equipment...

  16. 26 CFR 1.501(e)-1 - Cooperative hospital service organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... illustrated by the following example. Example. An organization performs industrial engineering services on a...-hospitals), warehousing, billing and collection, food, clinical (including radiology), industrial engineering (including the installation, maintenance and repair of biomedical and similar equipment...

  17. 26 CFR 1.501(e)-1 - Cooperative hospital service organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... illustrated by the following example. Example. An organization performs industrial engineering services on a...-hospitals), warehousing, billing and collection, food, clinical (including radiology), industrial engineering (including the installation, maintenance and repair of biomedical and similar equipment...

  18. Pediatric disaster preparedness and response and the nation's children's hospitals.

    PubMed

    Lyle, Kristin C; Milton, Jerrod; Fagbuyi, Daniel; LeFort, Roxanna; Sirbaugh, Paul; Gonzalez, Jacqueline; Upperman, Jeffrey S; Carmack, Tim; Anderson, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Children account for 30 percent of the US population; as a result, many victims of disaster events are children. The most critically injured pediatric victims would be best cared for in a tertiary care pediatric hospital. The Children's Hospital Association (CHA) undertook a survey of its members to determine their level of readiness to respond to a mass casualty disaster. The Disaster Response Task Force constructed survey questions in October 2011. The survey was distributed via e-mail to the person listed as an "emergency manager/disaster contact" at each association member hospital and was designed to take less than 15 minutes to complete. The survey sought to determine how children's hospitals address disaster preparedness, how prepared they feel for disaster events, and how CHA could support their efforts in preparedness. One hundred seventy-nine surveys were distributed with a 36 percent return rate. Seventy percent of respondent hospitals have a structure in place to plan for disaster response. There was a stronger level of confidence for hospitals in responding to local casualty events than for those responding to large-scale regional, national, and international events. Few hospitals appear to interact with nonmedical facilities with a high concentration of children such as schools or daycares. Little commonality exists among children's hospitals in approaches to disaster preparedness and response. Universally, respondents can identify a disaster response plan and routinely participate in drills, but the scale and scope of these plans and drills vary substantially.

  19. The effect of contextual factors on unintentional injury hospitalization: from the Korea National Hospital Discharge Survey.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hye Ah; Han, Hyejin; Lee, Seonhwa; Park, Bomi; Park, Bo Hyun; Lee, Won Kyung; Park, Ju Ok; Hong, Sungok; Kim, Young Taek; Park, Hyesook

    2018-03-13

    It has been suggested that health risks are affected by geographical area, but there are few studies on contextual effects using multilevel analysis, especially regarding unintentional injury. This study investigated trends in unintentional injury hospitalization rates over the past decade in Korea, and also examined community-level risk factors while controlling for individual-level factors. Using data from the 2004 to 2013 Korea National Hospital Discharge Survey (KNHDS), trends in age-adjusted injury hospitalization rate were conducted using the Joinpoint Regression Program. Based on the 2013 KNHDS, we collected community-level factors by linking various data sources and selected dominant factors related to injury hospitalization through a stepwise method. Multilevel analysis was performed to assess the community-level factors while controlling for individual-level factors. In 2004, the age-adjusted unintentional injury hospitalization rate was 1570.1 per 100,000 population and increased to 1887.1 per 100,000 population in 2013. The average annual percent change in rate of hospitalizations due to unintentional injury was 2.31% (95% confidence interval: 1.8-2.9). It was somewhat higher for females than for males (3.25% vs. 1.64%, respectively). Both community- and individual-level factors were found to significantly influence unintentional injury hospitalization risk. As community-level risk factors, finance utilization capacity of the local government and neighborhood socioeconomic status, were independently associated with unintentional injury hospitalization after controlling for individual-level factors, and accounted for 19.9% of community-level variation in unintentional injury hospitalization. Regional differences must be considered when creating policies and interventions. Further studies are required to evaluate specific factors related to injury mechanism.

  20. Global survey of hospital pharmacy practice.

    PubMed

    Doloresco, Fred; Vermeulen, Lee C

    2009-03-01

    The current state of hospital pharmacy practice around the globe and key issues facing international hospital pharmacy practice were studied. This survey assessed multiple aspects of hospital pharmacy practice within each of the Member States recognized by the United Nations. An official respondent from each nation was identified by a structured nomination process. The survey instrument was developed; pilot tested; translated into English, French, and Spanish; and distributed in July 2007. The nature, scope, and breadth of hospital pharmacy practices in medication procurement, prescribing, preparation and distribution, administration, outcomes monitoring, and human resources and training were evaluated. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the responses. Eighty-five countries (44% of the 192 Member States) responded to the survey. The respondent sample of countries was representative of all nations in terms of population, geographic region, World Health Organization region, and level of economic development. In addition to qualifying the nature of hospital pharmacy practice, the survey highlighted numerous challenges facing the profession of pharmacy in the hospital setting around the globe, including access to medicines and adequately trained pharmacists. While the practice of hospital pharmacy differs from country to country, many nations face similar challenges, regardless of their population, location, or wealth. These survey results provide a basis for identifying opportunities for growth and development, as well as for international collaboration, to advance the profession of pharmacy and ensure that patients worldwide receive the care that they deserve.

  1. 45 CFR 60.17 - Information which hospitals must request from the National Practitioner Data Bank.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... National Practitioner Data Bank. 60.17 Section 60.17 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION NATIONAL PRACTITIONER DATA BANK Disclosure of Information by the National Practitioner Data Bank § 60.17 Information which hospitals must request from the National Practitioner Data...

  2. 45 CFR 60.17 - Information which hospitals must request from the National Practitioner Data Bank.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... National Practitioner Data Bank. 60.17 Section 60.17 Public Welfare Department of Health and Human Services GENERAL ADMINISTRATION NATIONAL PRACTITIONER DATA BANK Disclosure of Information by the National Practitioner Data Bank § 60.17 Information which hospitals must request from the National Practitioner Data...

  3. Measuring Transnational Organized Crime Threats to US National Security

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-05-26

    typology is not designed to score TOC networks, so it is not an obvious choice, but it could be easily modified by the TMWG to rank-order TOC networks...States Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime (SCTOC). The strategy identified Transnational Organized Crime ( TOC ) as a national security...identify the TOC groups that present the national security threat defined in the SCTOC? A literature review of existing organized crime assessments

  4. Organizational rationality, performance, and social responsibility: results from the hospital industry.

    PubMed

    Becker, Edmund R; Potter, Sharyn J

    2002-01-01

    Drawing on stakeholder theory and Weber's distinction between formal and substantive rationality, we posit that: (1) for-profit organizations manage stakeholders in ways that result in the organization being more efficient and less socially responsible than organizations that are not as profit oriented, and (2) organizations with major corporate relationships that are not local manage stakeholders in a manner that results in the organization being more efficient and less socially responsible than organizations without such arrangements. We test these hypotheses with 1994 data on 4,705 of the nation's short-term general hospitals using two measures of hospital efficiency and four measures of social responsibility. Results confirm that for-profit hospitals and hospitals lacking local ties are managing stakeholder relationships in ways that increases the efficiency of these hospitals but decreases their social responsiveness. We conclude by speculating that organizational efficiency and social responsibility may be inversely related and then summarize some of the academic, managerial, and policy implications, with emphasis on the implications for stakeholder theory.

  5. 77 FR 5717 - National Organic Program; Proposed Amendment to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-06

    ... Service 7 CFR Part 205 [Document Number AMS-NOP-11-0063; NOP-11-11PR] RIN 0581-AD18 National Organic... address a recommendation submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic... maximum levels currently allowed in organic poultry production after October 1, 2012. This proposed rule...

  6. 42 CFR 121.13 - Definition of Human Organ Under section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act, as amended.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... National Organ Transplant Act, as amended. 121.13 Section 121.13 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE... NETWORK § 121.13 Definition of Human Organ Under section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act, as amended. “Human organ,” as covered by section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act, as amended, means...

  7. 42 CFR 121.13 - Definition of Human Organ Under section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act, as amended.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... National Organ Transplant Act, as amended. 121.13 Section 121.13 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE... NETWORK § 121.13 Definition of Human Organ Under section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act, as amended. “Human organ,” as covered by section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act, as amended, means...

  8. 42 CFR 121.13 - Definition of Human Organ Under section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act, as amended.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... National Organ Transplant Act, as amended. 121.13 Section 121.13 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE... NETWORK § 121.13 Definition of Human Organ Under section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act, as amended. “Human organ,” as covered by section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act, as amended, means...

  9. 46 CFR 1.01-15 - Organization; Districts; National Maritime Center.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Organization; Districts; National Maritime Center. 1.01... General Flow of Functions § 1.01-15 Organization; Districts; National Maritime Center. (a) To assist the... navigation, vessel inspection and seaman laws in general. (c) The Commanding Officer of the National Maritime...

  10. Hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infection among solid organ transplant recipients.

    PubMed

    Donnelly, J P; Wang, H E; Locke, J E; Mannon, R B; Safford, M M; Baddley, J W

    2015-11-01

    Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a considerable health issue in the United States and represents the most common healthcare-associated infection. Solid organ transplant recipients are at increased risk of CDI, which can affect both graft and patient survival. However, little is known about the impact of CDI on health services utilization posttransplantation. We examined hospital-onset CDI from 2012 to 2014 among transplant recipients in the University HealthSystem Consortium, which includes academic medical center-affiliated hospitals in the United States. Infection was five times more common among transplant recipients than among general medicine inpatients (209 vs 40 per 10 000 discharges), and factors associated with CDI among transplant recipients included transplant type, risk of mortality, comorbidities, and inpatient complications. Institutional risk-standardized CDI varied more than 3-fold across high-volume hospitals (infection ratio 0.54-1.82, median 1.04, interquartile range 0.78-1.28). CDI was associated with increased 30-day readmission, transplant organ complications, cytomegalovirus infection, inpatient costs, and lengths of stay. Total observed inpatient days and direct costs for those with CDI were substantially higher than risk-standardized expected values (40 094 vs 22 843 days, costs $198 728 368 vs $154 020 528). Further efforts to detect, prevent, and manage CDI among solid organ transplant recipients are warranted. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  11. The impact of health maintenance organization penetration on the use of hospitals that serve minority communities.

    PubMed

    Gaskin, D J

    1997-12-01

    Health maintenance organization (HMO) penetration has made hospital markets more price competitive. Hospitals in minority communities may be at a competitive disadvantage because they serve patients who are, on average, sicker and more likely to be uninsured or underinsured. This study estimated the impact of HMO penetration on the use of hospitals in minority communities during 1987 to 1992. Using a sample of 1,413 short-term general hospitals from the 85 largest metropolitan statistical areas, the determinants of hospitals' patient volumes were estimated. Hospitals located in predominately nonwhite neighborhoods were designated minority hospitals, and other hospitals were designated nonminority hospitals. Using regression analysis, the impact of HMO penetration and concentration on hospitals' patient volumes were estimated. By interacting the HMO penetration and concentration variables with a minority hospital indicator variable, HMOs' impact on minority hospitals was calculated. Health maintenance organization penetration was correlated with lower patient volumes in minority hospitals and higher patient volumes in nonminority hospitals. Competition in HMO markets was correlated with lower patient volumes for all hospitals. This effect was stronger for minority hospitals. These findings suggest that minority hospitals may be at risk of losing patients as HMO penetration increases.

  12. 76 FR 288 - National Organic Program (NOP); Sunset Review (2011)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-04

    ... Service 7 CFR Part 205 [Document Number AMS-TM-07-0136; TM-07-14PR] RIN 0581-AC77 National Organic Program... (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on November 5, 2009, and April 29, 2010. The... organic production and handling. Consistent with the recommendations from the NOSB, this proposed rule...

  13. Organizations in America: Analyzing Their Structures and Human Resource Practices Based on the National Organizations Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kalleberg, Arne L.; Knoke, David; Marsden, Peter V.; Spaeth, Joe L.

    In 1991 the National Organizations Study (NOS) surveyed a number of U.S. businesses about their structure, context, and personnel practices to produce a database for answering questions about social behavior in work organizations. This book presents the results of that survey. The study aimed to create a national database on organizations--based…

  14. Organization, quality and cost of oncological home-hospitalization: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Cool, Lieselot; Vandijck, Dominique; Debruyne, Philip; Desmedt, Melissa; Lefebvre, Tessa; Lycke, Michelle; De Jonghe, Pieter Jan; Pottel, Hans; Foulon, Veerle; Van Eygen, Koen

    2018-06-01

    Home-hospitalization might be a patient-centred approach facing the increasing burden of cancer on societies. This systematic review assessed how oncological home-hospitalization has been organized and to what extent its quality and costs were evaluated. Twenty-four papers describing parenteral cancer drug administration to adult patients in their homes were included. Most papers concluded oncological home-hospitalization had no significant effect on patient-reported quality of life (7/8 = 88%), but large majority of patients were satisfied (12/13, 92%) and preferred home treatment (7/8, 88%). No safety risks were associated with home-hospitalization (10/10, 100%). The cost of home-hospitalization was found beneficial in five trials (5/9, 56%); others reported no financial impact (2/9, 22%) or additional costs (2/9, 22%). Despite heterogeneity, majority of reported models for oncological home-hospitalization demonstrated that this is a safe, equivalent and acceptable alternative to ambulatory hospital care. More well-designed trials are needed to evaluate its economic impact. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Experience of implementing a National pre-hospital Code Red bleeding protocol in Scotland.

    PubMed

    Reed, Matthew J; Glover, Alison; Byrne, Lauren; Donald, Michael; McMahon, Niall; Hughes, Neil; Littlewood, Nicola K; Garrett, Justin; Innes, Catherine; McGarvey, Margaret; Hazra, Eleanor; Rawlinson, P Sam M

    2017-01-01

    The Scottish Transfusion and Laboratory Support in Trauma Group (TLSTG) have introduced a unified National pre-hospital Code Red protocol. This paper reports the results of a study aiming to establish whether current pre-hospital Code Red activation criteria for trauma patients successfully predict need for in hospital transfusion or haemorrhagic death, the current admission coagulation profile and Concentrated Red Cell (CRC): Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) ratio being used, and whether use of the protocol leads to increased blood component discards? Prospective cohort study. Clinical and transfusion leads for each of Scotland's pre-hospital services and their receiving hospitals agreed to enter data into the study for all trauma patients for whom a pre-hospital Code Red was activated. Outcome data collected included survival 24h after Code Red activation, survival to hospital discharge, death in the Emergency Department and death in hospital. Between June 1st 2013 and October 31st 2015 there were 53 pre-hospital Code Red activations. Median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 24 (IQR 14-37) and mortality 38%. 16 patients received pre-hospital blood. The pre-hospital Code Red protocol was sensitive for predicting transfusion or haemorrhagic death (89%). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the pre-hospital SBP <90mmHg component were 63%, 33%, 86% and 12%. 19% had an admission prothrombin time >14s and 27% had a fibrinogen <1.5g/L. CRC: FFP ratios did not drop to below 2:1 until 150min after arrival in the ED. 16 red cell units, 33 FFP and 6 platelets were discarded. This was not significantly increased compared to historical data. A National pre-hospital Code Red protocol is sensitive for predicting transfusion requirement in bleeding trauma patients and does not lead to increased blood component discards. A significant number of patients are coagulopathic and there is a need to improve CRC: FFP ratios and time to transfusion support

  16. A critique of national solidarity in transnational organ sharing in Europe.

    PubMed

    Tretyakov, Konstantin

    2018-05-01

    In this article, I critically examine the principle of national solidarity in organ sharing across national borders. More specifically, I analyse the policy foundations of solidarity in the transnational allocation of organs and its implementation in the system of national balance points adopted in Europe. I argue that the system of national balance points is based on statist collectivism and therefore is oriented more toward collective, rather than individual welfare. The same collective welfare rationale is also evident from leading policy statements about self-sufficiency in organ donation that seem to assume that cross-border organ sharing can be wrong if collective welfare is violated. This collectivist system of organ sharing can produce unjust results to individual candidates for organ transplantation. I propose several measures to reform the existing solidarity-based framework for the procurement and allocation of organs in order to balance the collective and the individual welfare of the donors and recipients of organs. I also discuss the implications of adopting that proposal.

  17. The effect of physician practice organization on efficient utilization of hospital resources.

    PubMed

    Burns, L R; Chilingerian, J A; Wholey, D R

    1994-12-01

    This study examines variations in the efficient use of hospital resources across individual physicians. The study is conducted over a two-year period (1989-1990) in all short-term general hospitals with 50 or more beds in Arizona. We examine hospital discharge data for 43,625 women undergoing cesarean sections and vaginal deliveries without complications. These data include physician identifiers that permit us to link patient information with information on physicians provided by the state medical association. The study first measures the contribution of physician characteristics to the explanatory power of regression models that predict resource use. It then tests hypothesized effects on resource utilization exerted by two sets of physician level factors: physician background and physician practice organization. The latter includes effects of hospital practice volume, concentration of hospital practice, percent managed care patients in one's hospital practice, and diversity of patients treated. Efficiency (inefficiency) is measured as the degree of variation in patient charges and length of stay below (above) the average of treating all patients with the same condition in the same hospital in the same year with the same severity of illness, controlling for discharge status and the presence of complications. After controlling for patient factors, physician characteristics explain a significant amount of the variability in hospital charges and length of stay in the two maternity conditions. Results also support hypotheses that efficiency is influenced by practice organization factors such as patient volume and managed care load. Physicians with larger practices and a higher share of managed care patients appear to be more efficient. The results suggest that health care reform efforts to develop physician-hospital networks and managed competition may promote greater parsimony in physicians' practice behavior.

  18. The effect of physician practice organization on efficient utilization of hospital resources.

    PubMed Central

    Burns, L R; Chilingerian, J A; Wholey, D R

    1994-01-01

    OBJECTIVE. This study examines variations in the efficient use of hospital resources across individual physicians. DATA SOURCES AND SETTING. The study is conducted over a two-year period (1989-1990) in all short-term general hospitals with 50 or more beds in Arizona. We examine hospital discharge data for 43,625 women undergoing cesarean sections and vaginal deliveries without complications. These data include physician identifiers that permit us to link patient information with information on physicians provided by the state medical association. STUDY DESIGN. The study first measures the contribution of physician characteristics to the explanatory power of regression models that predict resource use. It then tests hypothesized effects on resource utilization exerted by two sets of physician level factors: physician background and physician practice organization. The latter includes effects of hospital practice volume, concentration of hospital practice, percent managed care patients in one's hospital practice, and diversity of patients treated. Efficiency (inefficiency) is measured as the degree of variation in patient charges and length of stay below (above) the average of treating all patients with the same condition in the same hospital in the same year with the same severity of illness, controlling for discharge status and the presence of complications. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS. After controlling for patient factors, physician characteristics explain a significant amount of the variability in hospital charges and length of stay in the two maternity conditions. Results also support hypotheses that efficiency is influenced by practice organization factors such as patient volume and managed care load. Physicians with larger practices and a higher share of managed care patients appear to be more efficient. CONCLUSIONS. The results suggest that health care reform efforts to develop physician-hospital networks and managed competition may promote greater parsimony in

  19. ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in hospital settings: Dispensing and administration--2014.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, Craig A; Schneider, Philip J; Scheckelhoff, Douglas J

    2015-07-01

    The results of the 2014 ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in hospital settings that pertain to dispensing and administration are described. A stratified random sample of pharmacy directors at 1435 general and children's medical-surgical hospitals in the United States were surveyed by mail. In this national probability sample survey, the response rate was 29.7%. Ninety-seven percent of hospitals used automated dispensing cabinets in their medication distribution systems, 65.7% of which used individually secured lidded pockets as the predominant configuration. Overall, 44.8% of hospitals used some form of machine-readable coding to verify doses before dispensing in the pharmacy. Overall, 65% of hospital pharmacy departments reported having a cleanroom compliant with United States Pharmacopeia chapter 797. Pharmacists reviewed and approved all medication orders before the first dose was administered, either onsite or by remote order view, except in procedure areas and emergency situations, in 81.2% of hospitals. Adoption rates of electronic health information have rapidly increased, with the widespread use of electronic health records, computer prescriber order entry, barcodes, and smart pumps. Overall, 31.4% of hospitals had pharmacists practicing in ambulatory or primary care clinics. Transitions-of-care services offered by the pharmacy department have generally increased since 2012. Discharge prescription services increased from 11.8% of hospitals in 2012 to 21.5% in 2014. Approximately 15% of hospitals outsourced pharmacy management operations to a contract pharmacy services provider, an increase from 8% in 2011. Health-system pharmacists continue to have a positive impact on improving healthcare through programs that improve the efficiency, safety, and clinical outcomes of medication use in health systems. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. National Hospital Discharge Survey: 2005 annual summary with detailed diagnosis and procedure data.

    PubMed

    DeFrances, Carol J; Cullen, Karen A; Kozak, Lola Jean

    2007-12-01

    This report presents 2005 national estimates and selected trend data on the use of nonfederal short-stay hospitals in the United States. Estimates are provided by selected patient and hospital characteristics, diagnoses, and surgical and nonsurgical procedures performed. Estimates of diagnoses and procedures are presented according to International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. The estimates are based on data collected through the National Hospital Discharge Survey. The survey has been conducted annually since 1965. In 2005, data were collected for approximately 375,000 discharges. Of the 473 eligible nonfederal short-stay hospitals in the sample, 444 (94 percent) responded to the survey. An estimated 34.7 million discharges from nonfederal short-stay hospitals occurred in 2005. Discharges used 165.9 million days of care and had an average length of stay of 4.8 days. Persons 65 years and over accounted for 38 percent of the hospital discharges and 44 percent of the days of care. The proportion of discharges whose status was described as routine discharge or discharged to the patient's home declined with age, from 91 percent for inpatients under 45 years of age to 41 percent for those 85 years and over. Hospitalization for malignant neoplasms decreased from 1990-2005. The hospitalization rate for asthma was the highest for children under 15 years of age and those 65 years of age and over. The rate was lowest for those 15-44 years of age. Thirty-eight percent of hospital discharges had no procedures performed, whereas 12 percent had four or more procedures performed. An episiotomy was performed during a majority of vaginal deliveries in 1980 (64 percent), but by 2005, it was performed during less than one of every five vaginal deliveries (19 percent).

  1. National Directory of Hispanic Organizations, 1997-1998.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Congressional Hispanic Caucus Inst., Washington, DC.

    This directory lists Hispanic organizations in the United States. Each listed organization serves and represents local Latino communities. Over the years, however, the directory has come to include more than organizational listings. Recent editions have included census data that provide a demographic profile of the national Latino community and a…

  2. ‘Shell shock’ Revisited: An Examination of the Case Records of the National Hospital in London

    PubMed Central

    Linden, Stefanie Caroline; Jones, Edgar

    2014-01-01

    During the First World War the National Hospital for the Paralysed and Epileptic, in Queen Square, London, then Britain’s leading centre for neurology, took a key role in the treatment and understanding of shell shock. This paper explores the case notes of all 462 servicemen who were admitted with functional neurological disorders between 1914 and 1919. Many of these were severe or chronic cases referred to the National Hospital because of its acknowledged expertise and the resources it could call upon. Biographical data was collected together with accounts of the patient’s military experience, his symptoms, diagnostic interpretations and treatment outcomes. Analysis of the notes showed that motor syndromes (loss of function or hyperkinesias), often combined with somato-sensory loss, were common presentations. Anxiety and depression as well as vegetative symptoms such as sweating, dizziness and palpitations were also prevalent among this patient population. Conversely, psychogenic seizures were reported much less frequently than in comparable accounts from German tertiary referral centres. As the war unfolded the number of physicians who believed that shell shock was primarily an organic disorder fell as research failed to find a pathological basis for its symptoms. However, little agreement existed among the Queen Square doctors about the fundamental nature of the disorder and it was increasingly categorised as functional disorder or hysteria. PMID:25284893

  3. Organization of Care for Acute Myocardial Infarction in Rural and Urban Hospitals in Kansas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellerbeck, Edward F.; Bhimaraj, Arvind; Perpich, Denise

    2004-01-01

    One in 4 Americans lives in a rural community and relies on rural hospitals and medical systems for emergent care of acute myocardial infarctions (AMI). The infrastructure and organization of AMI care in rural and urban Kansas hospitals was examined. Using a nominal group process, key elements within hospitals that might influence quality of AMI…

  4. 76 FR 54999 - Notice of 2011 National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-06

    ...] Notice of 2011 National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service... for the National Organic Certification Cost- Share Program. SUMMARY: This Notice invites all States of...) for the allocation of National Organic Certification Cost-Share Funds. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2008...

  5. Are severely injured trauma victims in Norway offered advanced pre-hospital care? National, retrospective, observational cohort.

    PubMed

    Wisborg, T; Ellensen, E N; Svege, I; Dehli, T

    2017-08-01

    Studies of severely injured patients suggest that advanced pre-hospital care and/or rapid transportation provides a survival benefit. This benefit depends on the disposition of resources to patients with the greatest need. Norway has 19 Emergency Helicopters (HEMS) staffed by anaesthesiologists on duty 24/7/365. National regulations describe indications for their use, and the use of the national emergency medical dispatch guideline is recommended. We assessed whether severely injured patients had been treated or transported by advanced resources on a national scale. A national survey was conducted collecting data for 2013 from local trauma registries at all hospitals caring for severely injured patients. Patients were analysed according to hospital level; trauma centres or acute care hospitals with trauma functions. Patients with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) > 15 were considered severely injured. Three trauma centres (75%) and 17 acute care hospitals (53%) had data for trauma patients from 2013, a total of 3535 trauma registry entries (primary admissions only), including 604 victims with an ISS > 15. Of these 604 victims, advanced resources were treating and/or transporting 51%. Sixty percent of the severely injured admitted directly to trauma centres received advanced services, while only 37% of the severely injured admitted primarily to acute care hospitals received these services. A highly developed and widely distributed HEMS system reached only half of severely injured trauma victims in Norway in 2013. © 2017 The Authors. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation.

  6. [Organization of the National Neurofibromatosis Register and areas of application].

    PubMed

    Horváth, András; Farkas, Viktor; Langmár, Zoltán; Bach, Rezső

    2014-05-30

    The neurofibromatosis is a rare genetic disease with increased tumor growing ability and different special symptoms (Riccardi-criteria). The National NF Register has been organized by NF Hungary in 2011. The idea was initiated by hungarian neurofibromatosis experts. The register contains data about the primary care physician, the hospital and the patient. The data are recorded by retrospective method and followed in time, so the register can track progress. Furthermore, the register has valid nutrition, physical activity and psychological data, so the users are able to make comparisons with the clinical information. 225 persons are registerd in the system on NF Hungary and 37 patients belong to the NF National Register. The number of patients, who are members of the registry, is always increasing. From the 37 persons 22 are females (60%) and 15 males (40%), 18 adults (48%) and 19 minors (52%). NF Register is a very useful system to do research and to draw public health and popolazione conclusions. The register enhances the morbidity details (time of manifestation, progression, prognostic factors, prognosis), thereby could improve the cooperation and the coverage of the patients. The system is open to the patients as well, so it can give them information about new scientific results, new medical treatments and currently availavable medications.

  7. Evaluating opportunities for direct contracting between employers and physician-hospital organizations.

    PubMed

    Straley, P F; Swaim, C R

    1994-01-01

    Employers seeking to reduce health care expenditures are turning to direct contracting as a way to control provider cost increases. In a direct contract, the participation of third parties is minimized. The health care provider and a corporate buyer directly negotiate a price agreement for the delivery of health care services. However, as managed care penetration increases, the ability of hospitals and physicians to assume risk while providing high quality, cost effective care will be paramount. Physicians and hospitals who choose to work together may find a physician-hospital organization an effective vehicle to meet the current and future market challenges of direct contracting.

  8. Organizing integrated care in a university hospital: application of a conceptual framework.

    PubMed

    Axelsson, Runo; Axelsson, Susanna Bihari; Gustafsson, Jeppe; Seemann, Janne

    2014-04-01

    As a result of New Public Management, a number of industrial models of quality management have been implemented in health care, mainly in hospitals. At the same time, the concept of integrated care has been developed within other parts of the health sector. The aim of the article is to discuss the relevance of integrated care for hospitals. The discussion is based on application of a conceptual framework outlining a number of organizational models of integrated care. These models are illustrated in a case study of a Danish university hospital implementing a new organization for improving the patient flows of the hospital. The study of the reorganization is based mainly on qualitative data from individual and focus group interviews. The new organization of the university hospital can be regarded as a matrix structure combining a vertical integration of clinical departments with a horizontal integration of patient flows. This structure has elements of both interprofessional and interorganizational integration. A strong focus on teamwork, meetings and information exchange is combined with elements of case management and co-location. It seems that integrated care can be a relevant concept for a hospital. Although the organizational models may challenge established professional boundaries and financial control systems, this concept can be a more promising way to improve the quality of care than the industrial models that have been imported into health care. This application of the concept may also contribute to widen the field of integrated care.

  9. Hospitals and Health Maintenance Organizations: An Analysis of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Experience

    PubMed Central

    Morrisey, Michael A.; Gibson, Geoffrey; Ashby, Cynthia S.

    1983-01-01

    Minneapolis-St. Paul is recognized as a prime example of health care competition. Policymakers and others have been asked to look to the Twin Cities as a model upon which to base new competitive initiatives in the health care sector. Yet little is known about the impact of Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) on other health care providers. This study examines the effects of the area's seven health maintenance organizations on the local hospital community. Three questions are addressed. First, is the situation in the Twin Cities unique? A comparison of case study findings and the available literature together with hospital data from similarly HMO-penetrated markets suggests that the Twin Cities' hospital market is indeed different. Second, what is the nature of hospital-HMO interaction? The flexibility of contracting apparently allows hospitals to affiliate successfully with an HMO under a variety of service and reimbursement agreements. Third, what effect has HMO activity had on community-wide utilization? While HMO enrollees clearly use fewer hospital days and the trend in the community is toward fewer days, attributing the change to HMOs is difficult. A large portion of the differences between HMO and community-wide utilization levels is attributable to differences in population. PMID:10309856

  10. In-hospital mortality and treatment patterns in acute myocardial infarction patients admitted during national cardiology meeting dates.

    PubMed

    Mizuno, Seiko; Kunisawa, Susumu; Sasaki, Noriko; Fushimi, Kiyohide; Imanaka, Yuichi

    2016-10-01

    Many hospitals experience a reduction in the number of available physicians on days when national scientific meetings are conducted. This study investigates the relationship between in-hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients and admission during national cardiology meeting dates. Using an administrative database, we analyzed patients with AMI admitted to acute care hospitals in Japan from 2011 to 2013. There were 3 major national cardiology meetings held each year. A hierarchical logistic regression model was used to compare in-hospital mortality and treatment patterns between patients admitted on meeting dates and those admitted on identical days during the week before and after the meeting dates. We identified 6,332 eligible patients, with 1,985 patients admitted during 26 meeting days and 4,347 patients admitted during 52 non-meeting days. No significant differences between meeting and non-meeting dates were observed for in-hospital mortality (7.4% vs. 8.5%, respectively; p=0.151, unadjusted odds ratio: 0.861, 95% confidence interval: 0.704-1.054) and the proportion of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) performed on the day of admission (75.9% vs. 76.2%, respectively; p=0.824). We also found that some low-staffed hospitals did not treat AMI patients during meeting dates. Little or no "national meeting effect" was observed on in-hospital mortality in AMI patients, and PCI rates were similar for both meeting and non-meeting dates. Our findings also indicated that during meeting dates, AMI patients may have been consolidated to high-performance and sufficiently staffed hospitals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. 77 FR 21067 - Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-09

    ... Service [Document Number AMS-NOP-12-0017; NOP-12-06] Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards... forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Written public comments are invited in... materials, write to Ms. Michelle Arsenault, Special Assistant, National Organic Standards Board, USDA-AMS...

  12. A critique of national solidarity in transnational organ sharing in Europe

    PubMed Central

    Tretyakov, Konstantin

    2018-01-01

    Abstract In this article, I critically examine the principle of national solidarity in organ sharing across national borders. More specifically, I analyse the policy foundations of solidarity in the transnational allocation of organs and its implementation in the system of national balance points adopted in Europe. I argue that the system of national balance points is based on statist collectivism and therefore is oriented more toward collective, rather than individual welfare. The same collective welfare rationale is also evident from leading policy statements about self-sufficiency in organ donation that seem to assume that cross-border organ sharing can be wrong if collective welfare is violated. This collectivist system of organ sharing can produce unjust results to individual candidates for organ transplantation. I propose several measures to reform the existing solidarity-based framework for the procurement and allocation of organs in order to balance the collective and the individual welfare of the donors and recipients of organs. I also discuss the implications of adopting that proposal. PMID:29707215

  13. Incidence and outcome of in-hospital cardiac arrest in the United Kingdom National Cardiac Arrest Audit.

    PubMed

    Nolan, Jerry P; Soar, Jasmeet; Smith, Gary B; Gwinnutt, Carl; Parrott, Francesca; Power, Sarah; Harrison, David A; Nixon, Edel; Rowan, Kathryn

    2014-08-01

    To report the incidence, characteristics and outcome of adult in-hospital cardiac arrest in the United Kingdom (UK) National Cardiac Arrest Audit database. A prospectively defined analysis of the UK National Cardiac Arrest Audit (NCAA) database. 144 acute hospitals contributed data relating to 22,628 patients aged 16 years or over receiving chest compressions and/or defibrillation and attended by a hospital-based resuscitation team in response to a 2222 call. The main outcome measures were incidence of adult in-hospital cardiac arrest and survival to hospital discharge. The overall incidence of adult in-hospital cardiac arrest was 1.6 per 1000 hospital admissions with a median across hospitals of 1.5 (interquartile range 1.2-2.2). Incidence varied seasonally, peaking in winter. Overall unadjusted survival to hospital discharge was 18.4%. The presenting rhythm was shockable (ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia) in 16.9% and non-shockable (asystole or pulseless electrical activity) in 72.3%; rates of survival to hospital discharge associated with these rhythms were 49.0% and 10.5%, respectively, but varied substantially across hospitals. These first results from the NCAA database describing the current incidence and outcome of adult in-hospital cardiac arrest in UK hospitals will serve as a benchmark from which to assess the future impact of changes in service delivery, organisation and treatment for in-hospital cardiac arrest. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. 78 FR 54617 - Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-05

    ... Service [Document Number AMS-NOP-13-0049; NOP-13-04] Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards... Service (AMS) is announcing an upcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Written... Assistant, National Organic Standards Board, USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2648-So., Mail...

  15. 75 FR 57194 - Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-20

    ... subcommittees working on various aspects of the organic program. The committees are: Compliance, Accreditation... for inclusion on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its final National Organic Program regulation in the Federal Register on December 21...

  16. Antecedents of hospital nurses' intention to leave the organization: A cross sectional survey.

    PubMed

    Bobbio, Andrea; Manganelli, Anna Maria

    2015-07-01

    Leadership and perceived organizational support inspire trust in the leader and in the organization. Consequently, these aspects may contribute to a reduction in job burnout among nurses and, in the end, of the intention on their part to leave the hospital. It is crucial to develop models in order to simultaneously test the correlations between these relevant psychosocial variables, so that complexity of the nursing work environment may be better understood. We expected to give support to and to further corroborate results in the literature linking perceived leadership style – and particularly servant leadership – perceived organizational support, trust in the leader and in the organization, job burnout among nurses and their subsequent intention to leave the hospital. Cross-sectional study. Two Italian large size public hospitals. Two samples including both graduates and non-graduates members of the nursing staff. Overall mean age was equal to 42.06 years while the general mean for tenure was 12.99 years. Data were collected in 2012. A regression model with latent variables was tested via structural equation modeling using LISREL. The multi-sample procedure was also applied in order to test invariance of results between the two samples. Servant leadership was positively associated with trust in the leader and perceived organizational support was positively associated with trust in the organization. Trust in the leader and trust in the organization displayed a negative correlation with the emotional exhaustion and cynicism factors of job burnout, and a positive correlation with the professional efficacy factor. Furthermore, trust scores mediated the effects of servant leadership and perceived organizational support on job burnout factors. The cynicism factor was negatively associated with intention to leave the organization and it also mediated the effects of both trust in the leader and servant leadership on intention to leave. On the other hand, trust in the

  17. United Nations and Other International Organizations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Negaard, Chere; Carter, Laura Lee

    1992-01-01

    This annotated bibliography lists 124 documents published in 1991 by the United Nations and other international organizations that address a wide range of topics, including development, the environment, disarmament, Africa, and women. U.S. distributors for these documents are listed. (MES)

  18. Organ recovery cost assessment in the French healthcare system from 2007 to 2014.

    PubMed

    Hrifach, Abdelbaste; Ganne, Christell; Couray-Targe, Sandrine; Brault, Coralie; Guerre, Pascale; Serrier, Hassan; Farge, Pierre; Colin, Cyrille

    2018-03-23

    Organ recovery costs should be assessed to allow efficient and sustainable integration of these costs into national healthcare budgets and policies. These costs are of considerable interest to health economists, hospitals, financial managers and policy makers in most developed countries. This study assessed organ recovery costs from 2007 to 2014 in the French healthcare system based on the national hospital discharge database and a national cost study. The secondary objective was to describe the variability in the population of deceased organ donors during this period. All stays for organ recovery in French hospitals between January 2007 and December 2014 were quantified from discharge abstracts and valued using a national cost study. Five cost evaluations were conducted to explore all aspects of organ recovery activities. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to test the methodological choice. Trends regarding organ recovery practices were assessed by monitoring indicators. The analysis included 12 629 brain death donors, with 28 482 organs recovered. The mean cost of a hospital stay was €7469 (SD = €10, 894). The mean costs of separate kidney, liver, pancreas, intestine, heart, lung and heart-lung block recovery regardless of the organs recovered were €1432 (SD = €1342), €502 (SD = €782), €354 (SD = €475), €362 (SD = €1559), €542 (SD = €955), €977 (SD = €1196) and €737 (SD = €637), respectively. Despite a marginal increase in donors, the number of organs recovered increased primarily due to improved practices. Although cost management is the main challenge for successful organ recovery, other aspects such as organization modalities should be considered to improve organ availability.

  19. Organizing integrated care in a university hospital: application of a conceptual framework

    PubMed Central

    Axelsson, Runo; Axelsson, Susanna Bihari; Gustafsson, Jeppe; Seemann, Janne

    2014-01-01

    Background and aim As a result of New Public Management, a number of industrial models of quality management have been implemented in health care, mainly in hospitals. At the same time, the concept of integrated care has been developed within other parts of the health sector. The aim of the article is to discuss the relevance of integrated care for hospitals. Theory and methods The discussion is based on application of a conceptual framework outlining a number of organizational models of integrated care. These models are illustrated in a case study of a Danish university hospital implementing a new organization for improving the patient flows of the hospital. The study of the reorganization is based mainly on qualitative data from individual and focus group interviews. Results The new organization of the university hospital can be regarded as a matrix structure combining a vertical integration of clinical departments with a horizontal integration of patient flows. This structure has elements of both interprofessional and interorganizational integration. A strong focus on teamwork, meetings and information exchange is combined with elements of case management and co-location. Conclusions It seems that integrated care can be a relevant concept for a hospital. Although the organizational models may challenge established professional boundaries and financial control systems, this concept can be a more promising way to improve the quality of care than the industrial models that have been imported into health care. This application of the concept may also contribute to widen the field of integrated care. PMID:24966806

  20. Frederick National Lab Aids Liberian Hospitals Through Project C.U.R.E. | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

    Cancer.gov

    When Project C.U.R.E.'s much-needed medical supplies and equipment arrive in Liberia, the Frederick National Lab’s Kathryn Kynvin is there to receive and distribute the donations to hospitals who continue to treat survivors of the most recent Ebola

  1. ASHP national survey of hospital-based pharmaceutical services--1992.

    PubMed

    Crawford, S Y; Myers, C E

    1993-07-01

    The results of a national mail survey of pharmaceutical services in community hospitals conducted by ASHP during summer 1992 are reported and compared with the results of earlier ASHP surveys. A simple random sample of community hospitals (short-term, nonfederal) was selected from community hospitals registered by the American Hospital Association. Questionnaires were mailed to each director of pharmacy. The adjusted gross sample size was 889. The net response rate was 58% (518 usable replies). The average number of hours of pharmacy operation per week was 105. Complete unit dose drug distribution was offered by 90% of the respondents, and 67% offered complete, comprehensive i.v. admixture programs. A total of 73% of the hospitals had centralized pharmaceutical services. Some 83% provided services to ambulatory-care patients, including clinic patients, emergency room patients, patients being discharged, employees, home care patients, and the general public. A computerized pharmacy system was present in 75% of the departments, and 86% had at least one microcomputer. More than 90% participated in adverse drug reaction, drug-use evaluation, drug therapy monitoring, and medication error management programs. Two thirds of the respondents regularly provided written documentation of pharmacist interventions in patients' medical records, and the same proportion provided patient education or counseling. One third provided drug management of medical emergencies. One fifth provided drug therapy management planning, and 17% provided written histories. Pharmacokinetic consultations were provided by 57% and nutritional support consultations by 37%; three fourths of pharmacist recommendations were adopted by prescribers. A well-controlled formulary system was in place in 51% of the hospitals; therapeutic interchange was practiced by 69%. A total of 99% participated in group purchasing, and 95% used a prime vendor. The 1992 ASHP survey revealed a continuation of the changes in

  2. Public hospital quality report awareness: evidence from National and Californian Internet searches and social media mentions, 2012.

    PubMed

    Huesch, Marco D; Currid-Halkett, Elizabeth; Doctor, Jason N

    2014-03-11

    Publicly available hospital quality reports seek to inform consumers of important healthcare quality and affordability attributes, and may inform consumer decision-making. To understand how much consumers search for such information online on one Internet search engine, whether they mention such information in social media and how positively they view this information. A leading Internet search engine (Google) was the main focus of the study. Google Trends and Google Adwords keyword analyses were performed for national and Californian searches between 1 August 2012 and 31 July 2013 for keywords related to 'top hospital', best hospital', and 'hospital quality', as well as for six specific hospital quality reports. Separately, a proprietary social media monitoring tool was used to investigate blog, forum, social media and traditional media mentions of, and sentiment towards, major public reports of hospital quality in California in 2012. (1) Counts of searches for keywords performed on Google; (2) counts of and (3) sentiment of mentions of public reports on social media. National Google search volume for 75 hospital quality-related terms averaged 610 700 searches per month with strong variation by keyword and by state. A commercial report (Healthgrades) was more commonly searched for nationally on Google than the federal government's Hospital Compare, which otherwise dominated quality-related search terms. Social media references in California to quality reports were generally few, and commercially produced hospital quality reports were more widely mentioned than state (Office of Statewide Healthcare Planning and Development (OSHPD)), or non-profit (CalHospitalCompare) reports. Consumers are somewhat aware of hospital quality based on Internet search activity and social media disclosures. Public stakeholders may be able to broaden their quality dissemination initiatives by advertising on Google or Twitter and using social media interactively with consumers looking

  3. The organization of organ procurement.

    PubMed

    Prottas, J M

    1989-01-01

    The American organ procurement system has improved and matured in the last five years. At the same time, the basic challenges facing it have remained substantially the same because the moral and legal framework of the system has not changed. Success at organ procurement continues to depend on the voluntary cooperation of medical professionals and the families of potential organ donors. The generosity of the American public is so great that the primary challenge facing organ procurement agencies is obtaining cooperation from hospitals and medical professionals. This calls for a "marketing" orientation aimed at those hospitals and professionals who are most likely to treat potential donors. The last five years have seen a more general acceptance of this appreciation of the central task of organ procurement. As a result, the overall effectiveness of the system has improved, as measured by the number of organs procured on a per capita basis and by the number of multiorgan donors obtained. Much of this improvement can be attributed to the diffusion of organizational techniques and approaches, and this diffusion has been encouraged by the involvement of national organizations and public bodies in the organ procurement community. The system remains uneven in its effectiveness and further improvement is possible. It is also possible that the next general round of improvement will result from the application of businesslike information management and marketing techniques.

  4. Pelvic organ prolapse in jimma university specialized hospital, southwest ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Akmel, Menur; Segni, Hailemariam

    2012-07-01

    Pelvic organ prolapse is the down ward descent of female organs including the bladder, small and large bowel resulting in protrusion of the vagina, uterus or both. It is a disorder exclusive to women and one of the most common indications for gynecologic surgery. This hospital based retrospective descriptive study was conducted to assess the magnitude of pelvic organ prolapse and risk factors for it. All cases of pelvic organ prolapse admitted and treated in Jimma University Specialized Hospital from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2011 were included. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS computer software version 16.0. Chi-square test was used and was considered to be significant when p<0.05. Pelvic organ prolapse accounted for 40.7% of major gynecologic operations. Mean age of patients was 42.43 ± 10.4 years and there was a significant association between prolapse and age of patients (p <0.05). Mean parity of patients was 6.5± 2.64 with a significant association between prolapse and parity (p < 0.05). Majority of them (80.6%) lived in rural area and there was a significant association between prolapse and residence area. Farmers accounted for 68.2% of the patients and there was a significant association between prolapse and occupation (p < 0.05). Risk factors identified were chronic cough (20.9%), constipation (30.2%) with some having more than one risk factor while none was identified in 59.7%. Prolapse is common among rural, farmer, parous and older women where most of them delivered at home with prolonged labor. Age, parity and occupation were associated with the stage of prolapse. Awareness creation on risk factors of pelvic organ prolapse and use of contraception to reduce parity is recommended. Health institution delivery should be advocated to minimize the rate of home deliveries and hence of prolonged labor.

  5. The structural configuration of U.S. hospital medical staffs.

    PubMed

    Shortell, S M; Evashwick, C

    1981-04-01

    Using data from the 1973 American Hospital Association national survey of hospital medical staff organization, six factors of medical staff organization structure are examined in relation to each other and to hospital ownership, size, teaching status, geographic region and size of Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA). The six factors include 1) Resource Capability; 2) Generalist Physician Contractual Orientation; 3) Communication and Control; 4) Local Staff Orientation; 5) Physician Participation in Decision Making; and 6) Hospital-Based Contractual Orientation. Several relatively distinct patterns emerged related to hospital ownership, size, teaching activity and region of the country, as well as interrelationships among the factors themselves. Differences between smaller and larger hospitals clearly emerged as well as a distinctive pattern for for-profit hospitals. All of the factors are subject to manipulation through administrative and/or public policy interventions and the findings suggest dimensions for future investigation of important policy issues related to the medical staff's role in cost containment, utilization, quality assurance and technology adoption.

  6. National hospital discharge survey: 2004 annual summary with detailed diagnosis and procedure data.

    PubMed

    Kozak, Lola Jean; DeFrances, Carol Jean; Hall, Margaret Jean

    2006-10-01

    This report presents 2004 national estimates and selected trend data on the use of nonfederal short-stay hospitals in the United States. Estimates are provided by selected patient and hospital characteristics, diagnoses, and surgical and nonsurgical procedures performed. Estimates of diagnoses and procedures are presented according to International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. The estimates are based on data collected through the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS). The survey has been conducted annually since 1965. In 2004, data were collected for approximately 371,000 discharges. Of the 476 eligible nonfederal short-stay hospitals in the sample, 439 (92 percent) responded to the survey. An estimated 34.9 million inpatients were discharged from nonfederal short-stay hospitals in 2004. They used 167.9 million days of care and had an average length of stay of 4.8 days. Hospital use by age ranged from 4.3 million days of care for patients 5-14 years of age to 31.8 million days of care for 75-84 year olds. Almost a third of patients 85 years and over were discharged from hospitals to long-term care institutions. Diseases of the circulatory system was the leading diagnostic category for males. Childbirth was the leading category for females, followed by circulatory diseases. The proportion of HIV discharges who were 40 years of age and over increased from 40 percent in 1995 to 67 percent in 2004. The rate of cardiac catheterizations was higher for males than for females and higher for patients 65-74 and 75-84 years of age than for older or younger groups. The average length of stay for both vaginal and cesarean deliveries decreased from 1980 through 1995 but stays for vaginal deliveries increased 24 percent during the period from 1995 to 2004.

  7. National Hospital Discharge Survey: 2002 annual summary with detailed diagnosis and procedure data.

    PubMed

    Kozak, Lola J; Owings, Maria F; Hall, Margaret J

    2005-03-01

    This report presents 2002 national estimates and selected trend data on the use of non-Federal short-stay hospitals in the United States. Estimates are provided by selected patient and hospital characteristics, diagnoses, and surgical and nonsurgical procedures performed. Estimates of diagnoses and procedures are presented according to International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. The estimates are based on data collected through the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS). The survey has been conducted annually since 1965. In 2002, data were collected for approximately 327,000 discharges. Of the 474 eligible non-Federal short-stay hospitals in the sample, 445 (94 percent) responded to the survey. An estimated 33.7 million inpatients were discharged from non-Federal short-stay hospitals in 2002. They used 164.2 million days of care and had an average length of stay of 4.9 days. Common first-listed discharge diagnoses included delivery, ischemic heart disease, psychoses, pneumonia, and malignant neoplasms. Inpatients had 6.8 million cardiovascular procedures and 6.6 million obstetric procedures. Males had higher rates for cardiac procedures such as cardiac catheterization and coronary artery bypass graft, but males and females had similar rates of pacemaker procedures. The number and rate of all cesarean deliveries, primary and repeat, rose from 1995 to 2002; the rate of vaginal birth after cesarean delivery dropped from 35.5 in 1995 to 15.8 in 2002.

  8. Learning Organization Profile of Educational Hospitals in Iran: Practice of Organizational Interlocking Systems.

    PubMed

    Mohebbifar, Rafat; Hashemi, Hassan Jahani; Rajaee, Roya; Najafi, Marziye; Etedal, Mahbobeh G H

    2015-02-24

    Organizational learning has been identified as necessary for different organizations to improve their performance in the changing and competitive environment. The main purpose of this research was to specify the learning organization profile of educational and health centers of Tehran and Qazvin Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran. The present research was conducted using a cross-sectional method in the academic year of 2013-2014. A staff of 530 from educational hospitals subordinated to Tehran and Qazvin universities of medical sciences participated in the research. The participants were selected using stratified random sampling. That is to say, a random sample of a proportionate size was selected from each hospital. The instrument for data collection was a Likert-scale questionnaire involving 50 items. The statistical techniques of ANOVA, t-test, Chi-square, correlation coefficients (Pearson and Spearman), and regression were utilized to analyze the data. All of them were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 16.0 for windows. the results indicated that 449 of participants (84.7%) had a B.S. degree and 78 of them (14.7%) had an M.S. or a Ph.D. degree. Among the fivefold dimensions of "Learning Organization" model (Learning, Organization, People, Knowledge, and Technology) in comparison of the two universities, the "people" dimension was the highest-rated dimension with the mean rating of 25.71±8.36 and the "learning" dimension was the lowest-rated dimension with the mean of 25.35±8.04. Comparison between the two universities yielded the result that educational hospitals in Tehran University of medical sciences with the rating of 126.56 had a more complete profile than that of educational hospitals in Qazvin university of medical sciences with the rating of 122.23. The hospitals of the two above-mentioned universities were, to a great extent, far from the characteristics of Learning Organization. In light of the massive mission

  9. Directory of member organizations of the National Water Data Exchange (NAWDEX)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Edwards, Melvin D.; Nokes, Janet M.

    1979-01-01

    The National Water Data Exchange (NAWDEX) is a national confederation of water-oriented organizations working together to improve access to water data. It consists of member organizations from all sectors of the water-data community. This Directory provides the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all NAWDEX member organizations and their designated NAWDEX representatives. (Woodard-USGS)

  10. [Hospital and organizational dynamics of the National Institutes of Health. Relationship with high-specialty hospitals].

    PubMed

    Gabilondo Navarro, Fernando

    2011-01-01

    In order to primarily encourage medical care, teaching and research activities in high specialty regional hospitals (HSRH), a number of strategies are explored to increase the number of patients cared for, improve the quality and timeliness of care and successfully integrate the function of these hospitals within the care and patient flow model expected by the Federal Government. These strategies include the use of information technology systems as platforms for telemedicine, including tele-imaging, tele-education and telepathology, thus fostering the quality and timeliness of medical care and narrow the relationship between these HSRH with the National Health Institutes. Other strategies such as extra-mural surgery, specific theme workshops, resident rotations, the use of simulators and "Science Weeks" are also explored so as to promote teaching and research. Finally, the reference and counter-reference system and the introduction of pension programs are evaluated as possible strategies supporting resource management.

  11. 7 CFR 1260.113 - Established national nonprofit industry-governed organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Established national nonprofit industry-governed... national nonprofit industry-governed organizations. Established national nonprofit industry-governed... directors representing the cattle or beef industry on a national basis; and (c) Have been active and ongoing...

  12. 7 CFR 1260.113 - Established national nonprofit industry-governed organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Established national nonprofit industry-governed... national nonprofit industry-governed organizations. Established national nonprofit industry-governed... directors representing the cattle or beef industry on a national basis; and (c) Were active and ongoing...

  13. 7 CFR 1260.113 - Established national nonprofit industry-governed organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Established national nonprofit industry-governed... national nonprofit industry-governed organizations. Established national nonprofit industry-governed... directors representing the cattle or beef industry on a national basis; and (c) Have been active and ongoing...

  14. 7 CFR 1260.113 - Established national nonprofit industry-governed organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Established national nonprofit industry-governed... national nonprofit industry-governed organizations. Established national nonprofit industry-governed... directors representing the cattle or beef industry on a national basis; and (c) Were active and ongoing...

  15. 7 CFR 1260.113 - Established national nonprofit industry-governed organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Established national nonprofit industry-governed... national nonprofit industry-governed organizations. Established national nonprofit industry-governed... directors representing the cattle or beef industry on a national basis; and (c) Were active and ongoing...

  16. Problems facing Korean hospitals and possible countermeasures.

    PubMed

    Kim, Kwang-Tae

    2004-07-01

    Korea has a unique health care system, of which the private sector comprises most of the country's health resources: 88% of the beds and 91% of specialists in Korea, but are funded by public financing, such as national health insurance and the national aid program. However, the public financing pays only 50% of actual costs and the patient's co-payment is still high. Healthcare organizations in Korea are categorized into four types; tertiary care hospitals, general hospitals, hospitals and clinics by scale of operator: number of beds. General hospitals must have 100 beds and over, and compulsorily specialties in internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics-gynecology, pediatrics, dental service, other ancillary service units and an emergency care unit. General hospitals with 300 beds and more must operate an intensive care unit. There are many challenges facing the Korean healthcare system, such as reformation of primary healthcare system, enhancing hospitals' competitiveness, and permission of for-profit hospital, introduction of private health insurance, enhancement of geriatric care. These challenges can be resolved with long-term vision, willingness and strategies of the Korean government to ensure equitable financing and access to healthcare, combined with the active participation and utilization of the private sector.

  17. Professional education and hospital development for organ donation.

    PubMed

    Fukushima, N; Konaka, S; Kato, O; Ashikari, J

    2012-05-01

    Because of the strict Organ Transplantation Act, only 81 brain dead (BD) organ donations had been performed in Japan for 13 years since 1997. The Act was revised on July 17, 2010, allowing, organs to be donated after BD with consent from the family, if the subject had not denied organ donation previously. This act has lead to an expectation of a 6-7-fold increase in BD donation. The 82 organ procurement coordinators (OPC) in Japan include 32 belonging to the Japanese Organ Network (JOT) and the others to each administrative division. JOT has guideline manuals of standard roles and procedures of OPC during organ procurement from BD and cardiac death donors. To manage the increased organ donations after the revision of the act, we have modified the education system. First, we modified the guideline manuals for OPC to correspond to the revised Transplant Act and governmental guidelines. Second, all OPC gathered in a meeting room to learn the new organ procurement system to deal with the revised Transplant Act and guidelines. Third, a special education program for 2 months was provided for the 10 newcomers. Last, the practical training in each donor case for newcomers was performed by older OPC. Topics of the education program were the revised transplant act and guidelines, family approach to organ donation, BD diagnosis, donor evaluation and management, organ procurement and preservation, allocation system, hospital development and family care. In the future, each OPC will be divided into special categories, such as the donor family OPC, the donor management OPC, and the operating room OPC. Therefore, we need to construct separate special education programs for each category. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. 78 FR 11137 - Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-15

    ...-17] Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing... meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Written public comments are invited in advance of... information, write to Ms. Michelle Arsenault, Special Assistant, National Organic Standards Board, USDA-AMS...

  19. Lessons Learned from Unfavorable Microsurgical Head and Neck Reconstruction: Japan National Cancer Center Hospital and Okayama University Hospital.

    PubMed

    Kimata, Yoshihiro; Matsumoto, Hiroshi; Sugiyama, Narusi; Onoda, Satoshi; Sakuraba, Minoru

    2016-10-01

    The risk of surgical site infection (SSI) remains high after major reconstructive surgery of the head and neck. Clinical data regarding SSI in microsurgical tongue reconstruction are described at National Cancer Hospital in Japan, including discussions of unfavorable representative cases, the relationship between SSI and preoperative irradiation at Okayama University Hospital in Japan, and strategies for SSI control in head and neck reconstruction. Local complications are inevitable in patients undergoing reconstruction in the head and neck areas. The frequency of major complications can be decreased, and late postoperative complications can be prevented with the help of appropriate methods. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. [Management, quality of health and occupational safety and hospital organization: is integration possible?].

    PubMed

    Corrao, Carmela Romana Natalina

    2011-01-01

    The evolution of the national and European legislation has progressively transformed the working environments into organized environments. Specific models for its management are being proposed, which should be integrated into general management strategies. In the case of hospitals this integration should consider the peculiar organizational complexity, where the management of the occupational risk needs to be integrated with clinical risk management and economic risk management. Resources management should also consider that Occupational Medicine has not a direct monetary benefit for the organisation, but only indirect health consequences in terms of reduction of accidents and occupational diseases. The deep and simultaneous analysis of the current general management systems and the current management methods of occupational safety and health protection allows one to hyphotesise a possible integration between them. For both of them the Top Management is the main responsible of the quality management strategies and the use of specific documents in the managerial process, such as the document of risks evaluation in the occupational management and the quality manual in the general management, is of paramount importance. An integrated management has also the scope to pursue a particular kind of quality management, where ethics and job satisfaction are innovative, as established by recent European guidelines, management systems and national legislations.

  1. 77 FR 52679 - Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-08-30

    ... the organic program. The subcommittees are: Compliance, Accreditation, and Certification; Crops...-12] Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service... the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Written public comments are invited in advance of the...

  2. Price competition and hospital cost growth in the United States (1989-1994).

    PubMed

    Bamezai, A; Zwanziger, J; Melnick, G A; Mann, J M

    1999-05-01

    In recent years, most health care markets in the United States (US) have experienced rapid penetration by health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and preferred provider organizations (PPOs). During this same period, the US has also experienced slowing health care costs. Using a national database, we demonstrate that HMOs and PPOs have significantly restrained cost growth among hospitals located in competitive hospital markets, but not so in the case of hospitals located in relatively concentrated markets. In relative terms, we estimate that HMOs have contained cost growth more effectively than PPOs.

  3. Management of postoperative pain: experience of the Niamey National Hospital, Niger

    PubMed Central

    Chaibou, Maman Sani; Sanoussi, Samuila; Sani, Rachid; Toudou, Nouhou A; Daddy, Hadjara; Madougou, Moussa; Abdou, Idrissa; Abarchi, Habibou; Chobli, Martin

    2012-01-01

    Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the management of postoperative pain at the Niamey National Hospital. Methods A prospective study was conducted in the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care at the Niamey National Hospital from March to June, 2009. Data collected included age, sex, literacy, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification, type of anesthesia, type of surgery, postoperative analgesics used, and the cost of analgesics. Three types of pain assessment scale were used depending on the patient’s ability to describe his or her pain: the verbal rating scale (VRS), the numerical rating scale (NRS), or the visual analog scale (VAS). Patients were evaluated during the first 48 hours following surgery. Results The sample included 553 patients. The VRS was used for the evaluation of 72% of patients, the NRS for 14.4%, and the VAS for 13.6%. Of the VRS group, 33.9%, 8.3%, and 2.1% rated their pain as 3 or 4 out of 4 at 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively, respectively. For the NRS group, 33.8%, 8.8%, and 2.5% rated their pain as greater than 7 out of 10 at 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively, respectively. For the VAS group, 29.3%, 5.4%, and 0% rated their pain as greater than 7 out of 10 at 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively, respectively. Conclusion Postoperative pain assessment and management in developing countries has not been well described. Poverty, illiteracy, and inadequate training of physicians and other health personnel contribute to the underutilization of postoperative analgesia. Analysis of the results gathered at the Niamey National Hospital gives baseline data that can be the impetus to increase training in pain management and to establish standardized protocols. PMID:23271923

  4. Management of postoperative pain: experience of the Niamey National Hospital, Niger.

    PubMed

    Chaibou, Maman Sani; Sanoussi, Samuila; Sani, Rachid; Toudou, Nouhou A; Daddy, Hadjara; Madougou, Moussa; Abdou, Idrissa; Abarchi, Habibou; Chobli, Martin

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the management of postoperative pain at the Niamey National Hospital. A prospective study was conducted in the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care at the Niamey National Hospital from March to June, 2009. Data collected included age, sex, literacy, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification, type of anesthesia, type of surgery, postoperative analgesics used, and the cost of analgesics. Three types of pain assessment scale were used depending on the patient's ability to describe his or her pain: the verbal rating scale (VRS), the numerical rating scale (NRS), or the visual analog scale (VAS). Patients were evaluated during the first 48 hours following surgery. The sample included 553 patients. The VRS was used for the evaluation of 72% of patients, the NRS for 14.4%, and the VAS for 13.6%. Of the VRS group, 33.9%, 8.3%, and 2.1% rated their pain as 3 or 4 out of 4 at 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively, respectively. For the NRS group, 33.8%, 8.8%, and 2.5% rated their pain as greater than 7 out of 10 at 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively, respectively. For the VAS group, 29.3%, 5.4%, and 0% rated their pain as greater than 7 out of 10 at 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively, respectively. Postoperative pain assessment and management in developing countries has not been well described. Poverty, illiteracy, and inadequate training of physicians and other health personnel contribute to the underutilization of postoperative analgesia. Analysis of the results gathered at the Niamey National Hospital gives baseline data that can be the impetus to increase training in pain management and to establish standardized protocols.

  5. Implementing smoking bans in American hospitals: results of a national survey

    PubMed Central

    Longo, D.; Feldman, M.; Kruse, R.; Brownson, R.; Petroski, G.; Hewett, J.

    1998-01-01

    OBJECTIVES—To determine how well hospitals complied with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) tobacco control standards, which required banning smoking in hospital buildings; to explore issues involved in developing and implementing smoking bans; and to ascertain the perceived success of the policies.
DESIGN—Postal survey conducted January through June 1994.
PARTICIPANTS—Stratified random sample of American hospitals surveyed by JCAHO (n = 1055).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES—Enacting smoking policies more restrictive than the JCAHO standard; the respondent's judgment of the relative success of the hospital's smoking policy.
RESULTS—More than 96% of hospitals complied with the smoking ban standard; 41.4% enacted policies that were more restrictive than required by JCAHO. Several characteristics were associated with exceeding JCAHO requirements: location in a "non-tobacco state"; having fewer than 100 beds; location in a metropolitan statistical area; having unionised employees; and having no psychiatric or substance abuse unit, favour having the same tobacco policy in psychiatry and substance abuse units as the rest of the hospital. More than 95% of respondents viewed their hospital's policy as successful. The JCAHO requirements and concern for employees' health were the major forces influencing hospitals to go smoke-free. Negative employee morale and lack of acceptance by visitors and patients were the most commonly cited barriers to overcome when implementing smoke-free policies.
CONCLUSIONS—Smoking bans were successfully implemented in American hospitals, with many restricting smoking beyond the JCAHO standard. Other industries wishing to follow hospitals' lead would be most likely to succeed in the context of a social norm favouring a smoking ban and regulation by an outside agency.


Keywords: smoke-free worksites; hospitals; United States PMID:9706754

  6. [From the medieval hospitals hospices to modern National public Health Institutes].

    PubMed

    de Micheli, Alfredo

    2016-01-01

    Since the most ancient times, hospital constructions and progresses in the clinical practice advanced pari passu. We can find exampless of this statement in Greek regions as well as in Greek citie overseas. Thus, during the renaissance, great figures ot that time converged in Italy: The genius Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) and Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472), a humanist and innovator of architecture. Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) and his contemporany artists performed anatomical dissection to perfect their art by studying the human body. Anatomical studies flourished at the University of Padua, driven by the Flemish Master. Based on the rigorous study of the anatomical substrate, the studies on the function of the already known organic structures excelled in the xvii century. That century started with the revelation of the major blood circulation by the British physician William Harvey, alumni of the University of Padua, and continued with the description of the minior or pulmonary circulation by ancient or contemporany authors and of the peripheral connections between the arterial and the venous system (Marcelo Malpighi, 1661). All these researchers, and others, were membres of the University of Padua, were the beneficial influence of the teachings of Galileo persisted. In the following centuries, together with the embryological and normal anatomy, the pathological anatomy, systematized by G.B. Morgani, became the cornerstone of the clinical practice. The model of the ancient hospitals evolved to ward the National Institutes of Health in Mexico fostered by Dr. Ignacio Chávez. Copyright © 2014 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

  7. HIV+ deceased donor referrals: A national survey of organ procurement organizations.

    PubMed

    Cash, Ayla; Luo, Xun; Chow, Eric K H; Bowring, Mary Grace; Shaffer, Ashton A; Doby, Brianna; Wickliffe, Corey E; Alexander, Charles; McRann, Deborah; Tobian, Aaron A R; Segev, Dorry L; Durand, Christine M

    2018-02-01

    HIV-infected (HIV+) donor organs can be transplanted into HIV+ recipients under the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act. Quantifying HIV+ donor referrals received by organ procurement organizations (OPOs) is critical for HOPE Act implementation. We surveyed the 58 USA OPOs regarding HIV+ referral records and newly discovered HIV+ donors. Using data from OPOs that provided exact records and CDC HIV prevalence data, we projected a national estimate of HIV+ referrals. Fifty-five (95%) OPOs reported HIV+ referrals ranging from 0 to 276 and newly discovered HIV+ cases ranging from 0 to 10 annually. Six OPOs in areas of high HIV prevalence reported more than 100 HIV+ donor referrals. Twenty-seven (47%) OPOs provided exact HIV+ referral records and 28 (51%) OPOs provided exact records of discovered HIV+ cases, totaling 1450 HIV+ referrals and 39 discovered HIV+ donors in the prior year. These OPOs represented 67% and 59% of prevalent HIV cases in the USA; thus, we estimated 2164 HIV+ referrals and 66 discovered HIV+ cases nationally per year. OPOs reported a high volume of HIV+ referrals annually, of which a subset will be medically eligible for donation. Particularly in areas of high HIV prevalence, OPOs require ongoing support to implement the HOPE Act. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Survival As a Quality Metric of Cancer Care: Use of the National Cancer Data Base to Assess Hospital Performance.

    PubMed

    Shulman, Lawrence N; Palis, Bryan E; McCabe, Ryan; Mallin, Kathy; Loomis, Ashley; Winchester, David; McKellar, Daniel

    2018-01-01

    Survival is considered an important indicator of the quality of cancer care, but the validity of different methodologies to measure comparative survival rates is less well understood. We explored whether the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) could serve as a source of unadjusted and risk-adjusted cancer survival data and whether these data could be used as quality indicators for individual hospitals or in the aggregate by hospital type. The NCDB, an aggregate of > 1,500 hospital cancer registries, was queried to analyze unadjusted and risk-adjusted hazards of death for patients with stage III breast cancer (n = 116,787) and stage IIIB or IV non-small-cell lung cancer (n = 252,392). Data were analyzed at the individual hospital level and by hospital type. At the hospital level, after risk adjustment, few hospitals had comparative risk-adjusted survival rates that were statistically better or worse. By hospital type, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers had risk-adjusted survival ratios that were statistically significantly better than those of academic cancer centers and community hospitals. Using the NCDB as the data source, survival rates for patients with stage III breast cancer and stage IIIB or IV non-small-cell lung cancer were statistically better at National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers when compared with other hospital types. Compared with academic hospitals, risk-adjusted survival was lower in community hospitals. At the individual hospital level, after risk adjustment, few hospitals were shown to have statistically better or worse survival, suggesting that, using NCDB data, survival may not be a good metric to determine relative quality of cancer care at this level.

  9. Nurse Managers' prerequisite for nursing development: a survey on pressure ulcers and contextual factors in hospital organizations.

    PubMed

    Gunningberg, Lena; Brudin, Lars; Idvall, Ewa

    2010-09-01

    To describe and compare pressure ulcer prevalence in two county councils and concurrently explore Nurse Managers' perspective of contextual factors in a hospital organization. Despite good knowledge about risk factors and prevention of pressure ulcers, the prevalence of pressure ulcers remains high. Nurse Managers' have a key role in implementing evidence-based practice. The present study included five hospitals in two Swedish county councils: county council A (non-university setting) and county council B (university setting). A pressure ulcer prevalence study was conducted according to the methodology developed by the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel. The Nurse Managers' answered a (27-item) questionnaire on contextual factors. County council B had significantly less pressure ulcers grade (2-4) (7.7%) than county council A (11.3%). The Nurse Managers' assessed only two out of the 27 general contextual items significantly differently. Some significant differences were observed in ward organization. In county council B, the Nurse Managers' seemed more aware of prevention strategies compared with Nurse Managers' in county council A. The Nurse Managers' should take more responsibility to develop the prerequisite for quality improvement in nursing. Nursing outcomes (e.g. pressure ulcers) should be incorporated into national quality registries for benchmarking and Nurse Managers' competence in evidence-based practice and research methodology increased. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  10. Breath tests sustainability in hospital settings: cost analysis and reimbursement in the Italian National Health System.

    PubMed

    Volpe, M; Scaldaferri, F; Ojetti, V; Poscia, A

    2013-01-01

    The high demand of Breath Tests (BT) in many gastroenterological conditions in time of limited resources for health care systems, generates increased interest in cost analysis from the point of view of the delivery of services to better understand how use the money to generate value. This study aims to measure the cost of C13 Urea and other most utilized breath tests in order to describe key aspects of costs and reimbursements looking at the economic sustainability for the hospital. A hospital based cost-analysis of the main breath tests commonly delivery in an ambulatory setting is performed. Mean salary for professional nurses and gastroenterologists, drugs/preparation used and disposable materials, purchase and depreciation of the instrument and the testing time was used to estimate the cost, while reimbursements are based on the 2013 Italian National Health System ambulatory pricelist. Variables that could influence the model are considered in the sensitivity analyses. The mean cost for C13--Urea, Lactulose and Lactose BT are, respectively, Euros 30,59; 45,20 and 30,29. National reimbursement often doesn't cover the cost of the analysis, especially considering the scenario with lower number of exam. On the contrary, in high performance scenario all the reimbursement could cover the cost, except for the C13 Urea BT that is high influenced by the drugs cost. However, consideration about the difference between Italian Regional Health System ambulatory pricelist are done. Our analysis shows that while national reimbursement rates cover the costs of H2 breath testing, they do not cover sufficiently C13 BT, particularly urea breath test. The real economic strength of these non invasive tests should be considered in the overall organization of inpatient and outpatient clinic, accounting for complete diagnostic pathway for each gastrointestinal disease.

  11. Comparison of Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems patient satisfaction scores for specialty hospitals and general medical hospitals: confounding effect of survey response rate.

    PubMed

    Siddiqui, Zishan K; Wu, Albert W; Kurbanova, Nargiza; Qayyum, Rehan

    2014-09-01

    Specialty hospitals are a subset of acute-care hospitals that provide a narrower set of services than general medical hospitals (GMHs), predominantly in areas such as cardiac disease and surgery. Although specialty hospitals also advertise high patient satisfaction, this has not been examined using national data. We examined the differences in Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) satisfaction scores in a national sample. HCAHPS results were obtained for July 2007 to June 2010. Specialty hospitals were identified using the American Hospital Association's Annual Survey, the Physician Hospital Association's directory, a name search of hospitals on the HCAHPS database, contact with experts, and online searches. Multiple linear regression was performed to examine the relationship between overall satisfaction and hospital specialty status, survey response rate, and subdomains of patient satisfaction. We identified 188 specialty hospitals and 4368 GMHs. Specialty hospitals were disproportionately located in states that do not require Certification Of Need (47.9%), and had a higher overall patient satisfaction score (86.6 vs 67.8%, P < 0.0001) and survey response rates (49.6% vs 32.2%, P < 0.0001). After adjusting for response rate, the difference in overall patient satisfaction decreased by >50% (from 18.5 to 8.7) but remained significantly higher (P < 0.0001). Similar results were obtained for patient satisfaction subdomains. Specialty hospitals have a significantly higher overall HCAHPS patient satisfaction score than GMHs, although more than half of this difference disappears when adjusted for survey response rate. Comparisons among healthcare organizations should take into account survey response rates. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine.

  12. The relationship between hospital and ehr vendor market dynamics on health information organization presence and participation.

    PubMed

    Lin, Sunny C; Adler-Milstein, Julia

    2018-05-08

    Health Information Organizations (HIOs) are third party organizations that facilitate electronic health information exchange (HIE) between providers in a geographic area. Despite benefits from HIE, HIOs have struggled to form and subsequently gain broad provider participation. We sought to assess whether market-level hospital and EHR vendor dynamics are associated with presence and level of hospital participation in HIOs. 2014 data on 4523 hospitals and their EHR vendors were aggregated to the market level. We used multivariate OLS regression to analyze the relationship between hospital and vendor dynamics and (1) probability of HIO presence and (2) percent of hospitals participating in an HIO. 298 of 469 markets (64%) had HIO presence, and in those markets, 47% of hospitals participated in an HIO on average. In multivariate analysis, four characteristics were associated with HIO presence. Markets with more hospitals, markets with more EHR vendors, and markets with an EHR vendor-led HIE approach were more likely to have an HIO. Compared to markets with low hospital competition, markets with high hospital competition had a 25 percentage point lower probability of HIO presence. Two characteristics were associated with level of hospital HIO participation. Markets with more hospitals as well as markets with high vendor competition (compared to low competition) had lower participation. Both hospital and EHR vendor dynamics are associated with whether a market has an HIO as well as the level of hospital participation in HIOs.

  13. Validation of Stroke Diagnosis in the National Registry of Hospitalized Patients in the Czech Republic.

    PubMed

    Sedova, Petra; Brown, Robert D; Zvolsky, Miroslav; Kadlecova, Pavla; Bryndziar, Tomas; Volny, Ondrej; Weiss, Viktor; Bednarik, Josef; Mikulik, Robert

    2015-09-01

    Stroke is a common cause of mortality and morbidity in Eastern Europe. However, detailed epidemiological data are not available. The National Registry of Hospitalized Patients (NRHOSP) is a nationwide registry of prospectively collected data regarding each hospitalization in the Czech Republic since 1998. As a first step in the evaluation of stroke epidemiology in the Czech Republic, we validated stroke cases in NRHOSP. Any hospital in the Czech Republic with a sufficient number of cases was included. We randomly selected 10 of all 72 hospitals and then 50 patients from each hospital in 2011 stratified according to stroke diagnosis (International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision [ICD-10] cerebrovascular codes I60, I61, I63, I64, and G45). Discharge summaries from hospitalization were reviewed independently by 2 reviewers and compared with NRHOSP for accuracy of discharge diagnosis. Any disagreements were adjudicated by a third reviewer. Of 500 requested discharge summaries, 484 (97%) were available. Validators confirmed diagnosis in NRHOSP as follows: transient ischemic attack (TIA) or any stroke type in 82% (95% confidence interval [CI], 79-86), any stroke type in 85% (95% CI, 81-88), I63/cerebral infarction in 82% (95% CI, 74-89), I60/subarachnoid hemorrhage in 91% (95% CI, 85-97), I61/intracerebral hemorrhage in 91% (95% CI, 85-96), and G45/TIA in 49% (95% CI, 39-58). The most important reason for disagreement was use of I64/stroke, not specified for patients with I63. The accuracy of coding of the stroke ICD-10 codes for subarachnoid hemorrhage (I60) and intracerebral hemorrhage (I61) included in a Czech Republic national registry was high. The accuracy of coding for I63/cerebral infarction was somewhat lower than for ICH and SAH. Copyright © 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. The hub-and-spoke organization design revisited: a lifeline for rural hospitals.

    PubMed

    Elrod, James K; Fortenberry, John L

    2017-12-13

    Characterized by declining populations, high poverty, reduced employment opportunities, and high numbers of uninsured residents, rural communities pose significant challenges for healthcare providers desirous of addressing these medically underserved areas. Such difficult environments, in fact, have forced the closure of many rural hospitals across America, with scores facing the same threat, compelling intensive efforts to identify pathways which will yield an improved future. Collaborations with stronger urban or suburban healthcare institutions offer a prudent avenue for rural hospitals to continue serving their patients. Such relationships can be structured in many different ways, but Willis-Knighton Health System found that its use of the hub-and-spoke organization design set the stage for the institution to cast a vital lifeline to neighboring rural hospitals, affording the relatively seamless integration and assimilation of partner facilities into its network, ensuring continuity of services in remote regions. This article supplies an overview of the hub-and-spoke network and discusses Willis-Knighton Health System's use of it to facilitate the establishment of productive partnerships with rural hospitals. The delivery of healthcare services in rural environments is essential, but with small community hospitals increasingly being under threat, the outlook is not particularly attractive. Partnerships with better positioned healthcare entities offer significant hope, but care must be taken to structure these arrangements optimally. Willis-Knighton Health System found utility and value in its hub-and-spoke organization design, with the insights presented in this account potentially offering a pathway for others to follow as they go about addressing the healthcare needs of rural populations.

  15. Public hospital quality report awareness: evidence from National and Californian Internet searches and social media mentions, 2012

    PubMed Central

    Huesch, Marco D; Currid-Halkett, Elizabeth; Doctor, Jason N

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Publicly available hospital quality reports seek to inform consumers of important healthcare quality and affordability attributes, and may inform consumer decision-making. To understand how much consumers search for such information online on one Internet search engine, whether they mention such information in social media and how positively they view this information. Setting and design A leading Internet search engine (Google) was the main focus of the study. Google Trends and Google Adwords keyword analyses were performed for national and Californian searches between 1 August 2012 and 31 July 2013 for keywords related to ‘top hospital’, best hospital’, and ‘hospital quality’, as well as for six specific hospital quality reports. Separately, a proprietary social media monitoring tool was used to investigate blog, forum, social media and traditional media mentions of, and sentiment towards, major public reports of hospital quality in California in 2012. Primary outcome measures (1) Counts of searches for keywords performed on Google; (2) counts of and (3) sentiment of mentions of public reports on social media. Results National Google search volume for 75 hospital quality-related terms averaged 610 700 searches per month with strong variation by keyword and by state. A commercial report (Healthgrades) was more commonly searched for nationally on Google than the federal government's Hospital Compare, which otherwise dominated quality-related search terms. Social media references in California to quality reports were generally few, and commercially produced hospital quality reports were more widely mentioned than state (Office of Statewide Healthcare Planning and Development (OSHPD)), or non-profit (CalHospitalCompare) reports. Conclusions Consumers are somewhat aware of hospital quality based on Internet search activity and social media disclosures. Public stakeholders may be able to broaden their quality dissemination initiatives by

  16. The effects of Medicare Health Management Organizations on hospital operating profit in Florida.

    PubMed

    Large, John T; Sear, Alan M

    2005-02-01

    Between 1992 and 1997, the number of members enrolled in Medicare Health Management Organizations (HMOs) nationwide in the USA more than doubled. During this period, managed care organizations wielded considerable influence over the health care of a large segment of the Medicare population in Florida. This study examined the impact on operational profit of 148 short-term, acute-care Florida hospitals in this period from Medicare HMO patients, as part of a hospital's payer mix. Three measures of hospital profitability were used: operating profit per actual bed, total operating profit with no adjustment for bed size, and operating margins. The multivariate statistical model employed in this study was a linear mixed model with an autoregressive order one (AR[1]) parametric structure on the covariance matrix. The results of the study indicate that Florida hospitals experienced greater profit pressures from Medicare HMO inpatients than from traditional Medicare inpatients. Further, these hospitals could have experienced positive profit effects with greater traditional Medicare participation and negative financial effects with greater Medicare HMO participation. Additionally, Medicare HMO patients appear to have been admitted to hospitals in worse health condition than those in traditional Medicare. Medicare HMO patients were more likely to have used emergency rooms as the source of admission than traditional Medicare patients. Also, Medicare HMO patients were more likely to have been admitted as emergent cases than traditional Medicare patients. Other research has shown that Medicare HMO patients, at the time of enrolment, are probably healthier than traditional Medicare enrollees, but here they appear to have been admitted to hospitals with higher levels of severity of illness. Explanations are offered for these findings.

  17. Pre-hospital National Early Warning Score (NEWS) is associated with in-hospital mortality and critical care unit admission: A cohort study.

    PubMed

    Abbott, Tom E F; Cron, Nicholas; Vaid, Nidhi; Ip, Dorothy; Torrance, Hew D T; Emmanuel, Julian

    2018-03-01

    National Early Warning Score (NEWS) is increasingly used in UK hospitals. However, there is only limited evidence to support the use of pre-hospital early warning scores. We hypothesised that pre-hospital NEWS was associated with death or critical care escalation within the first 48 h of hospital stay. Planned secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study at a single UK teaching hospital. Consecutive medical ward admissions over a 20-day period were included in the study. Data were collected from ambulance report forms, medical notes and electronic patient records. Pre-hospital NEWS was calculated retrospectively. The primary outcome was a composite of death or critical care unit escalation within 48 h of hospital admission. The secondary outcome was length of hospital stay. 189 patients were included in the analysis. The median pre-hospital NEWS was 3 (IQR 1-5). 13 patients (6.9%) died or were escalated to the critical care unit within 48 h of hospital admission. Pre-hospital NEWS was associated with death or critical care unit escalation (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.04-1.51; p = 0.02), but NEWS on admission to hospital was more strongly associated with this outcome (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.18-1.97, p < 0.01). Neither was associated with hospital length of stay. Pre-hospital NEWS was associated with death or critical care unit escalation within 48 h of hospital admission. NEWS could be used by ambulance crews to assist in the early triage of patients requiring hospital treatment or rapid transport. Further cohort studies or trials in large samples are required before implementation.

  18. 75 FR 54590 - Notice of 2010 National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-08

    ...] Notice of 2010 National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service... Certification Cost-Share Funds. The AMS has allocated $22.0 million for this organic certification cost-share... National Organic Certification Cost- Share Program is authorized under 7 U.S.C. 6523, as amended by section...

  19. National Hospital Discharge Survey: 2003 annual summary with detailed diagnosis and procedure data.

    PubMed

    Kozak, Lola Jean; Lees, Karen A; DeFrances, Carol J

    2006-05-01

    This report presents 2003 national estimates and trend data on the use of non-Federal short-stay hospitals in the United States. Estimates are provided by patient and hospital characteristics, diagnoses, and surgical and nonsurgical procedures performed. Estimates of diagnoses and procedures are presented according to the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. The estimates are based on data collected through the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS). The survey has been conducted annually since 1965. In 2003, data were collected for approximately 320,000 discharges. Of the 479 eligible non-Federal short-stay hospitals in the sample, 426 (89 percent) responded to the survey. An estimated 34.7 million inpatients were discharged from non-Federal short-stay hospitals in 2003. They used 167.3 million days of care and had an average length of stay of 4.8 days. Females used almost one-third more days of hospital care than males. Patients with five or more diagnoses rose from 29 percent of discharges in 1990 to 57 percent in 2003. The leading diagnostic category was respiratory diseases for children under 15 years, childbirth for 15-44 year olds, and circulatory diseases for patients 45 years of age and over. Only surgical procedures were performed for 27 percent of discharges, 18 percent had surgical and nonsurgical procedures, and 16 percent had only nonsurgical procedures. A total of 664,000 coronary angioplasties were performed, and stents were inserted during 86 percent of these procedures with drug-eluting stents used in 28 percent. The number and rate of total and primary cesarean deliveries rose from 1995 to 2003. The rate of vaginal birth after cesarean delivery dropped 58 percent, from 35.5 in 1995 to 14.8 in 2003.

  20. Can National Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) Data Differentiate Hospitals in the United States?

    PubMed

    Masnick, Max; Morgan, Daniel J; Sorkin, John D; Macek, Mark D; Brown, Jessica P; Rheingans, Penny; Harris, Anthony D

    2017-10-01

    OBJECTIVE To determine whether patients using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare website (http://medicare.gov/hospitalcompare) can use nationally reported healthcare-associated infection (HAI) data to differentiate hospitals. DESIGN Secondary analysis of publicly available HAI data for calendar year 2013. METHODS We assessed the availability of HAI data for geographically proximate hospitals (ie, hospitals within the same referral region) and then analyzed these data to determine whether they are useful to differentiate hospitals. We assessed data for the 6 HAIs reported by hospitals to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). RESULTS Data were analyzed for 4,561 hospitals representing 88% of registered community and federal government hospitals in the United States. Healthcare-associated infection data are only useful for comparing hospitals if they are available for multiple hospitals within a geographic region. We found that data availability differed by HAI. Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) data were most available, with 82% of geographic regions (ie, hospital referral regions) having >50% of hospitals reporting them. In contrast, 4% of geographic regions had >50% of member hospitals reporting surgical site infections (SSI) for hysterectomies, which had the lowest availability. The ability of HAI data to differentiate hospitals differed by HAI: 72% of hospital referral regions had at least 1 pair of hospitals with statistically different risk-adjusted CDI rates (SIRs), compared to 9% for SSI (hysterectomy). CONCLUSIONS HAI data generally are reported by enough hospitals to meet minimal criteria for useful comparisons in many geographic locations, though this varies by type of HAI. CDI and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) are more likely to differentiate hospitals than the other publicly reported HAIs. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1167-1171.

  1. Deaf-Blindness: National Organizations and Resources. Reference Circular No. 93-1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Library of Congress, Washington, DC. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

    This circular lists national organizations and print and audiovisual resources on areas of service to persons with deaf blindness, including rehabilitation, education, information and referral, recreation, and sources for adaptive devices and products. Section I is an alphabetical list of 40 national organizations and resources, including…

  2. Clinical encounters between nurses and First Nations women in a Western Canadian hospital.

    PubMed

    Browne, Annette J

    2007-05-01

    Based on findings from an ethnographic study, this paper explores the sociopolitical context of nurses' encounters with First Nations women in a Western Canadian hospital. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and participant observation of clinical encounters involving nurses and First Nations women who were in-patients in the hospital. Four themes in the data are discussed: relating across presumed "cultural differences"; constructing the Other; assumptions influencing clinical practice; and responding to routine patient requests. The findings illustrate how discourses and assumptions about Aboriginal people, culture, and presumed differences can become interwoven into routine clinical encounters. These results highlight the importance of analyzing health-care encounters in light of the wider sociopolitical and historical forces that give rise to racialization, culturalism and Othering, and underscore the need for critical awareness of these issues among nurses and other heath-care providers.

  3. Hospital ships adrift? Part 2: the role of US Navy hospital ship humanitarian assistance missions in building partnerships.

    PubMed

    Licina, Derek; Mookherji, Sangeeta; Migliaccio, Gene; Ringer, Cheryl

    2013-12-01

    US Navy hospital ships are used as a foreign policy instrument to achieve various objectives that include building partnerships. Despite substantial resource investment by the Department of Defense (DoD) in these missions, their impact is unclear. The purpose of this study was to understand how and why hospital ship missions influence partnerships among the different participants. An embedded case study was used and included the hospital ship Mercy's mission to Timor-Leste in 2008 and 2010 with four units of analysis: the US government, partner nation, host nation, and nongovernmental organizations. Key stakeholders representing each unit were interviewed using open-ended questions that explored the experiences of each participant and their organization. Findings were analyzed using a priori domains from a proposed partnership theoretical framework. A documentary review of key policy, guidance, and planning documents was also conducted. Fifteen themes related to how and why hospital ship missions influence partnerships emerged from the 37 interviews and documentary review. The five most prominent included: developing relationships, developing new perspectives, sharing resources, understanding partner constraints, and developing credibility. Facilitators to joining the mission included partner nations seeking a regional presence and senior executive relationships. Enablers included historical relationships and host nation receptivity. The primary barrier to joining was the military leading the mission. Internal constraints included the short mission duration, participant resentment, and lack of personnel continuity. External constraints included low host nation and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) capacity. The research finds the idea of building partnerships exists among most units of analysis. However, the results show a delay in downstream effects of generating action and impact among the participants. Without a common partnership

  4. An examination of hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers.

    PubMed

    Carden, Robert; DelliFraine, Jami L

    2004-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predict overall hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers. The data for this study came from a 2001 satisfaction survey of hospital blood bank managers conducted by the National Blood Data Resource Center. A total of 1325 blood-utilizing hospitals were included in the final study database. The measurement of hospital satisfaction with its blood supplier encompasses the five composites of the SERVQUAL model. The five composites are 1) tangibles, 2) reliability, 3) responsiveness, 4) assurance, and 5) empathy. Linear regression was performed with overall hospital satisfaction as the dependent variable and the five composites of the SERVQUAL model and control variables as predictors of overall hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers. Significant predictors of hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers are satisfaction with medical and clinical support provided by the blood center, satisfaction with the routine delivery schedule, and price (service fee) of red cells. Prior studies have demonstrated the importance of customer satisfaction to organizations. As organizations, blood centers can benefit from improved satisfaction from their hospital customers. Blood center strategies that focus on improving these three predictors of overall hospital satisfaction with primary blood suppliers will be the most likely to improve and/or maintain hospital customer satisfaction with primary blood suppliers.

  5. [The hospital-borne tetanus in the reference service of the Donka National Hospital in Conakry (2001-2011)].

    PubMed

    Traoré, F A; Youla, A S; Sako, F B; Sow, M S; Keita, M; Kpamy, D O; Traoré, M

    2013-05-01

    Become almost non-existent in the developed countries, the hospital-borne tetanus always stays of current events in our country in spite of the forensic problem which it puts. The objectives of this study were to determine prevalence of this affection, to describe its clinical picture and to determine its lethality. It is about a retrospective study of a duration of 11 years realized in the service of the infectious diseases of Conakry. Among 8649 hospitalizations from 2001 till 2012 we brought together 239 cases of tetanus (2.7%) among which 60 hospital-borne tetanus (0.7%). Men represented 73% of these cases, with a sex-ratio M/F of 2.7. The age bracket of 20-40 years was the most affected with 32 cases (53.3%). A single patient had begun his vaccinal calendar which had remained incomplete. Both national hospitals of the CHU of Conakry and private hospitals were the biggest suppliers of this hospital-borne tetanus with respectively 22 and 27 cases (36.6 and 45%). Tetanus related to IM of quinine represented 26 cases (43.3%) whereas the hernial cure was found in 16 cases (26.6%). The average duration of invasion and incubation was respectively 1.5 days and 6 days for the dead (n = 45.7%) and 2 days and 10.5 days for the survivors. Three-quarters of 60 patients died. The fight against this type of tetanus passes inevitably by an improvement of the working conditions, a strict application of the rules of asepsis and the in-service training of the medical and paramedical staff.

  6. Pediatric pre-hospital emergencies in Belgium: a 2-year national descriptive study.

    PubMed

    Demaret, Pierre; Lebrun, Frédéric; Devos, Philippe; Champagne, Caroline; Lemaire, Roland; Loeckx, Isabelle; Messens, Marie; Mulder, André

    2016-07-01

    This study aims to describe the pediatric physician-staffed EMS missions at a national level and to compare the pediatric and the adult EMS missions. Using a national database, we analyzed 254,812 interventions including 15,294 (6 %) pediatric emergencies. Less children than adults received an intravenous infusion (52.7 versus 77.1 %, p < 0.001), but the intra-osseous access was used more frequently in children (1.3 versus 0.8 %, p < 0.001). More children than adults benefited from a therapeutic immobilization (16.3 versus 13.2 %, p < 0.001). Endotracheal intubation was rare in children (2.1 %) as well as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (1.2 %). Children were more likely than adults to suffer from a neurological problem (32.4 versus 21.3 %, p < 0.001) or from a trauma (27.1 versus 16.8 %, p < 0.001). The prevalence of the pediatric diagnoses showed an age dependency: the respiratory problems were more prevalent in infants (40.3 % of the 0-12-months old), 52.1 % of the 1-4-year-old children suffered from a neurological problem, and the prevalence of trauma raised from 14.8 % of the infants to 47.1 % of the 11-15 year olds. Pre-hospital pediatric EMS missions are not frequent and differ from the adult interventions. The pediatric characteristics highlighted in this study should help EMS teams to be better prepared to deal with sick children in the pre-hospital setting. • Pediatric and adult emergencies differ. • Pediatric life-threatening emergencies are not frequent. What is New: • This study is the first to describe a European national cohort of pediatric physician-staffed EMS missions and to compare the pediatric and the adult missions at a national level. • This large cohort study confirms scarce regional data indicating that pediatric pre-hospital emergencies are not frequent and mostly non-life-threatening.

  7. National Aerospace Professional Societies and Associations and Organizations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Henderson, Arthur J., Jr.

    2000-01-01

    This session will highlight several highly recognized National Technical and Professional Aerospace Societies, Associations and Organizations that are dedicated to the advancement of the theories, practices and unique applications of Science, Engineering and related Aerospace Activities ongoing in the United States. The emphasis will be on at least three (3) Aerospace Organizations, while reference many others. This paper will provide a wealth of educational references, information, opportunities and services available through many of the National and Local Chapter Affiliates, associated with the respective associations. Again, all experience and knowledge levels (K-12) will benefit from this information and reference material. Reference materials and other points of contact will be made available to all attendees.

  8. Mortality and treatment patterns among patients hospitalized with acute cardiovascular conditions during dates of national cardiology meetings.

    PubMed

    Jena, Anupam B; Prasad, Vinay; Goldman, Dana P; Romley, John

    2015-02-01

    Thousands of physicians attend scientific meetings annually. Although hospital physician staffing and composition may be affected by meetings, patient outcomes and treatment patterns during meeting dates are unknown. To analyze mortality and treatment differences among patients admitted with acute cardiovascular conditions during dates of national cardiology meetings compared with nonmeeting dates. Retrospective analysis of 30-day mortality among Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure, or cardiac arrest from 2002 through 2011 during dates of 2 national cardiology meetings compared with identical nonmeeting days in the 3 weeks before and after conferences (AMI, 8570 hospitalizations during 82 meeting days and 57,471 during 492 nonmeeting days; heart failure, 19,282 during meeting days and 11,4591 during nonmeeting days; cardiac arrest, 1564 during meeting days and 9580 during nonmeeting days). Multivariable analyses were conducted separately for major teaching hospitals and nonteaching hospitals and for low- and high-risk patients. Differences in treatment utilization were assessed. Hospitalization during cardiology meeting dates. Thirty-day mortality, procedure rates, charges, length of stay. Patient characteristics were similar between meeting and nonmeeting dates. In teaching hospitals, adjusted 30-day mortality was lower among high-risk patients with heart failure or cardiac arrest admitted during meeting vs nonmeeting dates (heart failure, 17.5% [95% CI, 13.7%-21.2%] vs 24.8% [95% CI, 22.9%-26.6%]; P < .001; cardiac arrest, 59.1% [95% CI, 51.4%-66.8%] vs 69.4% [95% CI, 66.2%-72.6%]; P = .01). Adjusted mortality for high-risk AMI in teaching hospitals was similar between meeting and nonmeeting dates (39.2% [95% CI, 31.8%-46.6%] vs 38.5% [95% CI, 35.0%-42.0%]; P = .86), although adjusted percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rates were lower during meetings (20.8% vs 28.2%; P = .02). No

  9. Towards hospital standardization in Europe.

    PubMed

    Shaw, Charles; Bruneau, Charles; Kutryba, Basia; de Jongh, Guido; Suñol, Rosa

    2010-08-01

    There is no simple tool to assess compliance with common national and European directives, guidance and professional advice on the management of healthcare institutions. Despite evidence of unacceptable variations in the protection of patient and staff safety little attention has been given to harmonizing the way services are organized and managed. Existing systems which define organizational standards, or assess compliance with them, are not in a position to extend this activity into or across national borders in Europe. Certification, accreditation and licensing programmes are too variable to provide a common basis for consistent assessment. Consensual standards would inevitably be minimal if they were to achieve acceptance by all or a majority of member state governments; they would not be standards for excellence or help the majority of organizations to improve performance. This paper proposes the development of a framework and measurement tool, initially for hospitals, which could be used for self-assessment or peer review to demonstrate compliance with European legislation, guidance and public expectations without infringing national responsibilities. A common code of management practice could be developed through a process similar to that adopted for clinical practice guidelines by the European commission-funded project on appraisal of guidelines research and evaluation. In practice, the legal relationships between member states and intergovernmental organizations inhibit the harmonization of management practice across-borders. Faster progress to higher levels of performance would be achieved by voluntary, non-regulatory cooperation of enthusiasts to define, measure and improve the quality of healthcare in European hospitals.

  10. [Balanced scorecard for performance measurement of a nursing organization in a Korean hospital].

    PubMed

    Hong, Yoonmi; Hwang, Kyung Ja; Kim, Mi Ja; Park, Chang Gi

    2008-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a balanced scorecard (BSC) for performance measurement of a Korean hospital nursing organization and to evaluate the validity and reliability of performance measurement indicators. Two hundred fifty-nine nurses in a Korean hospital participated in a survey questionnaire that included 29-item performance evaluation indicators developed by investigators of this study based on the Kaplan and Norton's BSC (1992). Cronbach's alpha was used to test the reliability of the BSC. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with a structure equation model (SEM) was applied to assess the construct validity of the BSC. Cronbach's alpha of 29 items was .948. Factor analysis of the BSC showed 5 principal components (eigen value >1.0) which explained 62.7% of the total variance, and it included a new one, community service. The SEM analysis results showed that 5 components were significant for the hospital BSC tool. High degree of reliability and validity of this BSC suggests that it may be used for performance measurements of a Korean hospital nursing organization. Future studies may consider including a balanced number of nurse managers and staff nurses in the study. Further data analysis on the relationships among factors is recommended.

  11. [Assessment of medical management of heart failure at National Hospital Blaise COMPAORE].

    PubMed

    Kambiré, Y; Konaté, L; Diallo, I; Millogo, G R C; Kologo, K J; Tougouma, J B; Samadoulougou, A K; Zabsonré, P

    2018-05-09

    The aim of this study was to assess the quality of medical management of heart failure at the National Hospital Blaise Compaoré according to the international guidelines. A retrospective study was performed including consecutive patients admitted for heart failure documented sonographically from October 2012 to March 2015 in the Medicine and Medical Specialties Department of National Hospital Blaise Compaore with a minimum follow-up of six weeks. Data analysis was made by the SPSS 20.0 software. Eighty-four patients, mean age of 57.61±18.24 years, were included. It was an acute heart failure in 84.5% of patients with systolic left ventricular function impaired (77.4%). The rate of prescription of different drugs in heart failure any type was 88.1% for loop diuretics; 77.1% for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers and 65.5% for betablockers. In patients with systolic dysfunction, 84.62% of patients were received the combination of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers and 75.38% for betablockers. Exercise rehabilitation was undergoing in 10.7% of patients. The death rate was 16.7% and hospital readmission rate of 16.7%. The prescription rate of major heart failure drugs is satisfactory. Cardiac rehabilitation should be developed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  12. Ergonomics and nursing in hospital environments.

    PubMed

    Rogers, Bonnie; Buckheit, Kathleen; Ostendorf, Judith

    2013-10-01

    This study describes workplace conditions, the environment, and activities that may contribute to musculoskeletal injuries among nurses, as well as identifies solutions to decrease these risks and improve work-related conditions. The study used a mixed-methods design. Participants included nurses and stakeholders from five hospitals. Several focus groups were held with nurses, walk-throughs of clinical units were conducted, and stakeholder interviews with key occupational health and safety personnel were conducted in each of the five hospitals, as well as with representatives from the American Nurses Association, Veterans Health Administration hospital, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Several key contributing factors, including the physical environment (e.g., layout and organization of work stations), work organization and culture (e.g., heavy workload, inadequate staffing, lack of education), and work activities (e.g., manual lifting of patients, lack of assistive devices), were identified. Recommendations included the need for a multifaceted and comprehensive approach to developing a sound ergonomics program. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

  13. New integrated information system for pusan national university hospital.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyung Hoi; Cho, Kyung-Won; Kim, Hye Sook; Kim, Ju-Sim; Kim, Jung Hyun; Han, Sang Pil; Park, Chun Bok; Kim, Seok; Chae, Young Moon

    2011-03-01

    This study presents the information system for Pusan National University Hospital (PNUH), evaluates its performance qualitatively, and conducts economic analysis. Information system for PNUH was designed by component-based development and developed by internet technologies. Order Communication System, Electronic Medical Record, and Clinical Decision Support System were newly developed. The performance of the hospital information system was qualitatively evaluated based on the performance reference model in order to identify problem areas for the old system. The Information Economics approach was used to analyze the economic feasibility of hospital information system in order to account for the intangible benefits. Average performance scores were 3.16 for input layer, 3.35 for process layer, and 3.57 for business layer. In addition, the cumulative benefit to cost ratio was 0.50 in 2011, 1.73 in 2012, 1.76 in 2013, 1.71 in 2014, and 1.71 in 2015. The B/C ratios steadily increase as value items are added. While overall performance scores were reasonably high, doctors were less satisfied with the system, perhaps due to the weak clinical function in the systems. The information economics analysis demonstrated the economic profitability of the information systems if all intangible benefits were included. The second qualitative evaluation survey and economic analysis were proposed to evaluate the changes in performance of the new system.

  14. Quality of care and outcomes for in-hospital ischemic stroke: findings from the National Get With The Guidelines-Stroke.

    PubMed

    Cumbler, Ethan; Wald, Heidi; Bhatt, Deepak L; Cox, Margueritte; Xian, Ying; Reeves, Mathew; Smith, Eric E; Schwamm, Lee; Fonarow, Gregg C

    2014-01-01

    Analysis of quality of care for in-hospital stroke has not been previously performed at the national level. This study compares patient characteristics, process measures of quality, and outcomes for in-hospital strokes with those for community-onset strokes in a national cohort. We performed a retrospective cohort study of the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke (GWTG-Stroke) database of The American Heart Association from January 2006 to April 2012, using data from 1280 sites that reported ≥1 in-hospital stroke. Patient characteristics, comorbid illnesses, medications, quality of care measures, and outcomes were analyzed for 21 349 in-hospital ischemic strokes compared with 928 885 community-onset ischemic strokes. Patients with in-hospital stroke had more thromboembolic risk factors, including atrial fibrillation, prosthetic heart valves, carotid stenosis, and heart failure (P<0.0001), and experienced more severe strokes (median National Institutes of Health Stroke Score 9.0 versus 4.0; P<0.0001). Using GWTG-Stroke achievement measures, the proportion of patients with defect-free care was lower for in-hospital strokes (60.8% versus 82.0%; P<0.0001). After accounting for patient and hospital characteristics, patients with in-hospital strokes were less likely to be discharged home (adjusted odds ratio 0.37; 95% confidence intervals [0.35-0.39]) or be able to ambulate independently at discharge (adjusted odds ratio 0.42; 95% confidence intervals [0.39-0.45]). In-hospital mortality was higher for in-hospital stroke (adjusted odds ratio 2.72; 95% confidence intervals [2.57-2.88]). Compared with community-onset ischemic stroke, patients with in-hospital stroke experienced more severe strokes, received lower adherence to process-based quality measures, and had worse outcomes. These findings suggest there is an important opportunity for targeted quality improvement efforts for patients with in-hospital stroke.

  15. The use of hospital emergency departments for nonurgent health problems: a national perspective.

    PubMed

    Cunningham, P J; Clancy, C M; Cohen, J W; Wilets, M

    1995-11-01

    The use of the hospital emergency department (ED) for nonurgent health problems has been a subject of considerable controversy, in part because there is no widely accepted definition of "nonurgent." Elimination or substantial reduction in nonurgent ED use is frequently offered as a strategy for reducing health expenditures. Previous studies, often limited to individual hospitals or communities, have limited generalizability and do not permit examination of multiple factors likely to influence nonurgent ED utilization or examination of ED use for nonurgent problems in the context of overall outpatient utilization. This analysis of the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) provides a nationally representative examination of nonurgent ED utilization that describes the frequency of ED use for nonurgent problems, characteristics of individuals that are associated with an increased likelihood of nonurgent ED use, the use of other outpatient physician services, and expenditures associated with nonurgent ED visits.

  16. Standard practices for computerized clinical decision support in community hospitals: a national survey

    PubMed Central

    McCormack, James L; Sittig, Dean F; Wright, Adam; McMullen, Carmit; Bates, David W

    2012-01-01

    Objective Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) with clinical decision support (CDS) can help hospitals improve care. Little is known about what CDS is presently in use and how it is managed, however, especially in community hospitals. This study sought to address this knowledge gap by identifying standard practices related to CDS in US community hospitals with mature CPOE systems. Materials and Methods Representatives of 34 community hospitals, each of which had over 5 years experience with CPOE, were interviewed to identify standard practices related to CDS. Data were analyzed with a mix of descriptive statistics and qualitative approaches to the identification of patterns, themes and trends. Results This broad sample of community hospitals had robust levels of CDS despite their small size and the independent nature of many of their physician staff members. The hospitals uniformly used medication alerts and order sets, had sophisticated governance procedures for CDS, and employed staff to customize CDS. Discussion The level of customization needed for most CDS before implementation was greater than expected. Customization requires skilled individuals who represent an emerging manpower need at this type of hospital. Conclusion These results bode well for robust diffusion of CDS to similar hospitals in the process of adopting CDS and suggest that national policies to promote CDS use may be successful. PMID:22707744

  17. Testing the hospital value proposition: an empirical analysis of efficiency and quality.

    PubMed

    Huerta, Timothy R; Ford, Eric W; Peterson, Lori T; Brigham, Keith H

    2008-01-01

    To assess the relationship between hospitals' X-inefficiency levels and overall care quality based on the National Quality Forum's 27 safe practices score and to improve the analytic strategy for assessing X-inefficiency. The 2005 versions of the American Hospital Association and Leapfrog Group's annual surveys were the basis of the study. Additional case mix indices and market variables were drawn from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data sources and the Area Resource File. Data envelopment analysis was used to determine hospitals' X-inefficiency scores relative to their market-level competitors. Regression was used to assess the relationship between X-inefficiency and quality, controlling for organizational and market characteristics. Expenses (total and labor expenditures), case-mix-adjusted admissions, length of stay, and licensed beds defined the X-inefficiency function. The overall National Quality Forum's safe practice score, health maintenance organization penetration, market share, and teaching status served as independent control variables in the regression. The National Quality Forum's safe practice scores are significantly and positively correlated to hospital X-inefficiency levels (beta = .105, p < or = .05). The analysis of the value proposition had very good explanatory power (adjusted R(2) = .414; p < or = .001; df = 7, 265). Contrary to earlier findings, health maintenance organization penetration and being a teaching hospital were positively related to X-inefficiency. Similar with others' findings, greater market share and for-profit ownership were negatively associated with X-inefficiency. Measurement of overall hospital quality is improving but can still be made better. Nevertheless, the National Quality Forum's measure is significantly related to efficiency and could be used to create differential pay-for-performance programs. A market-segmented analytic strategy for studying hospitals' efficiency yields results with a high

  18. Anesthesia Capacity in Ghana: A Teaching Hospital's Resources, and the National Workforce and Education.

    PubMed

    Brouillette, Mark A; Aidoo, Alfred J; Hondras, Maria A; Boateng, Nana A; Antwi-Kusi, Akwasi; Addison, William; Hermanson, Alec R

    2017-12-01

    Quality anesthetic care is lacking in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Global health leaders call for perioperative capacity reports in limited-resource settings to guide improved health care initiatives. We describe a teaching hospital's resources and the national workforce and education in this LMIC capacity report. A prospective observational study was conducted at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana, during 4 weeks in August 2016. Teaching hospital data were generated from observations of hospital facilities and patient care, review of archival records, and interviews with KATH personnel. National data were obtained from interviews with KATH personnel, correspondence with Ghana's anesthesia society, and review of public records. The practice of anesthesia at KATH incorporated preanesthesia clinics, intraoperative management, and critical care. However, there were not enough physicians to consistently supervise care, especially in postanesthesia care units (PACUs) and the critical care unit (CCU). Clean water and electricity were usually reliable in all 16 operating rooms (ORs) and throughout the hospital. Equipment and drugs were inventoried in detail. While much basic infrastructure, equipment, and medications were present in ORs, patient safety was hindered by hospital-wide oxygen supply failures and shortage of vital signs monitors and working ventilators in PACUs and the CCU. In 2015, there were 10,319 anesthetics administered, with obstetric and gynecologic, general, and orthopedic procedures comprising 62% of surgeries. From 2011 to 2015, all-cause perioperative mortality rate in ORs and PACUs was 0.65% or 1 death per 154 anesthetics, with 99% of deaths occurring in PACUs. Workforce and education data at KATH revealed 10 anesthesia attending physicians, 61 nurse anesthetists (NAs), and 7 anesthesia resident physicians in training. At the national level, 70 anesthesia attending physicians and 565 NAs cared for Ghana's population

  19. National Quality Forum Colon Cancer Quality Metric Performance: How Are Hospitals Measuring Up?

    PubMed

    Mason, Meredith C; Chang, George J; Petersen, Laura A; Sada, Yvonne H; Tran Cao, Hop S; Chai, Christy; Berger, David H; Massarweh, Nader N

    2017-12-01

    To evaluate the impact of care at high-performing hospitals on the National Quality Forum (NQF) colon cancer metrics. The NQF endorses evaluating ≥12 lymph nodes (LNs), adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for stage III patients, and AC within 4 months of diagnosis as colon cancer quality indicators. Data on hospital-level metric performance and the association with survival are unclear. Retrospective cohort study of 218,186 patients with resected stage I to III colon cancer in the National Cancer Data Base (2004-2012). High-performing hospitals (>75% achievement) were identified by the proportion of patients achieving each measure. The association between hospital performance and survival was evaluated using Cox shared frailty modeling. Only hospital LN performance improved (15.8% in 2004 vs 80.7% in 2012; trend test, P < 0.001), with 45.9% of hospitals performing well on all 3 measures concurrently in the most recent study year. Overall, 5-year survival was 75.0%, 72.3%, 72.5%, and 69.5% for those treated at hospitals with high performance on 3, 2, 1, and 0 metrics, respectively (log-rank, P < 0.001). Care at hospitals with high metric performance was associated with lower risk of death in a dose-response fashion [0 metrics, reference; 1, hazard ratio (HR) 0.96 (0.89-1.03); 2, HR 0.92 (0.87-0.98); 3, HR 0.85 (0.80-0.90); 2 vs 1, HR 0.96 (0.91-1.01); 3 vs 1, HR 0.89 (0.84-0.93); 3 vs 2, HR 0.95 (0.89-0.95)]. Performance on metrics in combination was associated with lower risk of death [LN + AC, HR 0.86 (0.78-0.95); AC + timely AC, HR 0.92 (0.87-0.98); LN + AC + timely AC, HR 0.85 (0.80-0.90)], whereas individual measures were not [LN, HR 0.95 (0.88-1.04); AC, HR 0.95 (0.87-1.05)]. Less than half of hospitals perform well on these NQF colon cancer metrics concurrently, and high performance on individual measures is not associated with improved survival. Quality improvement efforts should shift focus from individual measures to defining composite measures

  20. Hospital enterprise Architecture Framework (Study of Iranian University Hospital Organization).

    PubMed

    Haghighathoseini, Atefehsadat; Bobarshad, Hossein; Saghafi, Fatehmeh; Rezaei, Mohammad Sadegh; Bagherzadeh, Nader

    2018-06-01

    Nowadays developing smart and fast services for patients and transforming hospitals to modern hospitals is considered a necessity. Living in the world inundated with information systems, designing services based on information technology entails a suitable architecture framework. This paper aims to present a localized enterprise architecture framework for the Iranian university hospital. Using two dimensions of implementation and having appropriate characteristics, the best 17 enterprises frameworks were chosen. As part of this effort, five criteria were selected according to experts' inputs. According to these criteria, five frameworks which had the highest rank were chosen. Then 44 general characteristics were extracted from the existing 17 frameworks after careful studying. Then a questionnaire was written accordingly to distinguish the necessity of those characteristics using expert's opinions and Delphi method. The result showed eight important criteria. In the next step, using AHP method, TOGAF was chosen regarding having appropriate characteristics and the ability to be implemented among reference formats. In the next step, enterprise architecture framework was designed by TOGAF in a conceptual model and its layers. For determining architecture framework parts, a questionnaire with 145 questions was written based on literature review and expert's opinions. The results showed during localization of TOGAF for Iran, 111 of 145 parts were chosen and certified to be used in the hospital. The results showed that TOGAF could be suitable for use in the hospital. So, a localized Hospital Enterprise Architecture Modelling is developed by customizing TOGAF for an Iranian hospital at eight levels and 11 parts. This new model could be used to be performed in other Iranian hospitals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. The Case of the Suzhou Hospital of National Medicine (1939-41): War, Medicine, and Eastern Civilization.

    PubMed

    Daidoji, Keiko; Karchmer, Eric I

    2017-06-01

    This article explores the founding of the Suzhou Hospital of National Medicine in 1939 during the Japanese occupation of Suzhou. We argue that the hospital was the culmination of a period of rich intellectual exchange between traditional Chinese and Japanese physicians in the early twentieth century and provides important insights into the modern development of medicine in both countries. The founding of this hospital was followed closely by leading Japanese Kampo physicians. As the Japanese empire expanded into East Asia, they hoped that they could revitalize their profession at home by disseminating their unique interpretations of the famous Treatise on Cold Damage abroad. The Chinese doctors that founded the Suzhou Hospital of National Medicine were close readers of Japanese scholarship on the Treatise and were inspired to experiment with a Japanese approach to diagnosis, based on new interpretations of the concept of "presentation" ( shō / zheng ). Unfortunately, the Sino-Japanese War cut short this fascinating dialogue on reforming medicine and set the traditional medicine professions in both countries on new nationalist trajectories.

  2. Comparison of essential drug list in a rural secondary care hospital in south India with Indian & World Health Organization list 2011.

    PubMed

    Rao, Seetharama G; Thomas, Dixon; Zachariah, Seeba; Kannan, M S; Alvarez-Uria, Gerardo

    2012-01-01

    Fixed drug combinations are a major marketing strategy in India but it can compromise the rational use of medicines. In this study we compared the fixed drug combinations and dosage forms in the hospital pharmacy before and after introducing the essential drug list. We also compared the Hospital Essential Drug List (HEDL) 2011 with the World Health Organization (WHO) Essential Drug List (EDL) 2011 and the National Essential Drug List of India (NEDL) 2011. The study was done in a secondary level care charity hospital at Anantapur, AP with a bed size of 315 and an average OP per day of 1200-1700 visits. We compared the three essential drug lists (HEDL, WHOEDL and NEDL) and the hospital drug list before introducing EDL. Drugs which were present in NEDL and not present in the HEDL were also screened. Microsoft excel was used to tabulate the results and for graphs. The number of medicines used in the hospital before and after the introduction of the HEDL was 1627 and 424 respectively. On comparison, WHOEDL 2011 have 350 and NEDL of India have 348 medicines. While preparing the HEDL, 46 double drug combinations decreased to 15 and 9 triple drug combinations decreased to 1. In the case of injections, 20 double drug combinations decreased to 6 and 1 triple drug combination increased to 2. The number of tablets, capsules, injections, syrups, powders and inhalers was reduced to almost half. The great reductions were in 51 ointments to 9, 69 drops to 5, 11 paste to 0, 21 solutions to 3 and 14 creams to 1. The dosage forms removed included elixirs, insulin pens, gums, paste, paints, gargles and mouthwashes. There was drastic reduction in the number of medicines and dosage forms when the HEDL was implemented. Many of the fixed drug combinations were also removed for improving the rational use of medicines. The WHO essential drug list 2011, national essential drug list of India 2011 and the hospital essential drug list 2011 were comparable with few exceptions.

  3. A national survey of inpatient medication systems in English NHS hospitals

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Systems and processes for prescribing, supplying and administering inpatient medications can have substantial impact on medication administration errors (MAEs). However, little is known about the medication systems and processes currently used within the English National Health Service (NHS). This presents a challenge for developing NHS-wide interventions to increase medication safety. We therefore conducted a cross-sectional postal census of medication systems and processes in English NHS hospitals to address this knowledge gap. Methods The chief pharmacist at each of all 165 acute NHS trusts was invited to complete a questionnaire for medical and surgical wards in their main hospital (July 2011). We report here the findings relating to medication systems and processes, based on 18 closed questions plus one open question about local medication safety initiatives. Non-respondents were posted another questionnaire (August 2011), and then emailed (October 2011). Results One hundred (61% of NHS trusts) questionnaires were returned. Most hospitals used paper-based prescribing on the majority of medical and surgical inpatient wards (87% of hospitals), patient bedside medication lockers (92%), patients’ own drugs (89%) and ‘one-stop dispensing’ medication labelled with administration instructions for use at discharge as well as during the inpatient stay (85%). Less prevalent were the use of ward pharmacy technicians (62% of hospitals) or pharmacists (58%) to order medications on the majority of wards. Only 65% of hospitals used drug trolleys; 50% used patient-specific inpatient supplies on the majority of wards. Only one hospital had a pharmacy open 24 hours, but all had access to an on-call pharmacist. None reported use of unit-dose dispensing; 7% used an electronic drug cabinet in some ward areas. Overall, 85% of hospitals had a double-checking policy for intravenous medication and 58% for other specified drugs. “Do not disturb” tabards

  4. A national survey of inpatient medication systems in English NHS hospitals.

    PubMed

    McLeod, Monsey; Ahmed, Zamzam; Barber, Nick; Franklin, Bryony Dean

    2014-02-27

    Systems and processes for prescribing, supplying and administering inpatient medications can have substantial impact on medication administration errors (MAEs). However, little is known about the medication systems and processes currently used within the English National Health Service (NHS). This presents a challenge for developing NHS-wide interventions to increase medication safety. We therefore conducted a cross-sectional postal census of medication systems and processes in English NHS hospitals to address this knowledge gap. The chief pharmacist at each of all 165 acute NHS trusts was invited to complete a questionnaire for medical and surgical wards in their main hospital (July 2011). We report here the findings relating to medication systems and processes, based on 18 closed questions plus one open question about local medication safety initiatives. Non-respondents were posted another questionnaire (August 2011), and then emailed (October 2011). One hundred (61% of NHS trusts) questionnaires were returned. Most hospitals used paper-based prescribing on the majority of medical and surgical inpatient wards (87% of hospitals), patient bedside medication lockers (92%), patients' own drugs (89%) and 'one-stop dispensing' medication labelled with administration instructions for use at discharge as well as during the inpatient stay (85%). Less prevalent were the use of ward pharmacy technicians (62% of hospitals) or pharmacists (58%) to order medications on the majority of wards. Only 65% of hospitals used drug trolleys; 50% used patient-specific inpatient supplies on the majority of wards. Only one hospital had a pharmacy open 24 hours, but all had access to an on-call pharmacist. None reported use of unit-dose dispensing; 7% used an electronic drug cabinet in some ward areas. Overall, 85% of hospitals had a double-checking policy for intravenous medication and 58% for other specified drugs. "Do not disturb" tabards/overalls were routinely used during nurses

  5. Implementing a national program to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infection: a quality improvement collaboration of state hospital associations, academic medical centers, professional societies, and governmental agencies.

    PubMed

    Fakih, Mohamad G; George, Christine; Edson, Barbara S; Goeschel, Christine A; Saint, Sanjay

    2013-10-01

    Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) represents a significant proportion of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The US Department of Health and Human Services issued a plan to reduce HAIs with a target 25% reduction of CAUTI by 2013. Michigan's successful collaborative to reduce unnecessary use of urinary catheters and CAUTI was based on a partnership between diverse hospitals, the state hospital association (SHA), and academic medical centers. Taking the lessons learned from Michigan, we are now spreading this work throughout the 50 states. This national spread leverages the expertise of different groups and organizations for the unified goal of reducing catheter-related harm. The key components of the project are (1) centralized coordination of the effort and dissemination of information to SHAs and hospitals, (2) data collection based on established definitions and approaches, (3) focused guidance on the technical practices that will prevent CAUTI, (4) emphasis on understanding the socioadaptive aspects (both the general, unit-wide issues and CAUTI-specific challenges), and (5) partnering with specialty organizations and governmental agencies who have expertise in the relevant subject area. The work may serve in the future as a model for other large improvement efforts to address other hospital-acquired conditions, such as venous thromboembolism and falls.

  6. National trends in hospital length of stay for acute myocardial infarction in China.

    PubMed

    Li, Qian; Lin, Zhenqiu; Masoudi, Frederick A; Li, Jing; Li, Xi; Hernández-Díaz, Sonia; Nuti, Sudhakar V; Li, Lingling; Wang, Qing; Spertus, John A; Hu, Frank B; Krumholz, Harlan M; Jiang, Lixin

    2015-01-20

    China is experiencing increasing burden of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the face of limited medical resources. Hospital length of stay (LOS) is an important indicator of resource utilization. We used data from the Retrospective AMI Study within the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events, a nationally representative sample of patients hospitalized for AMI during 2001, 2006, and 2011. Hospital-level variation in risk-standardized LOS (RS-LOS) for AMI, accounting for differences in case mix and year, was examined with two-level generalized linear mixed models. A generalized estimating equation model was used to evaluate hospital characteristics associated with LOS. Absolute differences in RS-LOS and 95% confidence intervals were reported. The weighted median and mean LOS were 13 and 14.6 days, respectively, in 2001 (n = 1,901), 11 and 12.6 days in 2006 (n = 3,553), and 11 and 11.9 days in 2011 (n = 7,252). There was substantial hospital level variation in RS-LOS across the 160 hospitals, ranging from 9.2 to 18.1 days. Hospitals in the Central regions had on average 1.6 days (p = 0.02) shorter RS-LOS than those in the Eastern regions. All other hospital characteristics relating to capacity for AMI treatment were not associated with LOS. Despite a marked decline over the past decade, the mean LOS for AMI in China in 2011 remained long compared with international standards. Inter-hospital variation is substantial even after adjusting for case mix. Further improvement of AMI care in Chinese hospitals is critical to further shorten LOS and reduce unnecessary hospital variation.

  7. Cost-effectiveness of national mandatory screening of all admissions to English National Health Service hospitals for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a mathematical modelling study.

    PubMed

    Robotham, Julie V; Deeny, Sarah R; Fuller, Chris; Hopkins, Susan; Cookson, Barry; Stone, Sheldon

    2016-03-01

    In December, 2010, National Health Service (NHS) England introduced national mandatory screening of all admissions for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We aimed to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of this policy, from a regional or national health-care decision makers' perspective, compared with alternative screening strategies. We used an individual-based dynamic transmission model parameterised with national MRSA audit data to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of admission screening of patients in English NHS hospitals compared with five alternative strategies (including no screening, checklist-activated screening, and high-risk specialty-based screening), accompanied by patient isolation and decolonisation, over a 5 year time horizon. We evaluated strategies for different NHS hospital types (acute, teaching, and specialist), MRSA prevalence, and transmission potentials using probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Compared with no screening, mean cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) of screening all admissions was £89,000-148,000 (range £68,000-222,000), and this strategy was consistently more costly and less effective than alternatives for all hospital types. At a £30,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold and current prevalence, only the no-screening strategy was cost effective. The next best strategies were, in acute and teaching hospitals, targeting of high-risk specialty admissions (30-40% chance of cost-effectiveness; mean incremental cost-effectiveness ratios [ICERs] £45,200 [range £35,300-61,400] and £48,000/QALY [£34,600-74,800], respectively) and, in specialist hospitals, screening these patients plus risk-factor-based screening of low-risk specialties (a roughly 20% chance of cost-effectiveness; mean ICER £62,600/QALY [£48,000-89,400]). As prevalence and transmission increased, targeting of high-risk specialties became the optimum strategy at the NHS willingness-to-pay threshold (£30,000/QALY

  8. 75 FR 12723 - Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-17

    ... CONTACT: Valerie Frances, Executive Director, NOSB, National Organic Program (NOP), (202) 720-3252, or... currently has six subcommittees working on various aspects of the organic program. The committees are... 357 substances for inclusion on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The Department...

  9. Directory of National Organizations Concerned With Land Pollution Control.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freed Publishing Co., New York, NY.

    Included in this directory are 133 national organizations, agencies, institutes and/or private groups concerned with the reduction or prevention of land pollution. Arranged in alphabetical order, each annotation gives the complete name of the organization, its address, telephone number, person to contact, and a short description of the scope of…

  10. A comparison of hospital administrative costs in eight nations: US costs exceed all others by far.

    PubMed

    Himmelstein, David U; Jun, Miraya; Busse, Reinhard; Chevreul, Karine; Geissler, Alexander; Jeurissen, Patrick; Thomson, Sarah; Vinet, Marie-Amelie; Woolhandler, Steffie

    2014-09-01

    A few studies have noted the outsize administrative costs of US hospitals, but no research has compared these costs across multiple nations with various types of health care systems. We assembled a team of international health policy experts to conduct just such a challenging analysis of hospital administrative costs across eight nations: Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. We found that administrative costs accounted for 25.3 percent of total US hospital expenditures--a percentage that is increasing. Next highest were the Netherlands (19.8 percent) and England (15.5 percent), both of which are transitioning to market-oriented payment systems. Scotland and Canada, whose single-payer systems pay hospitals global operating budgets, with separate grants for capital, had the lowest administrative costs. Costs were intermediate in France and Germany (which bill per patient but pay separately for capital projects) and in Wales. Reducing US per capita spending for hospital administration to Scottish or Canadian levels would have saved more than $150 billion in 2011. This study suggests that the reduction of US administrative costs would best be accomplished through the use of a simpler and less market-oriented payment scheme. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  11. 42 CFR 495.202 - Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals. 495.202 Section 495.202 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... Advantage (MA) Organizations § 495.202 Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA...

  12. 42 CFR 495.202 - Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals. 495.202 Section 495.202 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... Advantage (MA) Organizations § 495.202 Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA...

  13. 42 CFR 495.202 - Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals. 495.202 Section 495.202 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... Advantage (MA) Organizations § 495.202 Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA...

  14. 42 CFR 495.202 - Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals. 495.202 Section 495.202 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... Advantage (MA) Organizations § 495.202 Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA...

  15. 42 CFR 495.202 - Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals. 495.202 Section 495.202 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... Advantage (MA) Organizations § 495.202 Identification of qualifying MA organizations, MA-EPs and MA...

  16. Reaching Out: A Directory of National Organizations Related to Maternal and Child Health.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health, Washington, DC.

    This directory lists addresses, phone numbers, and contact persons for over 450 national organizations with a maternal and child health focus. The directory is divided into two sections. The first lists national organizations by subject area. These organizations provide a variety of services and activities, such as publication of educational…

  17. A financial model for assessing hospital performance: an application to multi-institutional organizations.

    PubMed

    Coyne, J S

    1986-01-01

    The financial growth of investor-owned and not-for-profit hospitals has become an increasingly important research topic. More hospitals are forming multi-institutional organizations (MIOs) in an attempt to achieve greater market share and improve financial self-sufficiency. Few studies have provided a model for systematically analyzing financial growth in MIOs. A financial model is presented here to analyze equity growth. The model is applied to MIOs using recent audited financial data from more than 500 hospitals in 18 MIOs, eight investor-owned and ten not-for-profit. The results indicate that investor-owned MIO hospitals achieve significantly greater equity growth primarily through greater profit margins. The implications of these findings are discussed relative to the increasing price-competitive healthcare environment. The usefulness of the financial model is assessed in terms of its value as a financial diagnostic tool.

  18. Learning Organization Profile of Educational Hospitals in Iran: Practice of Organizational Interlocking Systems

    PubMed Central

    Mohebbifar, Rafat; Hashemi, Hassan Jahani; Rajaee, Roya; Najafi, Marziye; Etedal, Mahbobeh GH

    2015-01-01

    Background: Organizational learning has been identified as necessary for different organizations to improve their performance in the changing and competitive environment. Purpose: The main purpose of this research was to specify the learning organization profile of educational and health centers of Tehran and Qazvin Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran. Methodology: The present research was conducted using a cross-sectional method in the academic year of 2013-2014. A staff of 530 from educational hospitals subordinated to Tehran and Qazvin universities of medical sciences participated in the research. The participants were selected using stratified random sampling. That is to say, a random sample of a proportionate size was selected from each hospital. The instrument for data collection was a Likert-scale questionnaire involving 50 items. The statistical techniques of ANOVA, t-test, Chi-square, correlation coefficients (Pearson and Spearman), and regression were utilized to analyze the data. All of them were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 16.0 for windows. Result: The results indicated that 449 of participants (84.7%) had a B.S. degree and 78 of them (14.7%) had an M.S. or a Ph.D. degree. Among the fivefold dimensions of “Learning Organization” model (Learning, Organization, People, Knowledge, and Technology) in comparison of the two universities, the “people” dimension was the highest-rated dimension with the mean rating of 25.71±8.36 and the “learning” dimension was the lowest-rated dimension with the mean of 25.35±8.04. Comparison between the two universities yielded the result that educational hospitals in Tehran University of medical sciences with the rating of 126.56 had a more complete profile than that of educational hospitals in Qazvin university of medical sciences with the rating of 122.23. Conclusion: The hospitals of the two above-mentioned universities were, to a great extent, far from the

  19. A risk-based prospective payment system that integrates patient, hospital and national costs.

    PubMed

    Siegel, C; Jones, K; Laska, E; Meisner, M; Lin, S

    1992-05-01

    We suggest that a desirable form for prospective payment for inpatient care is hospital average cost plus a linear combination of individual patient and national average cost. When the coefficients are chosen to minimize mean squared error loss between payment and costs, the payment has efficiency and access incentives. The coefficient multiplying patient costs is a hospital specific measure of financial risk of the patient. Access is promoted since providers receive higher reimbursements for risky, high cost patients. Historical cost data can be used to obtain estimates of payment parameters. The method is applied to Medicare data on psychiatric inpatients.

  20. Access to primary care and the route of emergency admission to hospital: retrospective analysis of national hospital administrative data

    PubMed Central

    Cowling, Thomas E; Harris, Matthew; Watt, Hilary; Soljak, Michael; Richards, Emma; Gunning, Elinor; Bottle, Alex; Macinko, James; Majeed, Azeem

    2016-01-01

    Background The UK government is pursuing policies to improve primary care access, as many patients visit accident and emergency (A and E) departments after being unable to get suitable general practice appointments. Direct admission to hospital via a general practitioner (GP) averts A and E use, and may reduce total hospital costs. It could also enhance the continuity of information between GPs and hospital doctors, possibly improving healthcare outcomes. Objective To determine whether primary care access is associated with the route of emergency admission—via a GP versus via an A and E department. Methods Retrospective analysis of national administrative data from English hospitals for 2011–2012. Adults admitted in an emergency (unscheduled) for ≥1 night via a GP or an A and E department formed the study population. The measure of primary care access—the percentage of patients able to get a general practice appointment on their last attempt—was derived from a large, nationally representative patient survey. Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate associations, adjusting for patient and admission characteristics. Results The analysis included 2 322 112 emergency admissions (81.9% via an A and E department). With a 5 unit increase in the percentage of patients able to get a general practice appointment on their last attempt, the adjusted odds of GP admission (vs A and E admission) was estimated to increase by 15% (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.17). The probability of GP admission if ≥95% of appointment attempts were successful in each general practice was estimated to be 19.6%. This probability reduced to 13.6% when <80% of appointment attempts were successful. This equates to 139 673 fewer GP admissions (456 232 vs 316 559) assuming no change in the total number of admissions. Associations were consistent in direction across geographical regions of England. Conclusions Among hospital inpatients admitted as an emergency, patients

  1. Access to primary care and the route of emergency admission to hospital: retrospective analysis of national hospital administrative data.

    PubMed

    Cowling, Thomas E; Harris, Matthew; Watt, Hilary; Soljak, Michael; Richards, Emma; Gunning, Elinor; Bottle, Alex; Macinko, James; Majeed, Azeem

    2016-06-01

    The UK government is pursuing policies to improve primary care access, as many patients visit accident and emergency (A and E) departments after being unable to get suitable general practice appointments. Direct admission to hospital via a general practitioner (GP) averts A and E use, and may reduce total hospital costs. It could also enhance the continuity of information between GPs and hospital doctors, possibly improving healthcare outcomes. To determine whether primary care access is associated with the route of emergency admission-via a GP versus via an A and E department. Retrospective analysis of national administrative data from English hospitals for 2011-2012. Adults admitted in an emergency (unscheduled) for ≥1 night via a GP or an A and E department formed the study population. The measure of primary care access-the percentage of patients able to get a general practice appointment on their last attempt-was derived from a large, nationally representative patient survey. Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate associations, adjusting for patient and admission characteristics. The analysis included 2 322 112 emergency admissions (81.9% via an A and E department). With a 5 unit increase in the percentage of patients able to get a general practice appointment on their last attempt, the adjusted odds of GP admission (vs A and E admission) was estimated to increase by 15% (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.17). The probability of GP admission if ≥95% of appointment attempts were successful in each general practice was estimated to be 19.6%. This probability reduced to 13.6% when <80% of appointment attempts were successful. This equates to 139 673 fewer GP admissions (456 232 vs 316 559) assuming no change in the total number of admissions. Associations were consistent in direction across geographical regions of England. Among hospital inpatients admitted as an emergency, patients registered to more accessible general practices were more

  2. Hospital Performance Trends on National Quality Measures and the Association With Joint Commission Accreditation

    PubMed Central

    Schmaltz, Stephen P; Williams, Scott C; Chassin, Mark R; Loeb, Jerod M; Wachter, Robert M

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND Evaluations of the impact of hospital accreditation have been previously hampered by the lack of nationally standardized data. One way to assess this impact is to compare accreditation status with other evidence-based measures of quality, such as the process measures now publicly reported by The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). OBJECTIVES To examine the association between Joint Commission accreditation status and both absolute measures of, and trends in, hospital performance on publicly reported quality measures for common diseases. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS Performance data for 2004 and 2008 from U.S. acute care and critical access hospitals were obtained using publicly available CMS Hospital Compare data augmented with Joint Commission performance data. MEASUREMENTS Changes in hospital performance between 2004 and 2008, and percent of hospitals with 2008 performance exceeding 90% for 16 measures of quality-of-care and 4 summary scores. RESULTS Hospitals accredited by The Joint Commission tended to have better baseline performance in 2004 than non-accredited hospitals. Accredited hospitals had larger gains over time, and were significantly more likely to have high performance in 2008 on 13 out of 16 standardized clinical performance measures and all summary scores. CONCLUSIONS While Joint Commission-accredited hospitals already outperformed non-accredited hospitals on publicly reported quality measures in the early days of public reporting, these differences became significantly more pronounced over 5 years of observation. Future research should examine whether accreditation actually promotes improved performance or is a marker for other hospital characteristics associated with such performance. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2011;6:458–465. © 2011 Society of Hospital Medicine PMID:21990175

  3. Compliance with National Comprehensive Cancer Network anti-emesis guidelines in a Community Hospital Cancer Center.

    PubMed

    Daniel, Divya; Waddell, Aubrey

    2016-02-01

    Nausea and vomiting are common adverse events exhibited by patients receiving chemotherapy. Prophylactic use of anti-emetic agents has been shown to reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Compliance with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network anti-emesis guidelines (Version 1.2013) by practitioners in a community out-patient hospital (Blount Memorial Hospital) has been reviewed and the results are presented herein. Retrospective study of patients receiving their first cycle of chemotherapy. A total of 487 patients were reviewed from January 2005 to July 2012. In total, 70 patients were categorized in the high-risk category, 292 patients were categorized in the moderate-risk category, 60 patients were categorized in the low-risk category, and 65 patients were categorized in the minimal-risk category as per the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Included patients were being administered the first cycle of their first treatment at Blount Memorial Hospital. Data were collected retrospectively from patient chemotherapy dispensing folders. In all, 63% of the patients received appropriate anti-emetic prophylaxis medications as per the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Post-comparison between outcomes based on the risk category showed that patients in the moderate-risk category were most likely (91%) and patients in the low-risk category were least likely (6.67%) to receive appropriate anti-emetic prophylaxis as per the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Overall compliance with guidelines is acceptable. Patients in the moderate risk category are most likely to receive appropriate anti-emetic prophylaxis. © The Author(s) 2014.

  4. Distinct enough? A national examination of Catholic hospital affiliation and patient perceptions of care

    PubMed Central

    Kutney-Lee, Ann; Melendez-Torres, G.J.; McHugh, Matthew D.; Wall, Barbra Mann

    2014-01-01

    Background Catholic hospitals play a critical role in the provision of health care in the United States; yet, empirical evidence of patient outcomes in these institutions is practically absent in the literature. Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine whether patient perceptions of care are more favorable in Catholic hospitals as compared with non-Catholic hospitals in a national sample of hospitals. Methodology This cross-sectional secondary analysis used linked data from the 2008 American Hospital Association Annual Survey, the 2008 Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, the 2008 Medicare Case Mix Index file, and the 2010 Religious Congregations and Membership Study. The study included over 3,400 hospitals nationwide, including 494 Catholic hospitals. Propensity score matching and ordinary least-squares regression models were used to examine the relationship between Catholic affiliation and various HCAHPS measures. Findings Our findings revealed that patients treated in Catholic hospitals appear to rate their hospital experience similar to patients treated in non-Catholic hospitals. Catholic hospitals maintain a very slight advantage above their non-Catholic peers on five HCAHPS measures related to nurse communication, receipt of discharge information, quietness of the room at night, overall rating, and recommendation of the hospital; yet, these differences were minimal. Practice Implications If the survival of Catholic health care services is contingent upon how its provision of care is distinct, administrators of Catholic hospitals must show differences more clearly. Given the great importance of Catholic hospitals to the health of millions of patients in the United States, this study provides Catholic hospitals with a set of targeted areas on which to focus improvement efforts, especially in light of current pay-for-performance initiatives. PMID:23493045

  5. Organizational and market factors associated with leadership development programs in hospitals: a national study.

    PubMed

    Kim, Tae Hyun; Thompson, Jon M

    2012-01-01

    Effective leadership in hospitals is widely recognized as the key to organizational performance. Clinical, financial, and operational performance is increasingly being linked to the leadership practices of hospital managers. Moreover, effective leadership has been described as a means to achieve competitive advantage. Recent environmental forces, including reimbursement changes and increased competition, have prompted many hospitals to focus on building leadership competencies to successfully address these challenges. Using the resource dependence theory as our conceptual framework, we present results from a national study of hospitals examining the association of organizational and market factors with the provision of leadership development program activities, including the presence of a leadership development program, a diversity plan, a program for succession planning, and career development resources. The data are taken from the American Hospital Association's (AHA) 2008 Survey of Hospitals, the Area Resource File, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The results of multilevel logistic regressions of each leadership development program activity on organizational and market factors indicate that hospital size, system and network affiliation, and accreditation are significantly and positively associated with all leadership development program activities. The market factors significantly associated with all leadership development activities include a positive odds ratio for metropolitan statistical area location and a negative odds ratio for the percentage of the hospital's service area population that is female and minority. For-profit hospitals are less likely to provide leadership development program activities. Additional findings are presented, and the implications for hospital management are discussed.

  6. Engaging national organizations for knowledge translation: comparative case studies in knowledge value mapping.

    PubMed

    Lane, Joseph P; Rogers, Juan D

    2011-09-12

    Government sponsors of research and development, along with their funded investigators, are increasingly tasked with demonstrating evidence of knowledge use by nontraditional audiences. This requires efforts to translate their findings for effective communication. For technology-related knowledge, these audiences include clinicians, consumers, manufacturers, public policy agencies, and knowledge brokers. One potentially efficient approach is to communicate research findings through relevant national organizations. However, this requires an understanding of how such organizations view and treat research knowledge, which can be determined through knowledge-value mapping. Do knowledge values differ between national organizations representing different audiences? Can a deeper understanding of knowledge values help sponsors, investigators, and organizations better communicate research findings to stakeholders? A series of comparative case studies on knowledge-value mapping were derived through interviews with spokespersons for six national organizations. The semi-structured interviews followed a 10-item questionnaire to characterize different ways in which each organization engages with research-based knowledge. Each participating organization represents a particular stakeholder group, while all share a common interest in the research subject matter. Each national organization considers the value of the research knowledge in the context of their organization's mission and the interests of their members. All are interested in collaborating with researchers to share relevant findings, while they vary along the following dimensions of knowledge engagement: create, identify, translate, adapt, communicate, use, promote, absorptive capacity, and recommendations for facilitation. The principles of knowledge translation suggest that investigators can increase use by tailoring the format and context of their findings to the absorptive capacity of nonscholars. Greater absorption

  7. Urbanization and Spatial Organization: Hospital and Orphanage Location in Chicago, 1848-1916

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Britton, Marcus; Ocasio, William

    2007-01-01

    What factors affect where organizations locate facilities in local communities? This paper examines how urban development influenced the neighborhood location of two very different types of facilities, general hospitals and orphanages, over the 70-year period during which Chicago emerged as an urban metropolis. Our results suggest that the human…

  8. The American Organization of Nurse Executives and American Hospital Association Initiatives Work to Combat Violence.

    PubMed

    Wray, Karen

    2018-04-01

    Violence affecting healthcare workers and healthcare organizations continues to be a serious safety issue. In this Leadership Perspectives column, Karen Wray, an American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) member who has experienced a mass causality incident 1st hand, outlines AONE's continuing work to promote safety and combat violence. She discusses recent work on violence issues by the American Hospital Association, AONE's parent organization.

  9. 78 FR 6819 - Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From The Connecticut Hospital Association...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-01-31

    ..., Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850; Telephone... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From The Connecticut Hospital Association Federal Patient Safety...

  10. 78 FR 44415 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-23

    ...--Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations #0; #0; #0... Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations On July 24, 2011, by Executive Order 13581, I declared a national emergency with respect to transnational criminal...

  11. Frederick National Lab Aids Liberian Hospitals Through Project C.U.R.E. | FNLCR Staging

    Cancer.gov

    When Project C.U.R.E.'s much-needed medical supplies and equipment arrive in Liberia, the Frederick National Lab’s Kathryn Kynvin is there to receive and distribute the donations to hospitals who continue to treat survivors of the most recent Ebola

  12. A national study of nurse leadership and supports for quality improvement in rural hospitals.

    PubMed

    Paez, Kathryn; Schur, Claudia; Zhao, Lan; Lucado, Jennifer

    2013-01-01

    This study assessed the perceptions and actions of rural hospital nurse executives with regard to patient safety and quality improvement (QI). A national sample of rural hospital nurse executives (n = 300) completed a survey measuring 4 domains related to patient safety and QI: (a) patient "Safety Culture," (b) adequacy of QI "Resources," (c) "Barriers" related to QI, and (d) "Nurse Leader Engagement" in activities supporting QI. Perceptions of Safety Culture were strong but 47% of the Resources needed to carry out QI were inadequate, 29% of Barriers were moderate to major, and 25% of Nurse Leader Engagement activities were performed infrequently. Nurse Leader Engagement in quality-related activities was less frequent among nurses in isolated and small rural town hospitals compared with large rural city hospitals. To further QI, rural nurse executives may need to use their communications and actions to raise the visibility of QI.

  13. [Analysis of the patient safety culture in hospitals of the Spanish National Health System].

    PubMed

    Saturno, P J; Da Silva Gama, Z A; de Oliveira-Sousa, S L; Fonseca, Y A; de Souza-Oliveira, A C; Castillo, Carmen; López, M José; Ramón, Teresa; Carrillo, Andrés; Iranzo, M Dolores; Soria, Victor; Saturno, Pedro J; Parra, Pedro; Gomis, Rafael; Gascón, Juan José; Martinez, José; Arellano, Carmen; Gama, Zenewton A Da Silva; de Oliveira-Sousa, Silvana L; de Souza-Oliveira, Adriana C; Fonseca, Yadira A; Ferreira, Marta Sobral

    2008-12-01

    A safety culture is essential to minimize errors and adverse events. Its measurement is needed to design activities in order to improve it. This paper describes the methods and main results of a study on safety climate in a nation-wide representative sample of public hospitals of the Spanish NHS. The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of health professionals in a representative sample of 24 hospitals, proportionally stratified by hospital size. Results are analyzed to provide a description of safety climate, its strengths and weaknesses. Differences by hospital size, type of health professional and service are analyzed using ANOVA. A total of 2503 responses are analyzed (response rate: 40%, (93% from professionals with direct patient contact). A total of 50% gave patient safety a score from 6 to 8 (on a 10-point scale); 95% reported < 2 events last year. Dimensions "Teamwork within hospital units" (71.8 [1.8]) and "Supervisor/Manager expectations and actions promoting safety" (61.8 [1.7]) have the highest percentage of positive answers. "Staffing", "Teamwork across hospital units", "Overall perceptions of safety" and "Hospital management support for patient safety" could be identified as weaknesses. Significant differences by hospital size, type of professional and service suggest a generally more positive attitude in small hospitals and Pharmacy services, and a more negative one in physicians. Strengths and weaknesses of the safety climate in the hospitals of the Spanish NHS have been identified and they are used to design appropriate strategies for improvement.

  14. 21 CFR 1401.2 - The Office of National Drug Control Policy-organization and functions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false The Office of National Drug Control Policy-organization and functions. 1401.2 Section 1401.2 Food and Drugs OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION § 1401.2 The Office of National Drug Control Policy—organization and functions. (a) The Office of National Drug...

  15. Integration of Substance Abuse Treatment Organizations into Accountable Care Organizations: Results from a National Survey.

    PubMed

    D'Aunno, Thomas; Friedmann, Peter D; Chen, Qixuan; Wilson, Donna M

    2015-08-01

    To meet their aims of managing population health to improve the quality and cost of health care in the United States, accountable care organizations (ACOs) will need to focus on coordinating care for individuals with substance abuse disorders. The prevalence of these disorders is high, and these individuals often suffer from comorbid chronic medical and social conditions. This article examines the extent to which the nation's fourteen thousand specialty substance abuse treatment (SAT) organizations, which have a daily census of more than 1 million patients, are contracting with ACOs across the country; we also examine factors associated with SAT organization involvement with ACOs. We draw on data from a recent (2014) nationally representative survey of executive directors and clinical supervisors from 635 SAT organizations. Results show that only 15 percent of these organizations had signed contracts with ACOs. Results from multivariate analyses show that directors' perceptions of market competition, organizational ownership, and geographic location are significantly related to SAT involvement with ACOs. We discuss implications for integrating the SAT specialty system with the mainstream health care system. Copyright © 2015 by Duke University Press.

  16. Characterizing biobank organizations in the U.S.: results from a national survey.

    PubMed

    Henderson, Gail E; Cadigan, R Jean; Edwards, Teresa P; Conlon, Ian; Nelson, Anders G; Evans, James P; Davis, Arlene M; Zimmer, Catherine; Weiner, Bryan J

    2013-01-01

    Effective translational biomedical research hinges on the operation of 'biobanks,' repositories that assemble, store, and manage collections of human specimens and related data. Some are established intentionally to address particular research needs; many, however, have arisen opportunistically, in a variety of settings and with a variety of expectations regarding their functions and longevity. Despite their rising prominence, little is known about how biobanks are organized and function beyond simple classification systems (government, academia, industry). In 2012, we conducted the first national survey of biobanks in the U.S., collecting information on their origins, specimen collections, organizational structures, and market contexts and sustainability. From a list of 636 biobanks assembled through a multi-faceted search strategy, representatives from 456 U.S. biobanks were successfully recruited for a 30-minute online survey (72% response rate). Both closed and open-ended responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. While nearly two-thirds of biobanks were established within the last decade, 17% have been in existence for over 20 years. Fifty-three percent listed research on a particular disease as the most important reason for establishment; 29% listed research generally. Other reasons included response to a grant or gift, and intent to centralize, integrate, or harmonize existing research structures. Biobank collections are extraordinarily diverse in number and types of specimens and in sources (often multiple) from which they are obtained, including from individuals, clinics or hospitals, public health programs, and research studies. Forty-four percent of biobanks store pediatric specimens, and 36% include postmortem specimens. Most biobanks are affiliated in one or multiple ways with other entities: 88% are part of at least one or more larger organizations (67% of these are academic, 23% hospitals, 13% research institutes). The majority of biobanks

  17. ORGAN EXTRACTS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHIATRY: HORMONAL TREATMENTS AT THE MAUDSLEY HOSPITAL 1923–1938

    PubMed Central

    Evans, Bonnie; Jones, Edgar

    2012-01-01

    The use of organ extracts to treat psychiatric disorder in the interwar period is an episode in the history of psychiatry which has largely been forgotten. An analysis of case-notes from The Maudsley Hospital from the period 1923–1938 shows that the prescription of extracts taken from animal testes, ovaries, thyroids, and other organs was widespread within this London Hospital. This article explores the way in which Maudsley doctors justified these treatments by tying together psychological theories of the unconscious with experimental data drawn from laboratory studies of human organs. It explores the logic behind these treatments and examines beliefs about their efficacy. The connection between this historical episode and current research in endocrinology and psychology is explored. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:22644956

  18. The Case of the Suzhou Hospital of National Medicine (1939–41): War, Medicine, and Eastern Civilization

    PubMed Central

    Daidoji, Keiko; Karchmer, Eric I.

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the founding of the Suzhou Hospital of National Medicine in 1939 during the Japanese occupation of Suzhou. We argue that the hospital was the culmination of a period of rich intellectual exchange between traditional Chinese and Japanese physicians in the early twentieth century and provides important insights into the modern development of medicine in both countries. The founding of this hospital was followed closely by leading Japanese Kampo physicians. As the Japanese empire expanded into East Asia, they hoped that they could revitalize their profession at home by disseminating their unique interpretations of the famous Treatise on Cold Damage 傷寒論 abroad. The Chinese doctors that founded the Suzhou Hospital of National Medicine were close readers of Japanese scholarship on the Treatise and were inspired to experiment with a Japanese approach to diagnosis, based on new interpretations of the concept of “presentation” (shō / zheng 證). Unfortunately, the Sino-Japanese War cut short this fascinating dialogue on reforming medicine and set the traditional medicine professions in both countries on new nationalist trajectories. PMID:29104703

  19. Work organization research at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

    PubMed

    Rosenstock, L

    1997-01-01

    For 25 years, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted and sponsored laboratory, field, and epidemiological studies that have helped define the role of work organization factors in occupational safety and health. Research has focused on the health effects of specific job conditions, occupational stressors in specific occupations, occupational difference in the incidence of stressors and stress-related disorders, and intervention strategies. NIOSH and the American Psychological Association have formalized the concept of occupational health psychology and developed a postdoctoral training program. The National Occupational Research Agenda recognizes organization of work as one of 21 national occupational safety and health research priority areas. Future research should focus on industries, occupations, and populations at special risk; the impact of work organization on overall health; the identification of healthy organization characteristics; and the development of intervention strategies.

  20. [Work organization of the Civic Hospital in Split during the Second World War (1941-1945)].

    PubMed

    Brisky, Livia

    2011-01-01

    In the first half of the 20th century, Civic Hospital in Split intensified its formation towards health institution in the modern sense. The need for competent physicians and specialized experts, heads of the individual hospital departments, also became in Split Hospital the part of the global process of disintegration of medicine into the direction of medical specializations. The aim of this study was to investigate the function of the Civic Hospital in Split during the Second World War on the basis of the archival sources preserved in the State Archives in Split. The work organization, the names of the physicians and detailed arrangements of hospital beds were presented, as well as the increase of its capacity during analyzed period.Great attention was also dedicated to the foundation of new hospital departments. This study revealed the development of the Civic Hospital in Split between 1941 and 1945 which could offer complete medical care to the sick and wounded persons.

  1. Improving donation outcomes: hospital development and the Rapid Assessment of Hospital Procurement Barriers in Donation.

    PubMed

    Siminoff, Laura A; Traino, Heather M

    2009-06-01

    Deficiencies in the donation process continue to contribute to the shortage of organs available for transplant. Continuous quality improvement of hospitals' donation processes is needed to identify and correct the problems. To test the Rapid Assessment of Hospital Procurement Barriers in Donation (RAPiD), a direct observation technique with a focused ethnographic strategy, for assessing hospitals' donation processes and identifying areas in need of continuous quality improvement interventions. A pre-post assessment of hospitals' barriers to patient identification and referral, and family consent to donation. Seventeen hospitals within the catchment area of a Northeastern organ procurement organization were assessed by using the RAPiD method. Hospital administrators, health care providers, and staff (N = 537) were interviewed as part of the assessments. Interventions, including on-site training and education, and the use of in-house coordinators, were specifically tailored to each hospital's unique set of barriers to donation. The interventions were delivered to the hospitals in the form of recommendations. The participating organ procurement organization was responsible for implementation of the interventions. The RAPiD hospital evaluations revealed gaps in respondents' knowledge of organ donation, brain death, and referral criteria; a reluctance to declare brain death; and a rocky relationship between the hospitals and the organ procurement organization. As a result of the interventions, 9 hospitals' environments for organ donation improved, 7 showed no change, and 1 was worse.

  2. National Electric Sector Cybersecurity Organization Resource (NESCOR)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None, None

    The goal of the National Electric Sector Cybersecurity Organization Resource (NESCOR) project was to address cyber security issues for the electric sector, particularly in the near and mid-term. The following table identifies the strategies from the DOE Roadmap to Achieve Energy Delivery Systems Cybersecurity published in September 2011 that are applicable to the NESCOR project.

  3. 78 FR 61154 - National Organic Program (NOP); Sunset Review (2013)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-03

    ..., National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), certified organic acreage exceeded 3.5 million acres in... growth over 2010 sales.\\3\\ \\2\\ U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service... 3 Inerts: (1) Modification to the introductory text at section 205.601(m); (2) amending the listing...

  4. Strategic activity and financial performance of U.S. rural hospitals: a national study, 1983 to 1988.

    PubMed

    Mick, S S; Morlock, L L; Salkever, D; de Lissovoy, G; Malitz, F; Wise, C G; Jones, A

    1994-01-01

    This study examines the effect of 13 strategic management activities on the financial performance of a national sample of 797 U.S. rural hospitals during the period of 1983-1988. Controlled for environment-market, geographic-region, and hospital-related variables, the results show almost no measurable effect of strategic adoption on rural hospital profitability and liquidity. Where statistically significant relationships existed, they were more often negative than positive. These findings were not expected; it was hypothesized that positive effects across a broad range of strategies would emerge, other things being equal. Discussed are possible explanations for these findings as well as their implication for a rural health policy relying on individual rural hospital strategic adaptation to environmental change.

  5. Trends in Periprosthetic Hip Infection and Associated Costs: A Population-Based Study Assessing the Impact of Hospital Factors Using National Data.

    PubMed

    Brochin, Robert L; Phan, Kevin; Poeran, Jashvant; Zubizarreta, Nicole; Galatz, Leesa M; Moucha, Calin S

    2018-07-01

    Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is an important cost driver in hip arthroplasty revisions, thus necessitating careful trend monitoring. Recent national trend data are lacking; we therefore assessed national PJI burden, trends in prevalence, and hospitalization costs. We extracted data on hip arthroplasty revisions from the National Inpatient Sample (2003-2013; n = 465,209). Trends in PJI prevalence and hospitalization costs were (1) assessed for the full cohort and (2) stratified by hospital teaching status, hospital bed size (≤299, 300-499, and ≥500 beds), and hospital region (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West). The Cochran-Armitage trend test (PJI prevalence) and linear regression (hospitalization costs) determined significance of trends. Trends were adjusted for patient's age, gender, insurance type, race, Deyo-Charlson comorbidities, obesity, length of stay, and hospital characteristics. Overall, PJI prevalence was 15.0% (n = 70,011); adjusted prevalence increased from 13.1% in 2003 to 16.4% in 2013 (P < .0001), while adjusted median PJI hospitalization costs increased from $28,240 in 2003 to $31,529 in 2013 (P < .0001). Rural hospitals had the lowest PJI burden (12.5%; n = 4,525), while urban and teaching hospitals had the highest PJI burden (16.4%; n = 40,297). The stratified analyses, particularly in large hospitals (>500 beds), showed that PJI prevalence increased from 13.0% (2003) to 17.4% (2013; a 33.8% increase; P < .0001). Similarly, PJI revision hospitalization costs increased from a median of $27,490 (2003) to $31,312 (2013; a 14% increase; P < .0001). The burden of PJI in hip arthroplasty revision is increasing and-while additional research is needed-there appears to be a particular shift of revision burden to larger hospitals with increasing costs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Evaluating ambulatory care training in Firoozgar hospital based on Iranian national standards of undergraduate medical education

    PubMed Central

    Sabzghabaei, Foroogh; Salajeghe, Mahla; Soltani Arabshahi, Seyed Kamran

    2017-01-01

    Background: In this study, ambulatory care training in Firoozgar hospital was evaluated based on Iranian national standards of undergraduate medical education related to ambulatory education using Baldrige Excellence Model. Moreover, some suggestions were offered to promote education quality in the current condition of ambulatory education in Firoozgar hospital and national standards using the gap analysis method. Methods: This descriptive analytic study was a kind of evaluation research performed using the standard check lists published by the office of undergraduate medical education council. Data were collected through surveying documents, interviewing, and observing the processes based on the Baldrige Excellence Model. After confirming the validity and reliability of the check lists, we evaluated the establishment level of the national standards of undergraduate medical education in the clinics of this hospital in the 4 following domains: educational program, evaluation, training and research resources, and faculty members. Data were analyzed according to the national standards of undergraduate medical education related to ambulatory education and the Baldrige table for scoring. Finally, the quality level of the current condition was determined as very appropriate, appropriate, medium, weak, and very weak. Results: In domains of educational program 62%, in evaluation 48%, in training and research resources 46%, in faculty members 68%, and in overall ratio, 56% of the standards were appropriate. Conclusion: The most successful domains were educational program and faculty members, but evaluation and training and research resources domains had a medium performance. Some domains and indicators were determined as weak and their quality needed to be improved, so it is suggested to provide the necessary facilities and improvements by attending to the quality level of the national standards of ambulatory education PMID:29951400

  7. 77 FR 44429 - National Organic Program (NOP); Sunset Review (2012); Correction

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-30

    ...-01FR] RIN 0581-AC96 National Organic Program (NOP); Sunset Review (2012); Correction AGENCY... used as ingredients in processed products labeled as ``organic'' if organic forms are not commercially... requirements, Seals and insignia, Soil conservation. Accordingly, 7 CFR part 205 is corrected by making the...

  8. 78 FR 56811 - National Organic Program-Sunset Process

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-16

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service 7 CFR Part 205 [Document Number AMS-NOP-13-0057; NOP-13-03] National Organic Program--Sunset Process AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notification of sunset process. SUMMARY: This document describes the sunset review and...

  9. 29 CFR 452.27 - National, international organizations, and intermediate bodies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... bodies. 452.27 Section 452.27 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor OFFICE OF LABOR-MANAGEMENT STANDARDS..., international organizations, and intermediate bodies. The officers of a national or international labor organization or of an intermediate body must be elected either directly by secret ballot among the members in...

  10. 29 CFR 452.27 - National, international organizations, and intermediate bodies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... bodies. 452.27 Section 452.27 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor OFFICE OF LABOR-MANAGEMENT STANDARDS..., international organizations, and intermediate bodies. The officers of a national or international labor organization or of an intermediate body must be elected either directly by secret ballot among the members in...

  11. 75 FR 13484 - Nominations for Members of the National Organic Standards Board

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-22

    ... seq.), requires the Secretary to establish an organic certification program for producers and handlers... experience and interest in organic production; organic certification; support of consumer and public interest...] Nominations for Members of the National Organic Standards Board AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA...

  12. Engaging national organizations for knowledge translation: Comparative case studies in knowledge value mapping

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Government sponsors of research and development, along with their funded investigators, are increasingly tasked with demonstrating evidence of knowledge use by nontraditional audiences. This requires efforts to translate their findings for effective communication. For technology-related knowledge, these audiences include clinicians, consumers, manufacturers, public policy agencies, and knowledge brokers. One potentially efficient approach is to communicate research findings through relevant national organizations. However, this requires an understanding of how such organizations view and treat research knowledge, which can be determined through knowledge-value mapping. Do knowledge values differ between national organizations representing different audiences? Can a deeper understanding of knowledge values help sponsors, investigators, and organizations better communicate research findings to stakeholders? Methods A series of comparative case studies on knowledge-value mapping were derived through interviews with spokespersons for six national organizations. The semi-structured interviews followed a 10-item questionnaire to characterize different ways in which each organization engages with research-based knowledge. Each participating organization represents a particular stakeholder group, while all share a common interest in the research subject matter. Results Each national organization considers the value of the research knowledge in the context of their organization's mission and the interests of their members. All are interested in collaborating with researchers to share relevant findings, while they vary along the following dimensions of knowledge engagement: create, identify, translate, adapt, communicate, use, promote, absorptive capacity, and recommendations for facilitation. Conclusions The principles of knowledge translation suggest that investigators can increase use by tailoring the format and context of their findings to the absorptive

  13. Effect of multidisciplinary disease management for hospitalized heart failure under a national health insurance programme.

    PubMed

    Mao, Chun-Tai; Liu, Min-Hui; Hsu, Kuang-Hung; Fu, Tieh-Cheng; Wang, Jong-Shyan; Huang, Yu-Yen; Yang, Ning-I; Wang, Chao-Hung

    2015-09-01

    Multidisciplinary disease management programmes (MDPs) for heart failure have been shown to be effective in Western countries. However, it is not known whether they improve outcomes in a high population density country with a national health insurance programme. In total, 349 patients hospitalized because of heart failure were randomized into control and MDP groups. All-cause death and re-hospitalization related to heart failure were analyzed. The median follow-up period was approximately 2 years. Mean patient age was 60 years; 31% were women; and 50% of patients had coronary artery disease. MDP was associated with fewer all-cause deaths [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.27-0.91, P = 0.02] and heart failure-related re-hospitalizations (HR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.25-0.77, P = 0.004). MDP was still associated with better outcomes for all-cause death (HR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.29-0.98, P = 0.04) and heart failure-related re-hospitalization (HR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.26-0.81, P = 0.007), after adjusting for age, diuretics, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, sodium, and albumin. However, MDPs' effect on all-cause mortality and heart failure-related re-hospitalization was significantly attenuated after adjusting for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers or β-blockers. A stratified analysis showed that MDP combined with guideline-based medication had synergistic effects. MDP is effective in lowering all-cause mortality and re-hospitalization rates related to heart failure under a national health insurance programme. MDP synergistically improves the effectiveness of guidelines-based medications for heart failure.

  14. Influence of Obesity Diagnosis With Organ Dysfunction, Mortality, and Resource Use Among Children Hospitalized With Infection in the United States.

    PubMed

    Maley, Nidhi; Gebremariam, Achamyeleh; Odetola, Folafoluwa; Singer, Kanakadurga

    2017-06-01

    Sepsis induces inflammation in response to infection and is a major cause of mortality and hospitalization in children. Obesity induces chronic inflammation leading to many clinical manifestations. Our understanding of the impact of obesity on diseases, such as infection and sepsis, is limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of obesity with organ dysfunction, mortality, duration, and charges during among US children hospitalized with infection. Retrospective study of hospitalizations in children with infection aged 0 to 20 years, using the 2009 Kids' Inpatient Database. Of 3.4 million hospitalizations, 357 701 were for infection, 5685 of which were reported as obese children. Obese patients had higher rates of organ dysfunction (7.35% vs 5.5%, P < .01), longer hospital stays (4.1 vs 3.5 days, P < .001), and accrued higher charges (US$29 019 vs US$21 200, P < .001). In multivariable analysis, mortality did not differ by obesity status (odds ratio: 0.56, 95% confidence interval: 0.23-1.34), however severity of illness modified the association between obesity status and the other outcomes. While there was no difference in in-hospital mortality by obesity diagnosis, variation in organ dysfunction, hospital stay, and hospital charges according to obesity status was mediated by illness severity. Findings from this study have significant implications for targeted approaches to mitigate the burden of obesity on infection and sepsis.

  15. The National Study of Charter Management Organization (CMO) Effectiveness. Report on Interim Findings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lake, Robin; Dusseault, Brianna; Bowen, Melissa; Demeritt, Allison; Hill, Paul

    2010-01-01

    The National Study of CMO (charter management organizations) Effectiveness is a national, longitudinal research effort designed to measure how nonprofit charter school management organizations (CMOs) affect student achievement, and to examine the internal structures, practices, and policy contexts that may influence these outcomes. The study began…

  16. Multinational operations of US for-profit hospital chains: trends and implications.

    PubMed Central

    Berliner, H S; Regan, C

    1987-01-01

    The expansion of United States for-profit hospital chains into the international arena is a new and important development. Experiences with contract management of middle eastern hospitals in the early 1970s gave the American firms impetus to pursue ownership of health facilities in other parts of the world. US companies now operate over 95 foreign hospitals. The reasons for this involvement include the political receptivity of the government of the host nation; the potential for rapid growth and profits; the lack of indigenous competition; and the ability to occupy a distinct niche within the extant health services organization. The political and ideological implications of the growth of private medicine, particularly in the United Kingdom, in terms of its effects on the National Health Service are discussed. Questions for future research are posed. PMID:3631360

  17. Intentionality of organ/tissues donation for transplantation within a Brazilian hospital complex.

    PubMed

    Houri, L F; de Oliveira, C D; de Souza, C V; de Moura, M R; de Araújo Ferreira, L M; Oliveira, V D M M; Pereira, W A

    2012-10-01

    Considering the challenges faced by members of the Intrahospital Committee of Organ and Tissue Donation for Transplantation (CIHDOTT) of a Brazilian hospital complex in Santa Casa of Belo Horizonte in the execution of multiple donations of organs and tissues, this study aimed to investigate the issues involved in the intention to donate within this population. This research sought to promote the work of CIHDOTT by planning strategies for conducting of family interviews to best meet the needs of this population, thereby contributing to reduce the wait-list for transplantations in this state hospital of Minas Gerais. The survey was performed by applying a standard questionnaire to 602 respondents comprising patients and families/caregivers. The analysis of the collected data was developed from studies of contingency tables based on chi- square and Fisher exact tests. The analysis revealed that 94% of the population to be favorable to donation. It also showed a significant influence of the following factors to determining the likelihood of organ donation: knowledge of religion (35%), spouse's opinion (17%), as well as belief in the possibility of interference or delay of the funeral as a result of donation (6%). Although the population expressed a willingness to donate, there were significant contravening factors that may be addressed by professional training and informational activities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Timing of surgery for hip fracture and in-hospital mortality: a retrospective population-based cohort study in the Spanish National Health System

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background While the benefits or otherwise of early hip fracture repair is a long-running controversy with studies showing contradictory results, this practice is being adopted as a quality indicator in several health care organizations. The aim of this study is to analyze the association between early hip fracture repair and in-hospital mortality in elderly people attending public hospitals in the Spanish National Health System and, additionally, to explore factors associated with the decision to perform early hip fracture repair. Methods A cohort of 56,500 patients of 60-years-old and over, hospitalized for hip fracture during the period 2002 to 2005 in all the public hospitals in 8 Spanish regions, were followed up using administrative databases to identify the time to surgical repair and in-hospital mortality. We used a multivariate logistic regression model to analyze the relationship between the timing of surgery (< 2 days from admission) and in-hospital mortality, controlling for several confounding factors. Results Early surgery was performed on 25% of the patients. In the unadjusted analysis early surgery showed an absolute difference in risk of mortality of 0.57 (from 4.42% to 3.85%). However, patients undergoing delayed surgery were older and had higher comorbidity and severity of illness. Timeliness for surgery was not found to be related to in-hospital mortality once confounding factors such as age, sex, chronic comorbidities as well as the severity of illness were controlled for in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions Older age, male gender, higher chronic comorbidity and higher severity measured by the Risk Mortality Index were associated with higher mortality, but the time to surgery was not. PMID:22257790

  19. Directory of National Organizations Concerned with Land Pollution Control, 1971.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freed Publishing Co., New York, NY.

    Included in this directory are 204 national organizations, agencies, institutes, and/or private groups concerned with the reduction or prevention of land pollution. Arranged in alphabetical order, each annotation gives the complete name of the organization, its address, telephone number, person to contact, and a short description of the scope of…

  20. [National organization of forensic medicine in France].

    PubMed

    Chariot, Patrick

    2012-06-01

    Forensic medicine has long been characterized, in France, by diverse medical practices, which affected its recognition and development. A change was needed, Harmonization procedure includes the development of professional guidelines and allows forensic medicine to look at itself. However, the implementation of the recommendations is still far from complete. A national reform came into effect on 15 January 2011 and has defined a national reform of forensic medicine which includes funding by global budgets instead of fee-for-service. This reform allows easier organization and identification of forensic medicine units. One year later, tangible results are mixed. Forensic medicine is now more clearly identified but properly defined funding criteria are still lacking.

  1. Incidence of chemotherapy-related tumour lysis syndrome at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi.

    PubMed

    Busakhala, W; Joshi, M D; Abinya, N O; Amayo, A; Abwao, H O

    2007-03-01

    To estimate the magnitude of laboratory defined Tumour Lysis Syndrome (TLS) at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), identify its pattern of presentation, resolution, and determine the biochemical outcome of affected patients. Prospective patient-treatment cohort study. Kenyatta National Referral and Teaching Hospital, between November 2004 and April 2005. One hundred and forty two patients receiving first course chemotherapy. Laboratory defined Tumour Lysis Syndrome (TLS). One hundred and eleven patients completed the study protocol. Forty two patients (37.8%) developed TLS. The incidence in haematological malignancies was 75.5% while in non-haematological malignancies was 3.6%. Hyperphosphataemia and hyperkalaemia were the most consistent diagnostic parameters while hyperuricaemia occurred in only one patient. No patient developed hypocalcaemia. Ninety five percent of patients developed TLS within the first three days of receiving chemotherapy while 55% resolved in the first week. Two TLS case mortalities occurred. The incidence of TLS in this cohort study was 38%, and was highest among haematological malignancies. No cases occurred in breast cancer patients. Majority of the cases were diagnosed on the basis of increase in serum phosphate and potassium; uric acid did not rise predominantly due to prophylactic uricosuric therapy. A majority (95%) developed within three days of commencing chemotherapy.

  2. [Production chain supply management for public hospitals: a logistical approach to healthcare].

    PubMed

    Infante, Maria; dos Santos, Maria Angélica Borges

    2007-01-01

    Despite their importance for hospital operations, discussions of healthcare organization logistics and supply and materials management are notably lacking in Brazilian literature. This paper describes a methodology for organizing the supply of medical materials in public hospitals, based on an action-research approach. Interventions were based on the assumption that a significant portion of problems in Brazil's National Health System (SUS) facilities derive from the fact that their clinical and administrative departments do not see themselves as belonging to the same production chain - neither the hospital nor the supply department is aware of what the other produces. The development of the methodology and its main steps are presented and discussed, against a background of recent literature and total quality and supply chain management concepts.

  3. Regional supply of outreach service and length of stay in psychiatric hospital among patients with schizophrenia: National case mix data analysis in Japan.

    PubMed

    Niimura, Junko; Nakanishi, Miharu; Yamasaki, Syudo; Nishida, Atsushi

    2017-12-01

    Several clinical trials have demonstrated that linkage to an outreach service can prevent prolonged length of stay of patients at psychiatric hospitals. However, there has been no investigation of the association between length of stay in psychiatric hospital and regional supply of outreach services using national case mix data. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between length of stay in psychiatric hospital and regional supply of outreach services. We used data from the National Patient Survey in Japan, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of inpatient care conducted every three years from 1996 to 2014. Data from 42,268 patients with schizophrenia who had been admitted to psychiatric hospitals were analyzed. After controlling for patient and regional characteristics, patients in regions with fewer number of visits for psychiatric nursing care at home had significantly longer length of stay in psychiatric hospitals. This finding implies that enhancement of the regional supply of outreach services would prevent prolonged length of stay in psychiatric hospitals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. [The experience of organization of medical care of patients with acute coronary syndrome in multi-type hospital].

    PubMed

    Zagidullin, B I; Khairullin, I I; Stanichenko, N S; Zagidullin, I M; Zagidullin, N Sh

    2016-01-01

    In Naberezhnye Chelny, a number of structural and technological reformations of service of emergency medical care was implemented in 2009-2012. The reformation manifested in organization of unified emergency center of medical care of patients with acute coronary syndrome; joining up of cardiological departments of two hospitals; organization of X-ray surgical department; enhancement of logistics of admission department and interaction with emergency medical care; optimization of mode of medical care rendering at pre-hospital and hospital stages. The implemented reforms permitted increasing accessibility and timeliness of reperfusion therapy under acute coronary syndrome; to implement transcutaneous coronary interventions into practice and increase their number annually; to decrease “door-balloon” index up to 30-40%. As a result, lethality of acute myocardium infarction decreased from 12 to 3 to 5.8% in 2010-2014.

  5. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of July 19, 2013 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations On July 24, 2011, by Executive Order 1358...

  6. National Trends in Hospitalizations for Opioid Poisonings Among Children and Adolescents, 1997 to 2012.

    PubMed

    Gaither, Julie R; Leventhal, John M; Ryan, Sheryl A; Camenga, Deepa R

    2016-12-01

    National data show a parallel relationship between recent trends in opioid prescribing practices and hospitalizations for opioid poisonings in adults. No similar estimates exist describing hospitalizations for opioid poisonings in children and adolescents. To describe the incidence and characteristics of hospitalizations attributed to opioid poisonings in children and adolescents. Retrospective analysis of serial cross-sectional data from a nationally representative sample of US pediatric hospital discharge records collected every 3 years from January 1, 1997, through December 31, 2012. The Kids' Inpatient Database was used to identify 13 052 discharge records for patients aged 1 to 19 years who were hospitalized for opioid poisonings. Data were analyzed within the collection time frame. Poisonings attributed to prescription opioids were identified by codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification. In adolescents aged 15 to 19 years, poisonings attributed to heroin were also identified. Census estimates were used to calculate incidence per 100 000 population. The Cochran-Armitage test for trend was used to assess for changes in incidence over time. From 1997 to 2012, a total of 13 052 (95% CI, 12 500-13 604) hospitalizations for prescription opioid poisonings were identified. The annual incidence of hospitalizations for opioid poisonings per 100 000 children aged 1 to 19 years rose from 1.40 (95% CI, 1.24-1.56) to 3.71 (95% CI, 3.44-3.98), an increase of 165% (P for trend, <.001). Among children 1 to 4 years of age, the incidence increased from 0.86 (95% CI, 0.60-1.12) to 2.62 (95% CI, 2.17-3.08), an increase of 205% (P for trend, <.001). For adolescents aged 15 to 19 years, the incidence increased from 3.69 (95% CI, 3.20-4.17) to 10.17 (95% CI, 9.48-10.85), an increase of 176% (P for trend, <.001). In this age group, poisonings from heroin increased from 0.96 (95% CI, 0.75-1.18) to 2.51 (95% CI, 2

  7. Assessing performance of Botswana’s public hospital system: the use of the World Health Organization Health System Performance Assessment Framework

    PubMed Central

    Seitio-Kgokgwe, Onalenna; Gauld, Robin DC; Hill, Philip C; Barnett, Pauline

    2014-01-01

    Background: Very few studies have assessed performance of Botswana public hospitals. We draw from a large research study assessing performance of the Botswana Ministry of Health (MoH) to evaluate the performance of public hospital system using the World Health Organization Health Systems Performance Assessment Framework (WHO HSPAF). We aimed to evaluate performance of Botswana public hospital system; relate findings of the assessment to the potential for improvements in hospital performance; and determine the usefulness of the WHO HSPAF in assessing performance of hospital systems in a developing country. Methods: This article is based on data collected from document analysis, 54 key informants comprising senior managers and staff of the MoH (N= 40) and senior officers from stakeholder organizations (N= 14), and surveys of 42 hospital managers and 389 health workers. Data from documents and transcripts were analyzed using content and thematic analysis while data analysis for surveys was descriptive determining proportions and percentages. Results: The organizational structure of the Botswana’s public hospital system, authority and decision-making are highly centralized. Overall physical access to health services is high. However, challenges in the distribution of facilities and inpatient beds create inequities and inefficiencies. Capacity of the hospitals to deliver services is limited by inadequate resources. There are significant challenges with the quality of care. Conclusion: While Botswana invested considerably in building hospitals around the country resulting in high physical access to services, the organization and governance of the hospital system, and inadequate resources limit service delivery. The ongoing efforts to decentralize management of hospitals to district level entities should be expedited. The WHO HSPAF enabled us to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the public hospital system. Though relatively new, this approach proved useful in this

  8. National Variation in Costs and Mortality for Leukodystrophy Patients in U.S. Children’s Hospitals

    PubMed Central

    Brimley, Cameron J; Lopez, Jonathan; van Haren, Keith; Wilkes, Jacob; Sheng, Xiaoming; Nelson, Clint; Korgenski, E. Kent; Srivastava, Rajendu; Bonkowsky, Joshua L.

    2013-01-01

    Background Inherited leukodystrophies are progressive, debilitating neurological disorders with few treatment options and high mortality rates. Our objective was to determine national variation in the costs for leukodystrophy patients, and to evaluate differences in their care. Methods We developed an algorithm to identify inherited leukodystrophy patients in de-identified data sets using a recursive tree model based on ICD-9 CM diagnosis and procedure charge codes. Validation of the algorithm was performed independently at two institutions, and with data from the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) of 43 U.S. children’s hospitals, for a seven year time period, 2004–2010. Results A recursive algorithm was developed and validated, based on six ICD-9 codes and one procedure code, that had a sensitivity up to 90% (range 61–90%) and a specificity up to 99% (range 53–99%) for identifying inherited leukodystrophy patients. Inherited leukodystrophy patients comprise 0.4% of admissions to children’s hospitals and 0.7% of costs. Over seven years these patients required $411 million of hospital care, or $131,000/patient. Hospital costs for leukodystrophy patients varied at different institutions, ranging from 2 to 15 times more than the average pediatric patient. There was a statistically significant correlation between higher volume and increased cost efficiency. Increased mortality rates had an inverse relationship with increased patient volume that was not statistically significant. Conclusions We developed and validated a code-based algorithm for identifying leukodystrophy patients in deidentified national datasets. Leukodystrophy patients account for $59 million of costs yearly at children’s hospitals. Our data highlight potential to reduce unwarranted variability and improve patient care. PMID:23953952

  9. In-Hospital Economic Burden of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma in France in the Era of Targeted Therapies: Analysis of the French National Hospital Database from 2008 to 2013.

    PubMed

    Maroun, Rana; Maunoury, Franck; Benjamin, Laure; Nachbaur, Gaëlle; Durand-Zaleski, Isabelle

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the economic burden of hospitalisations for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), to describe the patterns of prescribing expensive drugs and to explore the impact of geographic and socio-demographic factors on the use of these drugs. We performed a retrospective analysis from the French national hospitals database. Hospital stays for mRCC between 2008 and 2013 were identified by combining the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes for renal cell carcinoma (C64) and codes for metastases (C77 to C79). Incident cases were identified out of all hospital stays and followed till December 2013. Descriptive analyses were performed with a focus on hospital stays and patient characteristics. Costs were assessed from the perspective of the French National Health Insurance and were obtained from official diagnosis-related group tariffs for public and private hospitals. A total of 15,752 adult patients were hospitalised for mRCC, corresponding to 102,613 hospital stays. Of those patients, 68% were men and the median age at first hospitalisation was 69 years [Min-Max: 18-102]. Over the study period, the hospital mortality rate reached 37%. The annual cost of managing mRCC at hospital varied between 28M€ in 2008 and 42M€ in 2012 and was mainly driven by inpatient costs. The mean annual per capita cost of hospital management of mRCC varied across the study period from 8,993€ (SD: €8,906) in 2008 to 10,216€ (SD: €10,527) in 2012. Analysis of the determinants of prescribing expensive drugs at hospital did not show social or territorial differences in the use of these drugs. This study is the first to investigate the in-hospital economic burden of mRCC in France. Results showed that in-hospital costs of managing mRCC are mainly driven by expensive drugs and inpatient costs.

  10. ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in hospital settings: monitoring and patient education--2003.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, Craig A; Schneider, Philip J; Scheckelhoff, Douglas J

    2004-03-01

    Results of the 2003 ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in hospital settings that pertain to monitoring and patient education are presented. A stratified random sample of pharmacy directors at 1173 general and children's medical-surgical hospitals in the United States was surveyed by mail. SMG Marketing Group, Inc., supplied data on hospital characteristics; the survey sample was drawn from SMG's hospital database. The response rate was 47.1%. Virtually all hospitals (95.3%) had pharmacists regularly monitoring medication therapy in some capacity. Patient monitoring has improved since 2000; fewer respondents reported monitoring less than 25% of patients in the hospital, and most hospitals reported an increase in the amount of time pharmacists devoted to monitoring activities. Pharmacists were provided computer access to laboratory information in 78% of hospitals to facilitate this function. Detection and reporting of adverse drug events (ADEs) have substantially increased since 1999, with an increase of 42% in events reported internally. Strategies to improve ADE reporting were in place in 84% of hospitals, indicating that pharmacists are adopting the widely recommended philosophy of learning from errors. Errors were less widely reported externally, limiting the value of aggregated data for improving the medication-use process. Most hospitals (85.5%) had an interprofessional infrastructure in place to discuss and learn from voluntary reports of ADEs. Medication counseling continued to be relatively infrequent, with nearly three fourths of hospitals reporting fewer than 26% of inpatients received medication education. Pharmacist staffing in hospitals has risen significantly, from an average of 8.6 full-time equivalents (FTEs) in 2002 to 9.4 FTEs per hospital. Vacancy rates for pharmacists decreased from 7.3% in 2002 to 43%. It is now estimated that there are 1846 vacancies in hospital pharmacies. Notable improvements in hospital pharmacy practice have been

  11. State of infection prevention in US hospitals enrolled in the National Health and Safety Network.

    PubMed

    Stone, Patricia W; Pogorzelska-Maziarz, Monika; Herzig, Carolyn T A; Weiner, Lindsey M; Furuya, E Yoko; Dick, Andrew; Larson, Elaine

    2014-02-01

    This report provides a national cross-sectional snapshot of infection prevention and control programs and clinician compliance with the implementation of processes to prevent health care-associated infections (HAIs) in intensive care units (ICUs). All hospitals, except Veterans Affairs hospitals, enrolled in the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) were eligible to participate. Participation involved completing a survey assessing the presence of evidence-based prevention policies and clinician adherence and joining our NHSN research group. Descriptive statistics were computed. Facility characteristics and HAI rates by ICU type were compared between respondents and nonrespondents. Of the 3,374 eligible hospitals, 975 provided data (29% response rate) on 1,653 ICUs, and there were complete data on the presence of policies in 1,534 ICUs. The average number of infection preventionists (IPs) per 100 beds was 1.2. Certification of IP staff varied across institutions, and the average hours per week devoted to data management and secretarial support were generally low. There was variation in the presence of policies and clinician adherence to these policies. There were no differences in HAI rates between respondents and nonrespondents. Guidelines for IP staffing in acute care hospitals need to be updated. In future work, we will analyze the associations between HAI rates and infection prevention and control program characteristics, as well as the inplementation of and clinician adherence to evidence-based policies. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. The national database of hospital-based cancer registries: a nationwide infrastructure to support evidence-based cancer care and cancer control policy in Japan.

    PubMed

    Higashi, Takahiro; Nakamura, Fumiaki; Shibata, Akiko; Emori, Yoshiko; Nishimoto, Hiroshi

    2014-01-01

    Monitoring the current status of cancer care is essential for effective cancer control and high-quality cancer care. To address the information needs of patients and physicians in Japan, hospital-based cancer registries are operated in 397 hospitals designated as cancer care hospitals by the national government. These hospitals collect information on all cancer cases encountered in each hospital according to precisely defined coding rules. The Center for Cancer Control and Information Services at the National Cancer Center supports the management of the hospital-based cancer registry by providing training for tumor registrars and by developing and maintaining the standard software and continuing communication, which includes mailing lists, a customizable web site and site visits. Data from the cancer care hospitals are submitted annually to the Center, compiled, and distributed as the National Cancer Statistics Report. The report reveals the national profiles of patient characteristics, route to discovery, stage distribution, and first-course treatments of the five major cancers in Japan. A system designed to follow up on patient survival will soon be established. Findings from the analyses will reveal characteristics of designated cancer care hospitals nationwide and will show how characteristics of patients with cancer in Japan differ from those of patients with cancer in other countries. The database will provide an infrastructure for future clinical and health services research and will support quality measurement and improvement of cancer care. Researchers and policy-makers in Japan are encouraged to take advantage of this powerful tool to enhance cancer control and their clinical practice.

  13. The impact of safety organizing, trusted leadership, and care pathways on reported medication errors in hospital nursing units.

    PubMed

    Vogus, Timothy J; Sutcliffe, Kathleen M

    2011-01-01

    Prior research has found that safety organizing behaviors of registered nurses (RNs) positively impact patient safety. However, little research exists on the joint benefits of safety organizing and other contextual factors that help foster safety. Although we know that organizational practices often have more powerful effects when combined with other mutually reinforcing practices, little research exists on the joint benefits of safety organizing and other contextual factors believed to foster safety. Specifically, we examined the benefits of bundling safety organizing with leadership (trust in manager) and design (use of care pathways) factors on reported medication errors. A total of 1033 RNs and 78 nurse managers in 78 emergency, internal medicine, intensive care, and surgery nursing units in 10 acute-care hospitals in Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio who completed questionnaires between December 2003 and June 2004. Cross-sectional analysis of medication errors reported to the hospital incident reporting system for the 6 months after the administration of the survey linked to survey data on safety organizing, trust in manager, use of care pathways, and RN characteristics and staffing. Multilevel Poisson regression analyses indicated that the benefits of safety organizing on reported medication errors were amplified when paired with high levels of trust in manager or the use of care pathways. Safety organizing plays a key role in improving patient safety on hospital nursing units especially when bundled with other organizational components of a safety supportive system.

  14. [Multidisciplinary development of robotic surgery in a University Tertiary Hospital: Organization and outcomes].

    PubMed

    Ortiz Oshiro, Elena; Ramos Carrasco, Angel; Moreno Sierra, Jesús; Pardo Martínez, Cristina; Galante Romo, Isabel; Bullón Sopelana, Fernando; Coronado Martín, Pluvio; Mansilla García, Iván; Escudero Mate, María; Vidart Aragón, José A; Silmi Moyano, Angel; Alvarez Fernández-Represa, Jesús

    2010-02-01

    Da Vinci system (Intuitive Surgical) is a surgical telemanipulator providing many technical advantages over conventional laparoscopic approach (3-D vision, ergonomics, highly precise movements, endowrist instrumentation...) and it is currently applied to several specialties throughout the world since 2000. The first Spanish public hospital incorporating this robotic technology was Hospital Clinico San Carlos (HCSC) in Madrid, in July 2006. We present the multidisciplinary organization and clinical, research and training outcomes of the Robotic Surgery Plan developed in the HCSC. Starting from joint management and joint scrub nurses team, General and Digestive Surgery, Urology and Gynaecology Departments were progressively incorporated into the Robotic Surgery Plan, with several procedures increasing in complexity. A number of intra and extra-hospital teaching and information activities were planned to report on the Robotic Surgery Plan. Between July 2006 and July 2008, 306 patients were operated on: 169 by General Surgery, 107 by Urology and 30 by Gynaecology teams. The outcomes showed feasibility and a short learning curve. The educational plan included residents and staff interested in robotic technology application. The structured and gradual incorporation of robotic surgery throughout the PCR-HCSC has made it easier to learn, to share designed infrastructure, to coordinate information activities and multidisciplinary collaboration. This preliminary experience has shown the efficiency of an adequate organization and motivated team. Copyright 2009 AEC. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  15. Characteristics of small areas with high rates of hospital-treated self-harm: deprived, fragmented and urban or just close to hospital? A national registry study.

    PubMed

    O'Farrell, I B; Corcoran, P; Perry, I J

    2015-02-01

    Previous research has shown an inconsistent relationship between the spatial distribution of hospital treated self-harm and area-level factors such as deprivation and social fragmentation. However, many of these studies have been confined to urban centres, with few focusing on rural settings and even fewer studies carried out at a national level. Furthermore, no previous research has investigated if travel time to hospital services can explain the area-level variation in the incidence of hospital treated self-harm. From 2009 to 2011, the Irish National Registry of Deliberate Self Harm collected data on self-harm presentations to all hospital emergency departments in the country. The Registry uses standard methods of case ascertainment and also geocodes patient addresses to small area geographical level. Negative binomial regression was used to explore the ecological relationship between area-level self-harm rates and various area-level factors. Deprivation, social fragmentation and population density had a positive linear association with self-harm, with deprivation having the strongest independent effect. Furthermore, self-harm incidence was found to be elevated in areas that had shorter journey times to hospital. However, while this association became attenuated after controlling for other area-level factors it still remained statistically significant. A subgroup analysis examining the effect of travel time on specific methods of self-harm, found that this effect was most marked for self-harm acts involving minor self-cutting. Self-harm incidence was influenced by proximity to hospital services, population density and social fragmentation; however, the strongest area-level predictor of self-harm was deprivation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  16. [Central interdisciplinary emergency department. Organization of emergency medicine from the perspective of hospital management].

    PubMed

    Mayer, U; Debatin, J F

    2011-04-01

    The treatment of emergencies in a hospital should be organized in a central interdisciplinary emergency department (ER). It is the main entrance for all patients with acute illness or injuries. There are multiple advantages of such a central unit. Quality of treatment and economic efficiency is improved. The interdisciplinary diagnostics and treatment at one place prevents time-consuming and unnecessary transport. The fact that more complex diseases and injuries need specialized doctors in specific disciplines should be considered in personnel planning of the ER. To reinsure that the entire medical staff of the hospital is familiar with the daily routine and clinical pathways of the ER, doctors from other departments of the hospital should always be part of the ER team.

  17. Creating a national register of childhood type 1 diabetes using routinely collected hospital data.

    PubMed

    Hodgson, Susan; Beale, Linda; Parslow, Roger C; Feltbower, Richard G; Jarup, Lars

    2012-05-01

    There is no national register of childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus for England. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of using routine hospital admissions data as a surrogate for a childhood diabetes register across England, and to create a geographically referenced childhood diabetes dataset for use in epidemiologic studies and health service research. Hospital Episodes Statistics data for England from April 1992 to March 2006 referring to a type 1 diabetes diagnosis in 0-14 yr olds were cleaned to approximate an incident dataset. The cleaned data were validated against regional population-based register data, available for Yorkshire and the area of the former Oxford Regional Health Authority. There were 32 665 unique cases of type 1 and type unknown diabetes over the study period. The hospital-derived data improved in quality over time (91% concordance with regional register data over the period 2000-2006 vs. 52% concordance over the period 1992-1999), and data quality was better for younger (0-9 yr) (86.5% concordance with regional register data) than older cases (10-14 yr). Overall incidence was 24.99 (95% confidence interval 24.71-25.26) per 100 000. Basic trends in age distribution, seasonality of onset, and incidence matched well with previously reported findings. We were able to create a surrogate register of childhood diabetes based on national hospital admissions data, containing approximately 2300 cases/yr, and geo-coded to a high resolution. For younger cases (0-9 yr) and more recent years (from 2000) these data will be a useful resource for epidemiological studies exploring the determinants of childhood diabetes. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  18. Brundtland's World Health Organization: A Test Case for United Nations Reform

    PubMed Central

    Robbins, Anthony

    1999-01-01

    Gro Harlem Brundtland, who became Director General of the World Health Organization in July 1998, has created a small revolution at the WHO headquarters in Geneva. She is in the process of changing how WHO works, how it interacts with other parts of the United Nations system, and how it enlists ministries, whole governments, universities, and other private organizations to improve health in the world. Here, the Editor describes the reorganization, the new people and resources, and prospects for setting a precedent in United Nations reform. Imagesp30-ap31-ap39-a PMID:9925169

  19. NAN--a national voice for community-based services to persons with AIDS.

    PubMed Central

    Kawata, P A; Andriote, J M

    1988-01-01

    Because of the variety of needs engendered by AIDS, a broadbased response to the epidemic is warranted. The traditional medical model, with its emphasis on inpatient hospital care, is expensive and fails to address other needs of people with AIDS (PWAs). This paper outlines an alternative model: the community-based response, or continuum-of-care model. It builds on earlier community models of an integrated network of service providers who can better meet a range of needs of PWAs outside the hospital. Although the model may include a designated hospital AIDS unit that supplies inpatient services, the continuum-of-care model incorporates other nonacute and psychosocial services offered through community-based providers, and these services rely to a large extent on volunteers. Nationwide, more than 400 community-based AIDS service organizations have been formed in response to the growing AIDS epidemic, or have evolved from existing organizations. The National AIDS Network (NAN) was formed in 1985 by five such organizations to represent at the national level the vision of community-based AIDS care. As the nexus for a national community-based response, NAN acts as a conduit for service providers to share experience as well as a clearinghouse for information and programs. PMID:3131822

  20. Labeling of Pesticide Products under the National Organic Program

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This notice describes how registrants can obtain EPA approval of label language indicating that all ingredients in a pesticide product and all uses of that pesticide meet the criteria defined in the USDA National Organic Program Rule.

  1. The impact of ongoing national terror on the community of hospital nurses in Israel.

    PubMed

    Ron, Pnina; Shamai, Michal

    2014-04-01

    The main goal of this study was to explore the connections between the exposure of nurses in Israel to national terror and the levels of distress experienced due to ongoing terror attacks. The data were collected from 214 nurses from various parts of Israel who work in three types of heath services (mainly hospital departments) and provide help to victims of terror. The nurses reported very high levels of burnout, high levels of stress and medium-to high levels of intrusive memories. Levels of exposure were associated with burnout, intrusive memories and level of stress. More professional attention should be given to hospital nurses who provide care for trauma patients.

  2. 42 CFR 495.204 - Incentive payments to qualifying MA organizations for MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Incentive payments to qualifying MA organizations for MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals. 495.204 Section 495.204 Public Health CENTERS FOR... Medicare Advantage (MA) Organizations § 495.204 Incentive payments to qualifying MA organizations for MA...

  3. 42 CFR 495.204 - Incentive payments to qualifying MA organizations for MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Incentive payments to qualifying MA organizations for MA-EPs and MA-affiliated eligible hospitals. 495.204 Section 495.204 Public Health CENTERS FOR... Medicare Advantage (MA) Organizations § 495.204 Incentive payments to qualifying MA organizations for MA...

  4. 76 FR 10527 - Regulatory Flexibility Act: Section 610 Review of National Organic Program Regulations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-25

    ...: This document announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) plans to review the National Organic... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service 7 CFR Part 205 [Document Number AMS-NOP-11-0005; NOP-11-01] Regulatory Flexibility Act: Section 610 Review of National Organic Program...

  5. Implementation of computerized physician order entry in National Guard Hospitals: assessment of critical success factors.

    PubMed

    Altuwaijri, Majid M; Bahanshal, Abdullah; Almehaid, Mona

    2011-09-01

    The purpose of this study is to describe the needs, process and experience of implementing a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system in a leading healthcare organization in Saudi Arabia. The National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA) deployed the CPOE in a pilot department, which was the intensive care unit (ICU) in order to assess its benefits and risks and to test the system. After the CPOE was implemented in the ICU area, a survey was sent to the ICU clinicians to assess their perception on the importance of 32 critical success factors (CSFs) that was acquired from the literature. The project team also had several meetings to gather lessons learned from the pilot project in order to utilize them for the expansion of the project to other NGHA clinics and hospitals. The results of the survey indicated that the selected CSFs, even though they were developed with regard to international settings, are very much applicable for the pilot area. The top three CSFs rated by the survey respondents were: The "before go-live training", the adequate clinical resources during implementation, and the ordering time. After the assessment of the survey and the lessons learned from the pilot project, NGHA decided that the potential benefits of the CPOE are expected to be greater the risks expected. The project was then expanded to cover all NGHA clinics and hospitals in a phased approach. Currently, the project is in its final stages and expected to be completed by the end of 2011. The role of CPOE systems is very important in hospitals in order to reduce medication errors and to improve the quality of care. In spite of their great benefits, many studies suggest that a high percentage of these projects fail. In order to increase the chances of success and due to the fact that CPOE is a clinical system, NGHA implemented the system first in a pilot area in order to test the system without putting patients at risk and to learn from mistakes before expanding the system to other

  6. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hospital visits, and comorbidities: National Survey of Residential Care Facilities, 2010.

    PubMed

    Wheaton, Anne G; Ford, Earl S; Cunningham, Timothy J; Croft, Janet B

    2015-04-01

    To characterize the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among residential care facility (RCF) residents in the United States, and to compare patterns of hospital visits and comorbidities with residents without COPD. Resident data from the 2010 National Survey of Residential Care Facilities were analyzed. Medical history and information on past-year hospital visits for 8,089 adult residents were obtained from interviews with RCF staff. COPD prevalence was 12.4%. Compared with residents without COPD, emergency department visits or overnight hospital stays in the previous year were more prevalent (p < .05) among residents with COPD. Less than 3% of residents with COPD had no comorbidities. Arthritis, depression, congestive heart failure (CHF), diabetes, coronary heart disease, and asthma were more common (p < .05) among residents with COPD than those without COPD, but Alzheimer's disease was less common. COPD is associated with more emergency department visits, hospital stays, and comorbidities among RCF residents. © The Author(s) 2014.

  7. Hospitalized cancer patients with severe sepsis: analysis of incidence, mortality, and associated costs of care

    PubMed Central

    Williams, Mark D; Braun, Lee Ann; Cooper, Liesl M; Johnston, Joseph; Weiss, Richard V; Qualy, Rebecca L; Linde-Zwirble, Walter

    2004-01-01

    Introduction Infection is an important complication in cancer patients, which frequently leads to or prolongs hospitalization, and can also lead to acute organ dysfunction (severe sepsis) and eventually death. While cancer patients are known to be at higher risk for infection and subsequent complications, there is no national estimate of the magnitude of this problem. Our objective was to identify cancer patients with severe sepsis and to project these numbers to national levels. Methods Data for all 1999 hospitalizations from six states (Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Washington) were merged with US Census data, Centers for Disease Control vital statistics and National Cancer Institute, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results initiative cancer prevalence data. Malignant neoplasms were identified by International Classification of Disease (ninth revision, clinical modification) (ICD-9-CM) codes (140–208), and infection and acute organ failure were identified from ICD-9-CM codes following Angus and colleagues. Cases were identified as a function of age and were projected to national levels. Results There were 606,176 cancer hospitalizations identified, with severe sepsis present in 29,795 (4.9%). Projecting national estimates for the US population, cancer patients account for 126,209 severe sepsis cases annually, or 16.4 cases per 1000 people with cancer per year. The inhospital mortality for cancer patients with severe sepsis was 37.8%. Compared with the overall population, cancer patients are much more likely to be hospitalized (relative risk, 2.77; 95% confidence interval, 2.77–2.78) and to be hospitalized with severe sepsis (relative risk, 3.96; 95% confidence interval, 3.94–3.99). Overall, severe sepsis is associated with 8.5% (46,729) of all cancer deaths at a cost of $3.4 billion per year. Conclusion Severe sepsis is a common, deadly, and costly complication in cancer patients. PMID:15469571

  8. Hospitalized cancer patients with severe sepsis: analysis of incidence, mortality, and associated costs of care.

    PubMed

    Williams, Mark D; Braun, Lee Ann; Cooper, Liesl M; Johnston, Joseph; Weiss, Richard V; Qualy, Rebecca L; Linde-Zwirble, Walter

    2004-10-01

    Infection is an important complication in cancer patients, which frequently leads to or prolongs hospitalization, and can also lead to acute organ dysfunction (severe sepsis) and eventually death. While cancer patients are known to be at higher risk for infection and subsequent complications, there is no national estimate of the magnitude of this problem. Our objective was to identify cancer patients with severe sepsis and to project these numbers to national levels. Data for all 1999 hospitalizations from six states (Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Washington) were merged with US Census data, Centers for Disease Control vital statistics and National Cancer Institute, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results initiative cancer prevalence data. Malignant neoplasms were identified by International Classification of Disease (ninth revision, clinical modification) (ICD-9-CM) codes (140-208), and infection and acute organ failure were identified from ICD-9-CM codes following Angus and colleagues. Cases were identified as a function of age and were projected to national levels. There were 606,176 cancer hospitalizations identified, with severe sepsis present in 29,795 (4.9%). Projecting national estimates for the US population, cancer patients account for 126,209 severe sepsis cases annually, or 16.4 cases per 1000 people with cancer per year. The inhospital mortality for cancer patients with severe sepsis was 37.8%. Compared with the overall population, cancer patients are much more likely to be hospitalized (relative risk, 2.77; 95% confidence interval, 2.77-2.78) and to be hospitalized with severe sepsis (relative risk, 3.96; 95% confidence interval, 3.94-3.99). Overall, severe sepsis is associated with 8.5% (46,729) of all cancer deaths at a cost of 3.4 billion dollars per year. Severe sepsis is a common, deadly, and costly complication in cancer patients.

  9. The impact of a national strategy to increase physical activity among older adults on national organizations.

    PubMed

    Park, Chae-Hee; Chodzko-Zajko, Wojtek; Ory, Marcia G; Gleason-Senior, Jane; Bazzarre, Terry L; Mockenhaupt, Robin

    2010-10-01

    This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the National Blueprint (NB) on the policies, programs, and organizational culture of selected national organizations. The theoretical model selected to assess the impact of the NB on organizational behavior was Burke's system theory of organizational change. Three organizations, AARP, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and the Administration on Aging (AoA), were selected for the study. Two individuals in each of these organizations were selected for interview. Semistructured interviews and document reviews were used in the data-collection process. Findings showed that the publication and establishment of the NB resulted in changes in the operating procedures of AARP, ACSM, and AoA. The results were broadly consistent with Burke's system theory of organizational change. The publication of the NB was shown to affect the behavior of organizational leaders, organizational culture, policies, programs, and individual and organizational performance. The new information generated has increased our understanding of the impact of health campaigns on organizational behavior.

  10. Technical Efficiency of Hospitals in Tehran, Iran.

    PubMed

    Kakeman, Edris; Rahimi Forushani, Abbas; Dargahi, Hossein

    2016-04-01

    Nowadays, restriction on access and optimum use of resources is the main challenge of development in all organizations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the technical efficiency and its factors, influencing hospitals of Tehran. This research was a descriptive-analytical and retrospective study conducted in 2014-2015. Fifty two hospitals with public, private, and social security ownership type were selected for this study. The required data was collected by a researcher-made check list in 3 sections of background data, inputs and outputs. The data was analyzed by DEAP 1.0.2, and STATA-13 technique. Seventeen (31/48) of hospitals had the efficiency score of 1 as the highest technical efficiency. The highest average score of efficiency was related to social security hospitals as 84.32, and then the public and private hospitals with the average of 84.29 and 79.64 respectively. Tobit regression results showed that the size, type of practice, and ownership of hospitals were effective on the degree of their technical efficiency. However, there was no significant correlation between teaching / non-teaching hospitals with technical efficiency. Establishment of competition system among hospitals, constitution of medium size hospitals and allocation of budget to hospitals based on national accreditation system are recommended.

  11. Agrarianism: An Ideology of the National FFA Organization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Michael J.; Kitchel, Tracy

    2013-01-01

    The traditions of the National FFA Organization (FFA) are grounded in agrarianism. This ideology focuses on the ability of farming and nature to develop citizens and integrity within people. Agrarianism has been an important thread of American rhetoric since the founding of country. The ideology has morphed over the last two centuries as the…

  12. Patient and hospital correlates of clinical outcomes and resource utilization in severe pediatric sepsis.

    PubMed

    Odetola, Folafoluwa O; Gebremariam, Achamyeleh; Freed, Gary L

    2007-03-01

    Our goal was to describe patient and hospital characteristics associated with in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and charges for critically ill children with severe sepsis. Our study consisted of a retrospective study of children 0 to 19 years of age hospitalized with severe sepsis using the 2003 Kids' Inpatient Database. We generated national estimates of rates of hospitalization and then compared in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and total charges according to patient and hospital characteristics using multivariable regression methods. Severity of illness was measured by using all-patient refined diagnosis-related group severity of illness classification into minor, moderate, major, and extreme severity. There were an estimated 21,448 hospitalizations for severe pediatric sepsis nationally in 2003. The in-hospital mortality rate was 4.2%. Comorbid illness was present in 34% of hospitalized children. Most (70%) of the extremely ill children were admitted to children's hospitals. Length of stay was longer among patients with higher illness severity and nonsurvivors compared with survivors (13.5 vs 8.5 days). Hospitalizations at urban or children's hospitals were also associated with longer length of stay than nonchildren's or rural hospitals, respectively. Higher charges were associated with higher illness severity, and nonsurvivors had 2.5-fold higher total charges than survivors. Also, higher charges were observed among hospitalizations in urban or children's hospitals. In multivariable regression analysis, multiple comorbid illnesses, multiple organ dysfunction, and greater severity of illness were associated with higher odds of mortality and longer length of stay. Higher hospital charges and longer length of stay were observed among transfer hospitalizations and among hospitalizations to children's hospitals and nonchildren's teaching hospitals compared with hospitals, which had neither children's nor teaching status. Mortality from severe pediatric

  13. Hong Kong - The Hong Kong Alliance of Patients' Organizations: Working constructively to increase hospital openness and accountability.

    PubMed

    2014-01-01

    The Hong Kong Alliance of Patients' Organizations (HI(APO) comprises 44 affiliated patient groups who advocate across the region, improving patient experiences and increasing advocacy and awareness. Initially established to increase accountability to patients and representation in a changing health system, the Alliance has worked to expand patient input on local and territorial decision-making by partnering with individual hospitals and increasing links with the Hospital Authority Board. Patients are now represented on most committees affecting patient care and the delivery of health services, and more widely in health care policy decision-making. The Alliance advocates for patients as active and constructive consumers rather than passive recipients of services and lobbies for better representation and involvement in treatment decisions. It has also increased media exposure which has helped to grow representation so that patients are now present on all 11 Authority Committees and are asked for their views. The patient ambassadors programme offers training for patients to be representatives at ward level and within the local hospital committee; and by building constructive relationships over time with hospital partners, HKAPO affiliate organizations have been able to start making improvements in the training of professionals in hospitals and informing staff about patient engagement, advocating for new clinical interventions and a more patient-centred approach.

  14. The politics of local hospital reform: a case study of hospital reorganization following the 2002 Norwegian hospital reform.

    PubMed

    Tjerbo, Trond

    2009-11-20

    The Norwegian hospital reform of 2002 was an attempt to make restructuring of hospitals easier by removing politicians from the decision-making processes. To facilitate changes seen as necessary but politically difficult, the central state took over ownership of the hospitals and stripped the county politicians of what had been their main responsibility for decades. This meant that decisions regarding hospital structure and organization were now being taken by professional administrators and not by politically elected representatives. The question raised here is whether this has had any effect on the speed of restructuring of the hospital sector. The empirical part is a case study of the restructuring process in Innlandet Hospital Trust (IHT), which was one of the largest enterprise established after the hospital reform and where the vision for restructuring was clearly set. Different sources of qualitative data are used in the analysis. These include interviews with key actors, observational data and document studies. The analysis demonstrates how the new professional leaders at first acted in accordance with the intentions of the hospital reform, but soon chose to avoid the more ambitious plans for restructuring the hospital structure and in fact reintroduced local politics into the decision-making process. The analysis further illustrates how local networks and engagement of political representatives from all levels of government complicated the decision-making process surrounding local structural reforms. Local political representatives teamed up with other actors and created powerful networks. At the same time, national politicians had incentives to involve themselves in the processes as supporters of the status quo. Because of the incentives that faced political actors and the controversial nature of major hospital reforms, the removal of local politicians and the centralization of ownership did not necessarily facilitate reforms in the hospital structure

  15. The politics of local hospital reform: a case study of hospital reorganization following the 2002 Norwegian hospital reform

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background The Norwegian hospital reform of 2002 was an attempt to make restructuring of hospitals easier by removing politicians from the decision-making processes. To facilitate changes seen as necessary but politically difficult, the central state took over ownership of the hospitals and stripped the county politicians of what had been their main responsibility for decades. This meant that decisions regarding hospital structure and organization were now being taken by professional administrators and not by politically elected representatives. The question raised here is whether this has had any effect on the speed of restructuring of the hospital sector. Method The empirical part is a case study of the restructuring process in Innlandet Hospital Trust (IHT), which was one of the largest enterprise established after the hospital reform and where the vision for restructuring was clearly set. Different sources of qualitative data are used in the analysis. These include interviews with key actors, observational data and document studies. Results The analysis demonstrates how the new professional leaders at first acted in accordance with the intentions of the hospital reform, but soon chose to avoid the more ambitious plans for restructuring the hospital structure and in fact reintroduced local politics into the decision-making process. The analysis further illustrates how local networks and engagement of political representatives from all levels of government complicated the decision-making process surrounding local structural reforms. Local political representatives teamed up with other actors and created powerful networks. At the same time, national politicians had incentives to involve themselves in the processes as supporters of the status quo. Conclusion Because of the incentives that faced political actors and the controversial nature of major hospital reforms, the removal of local politicians and the centralization of ownership did not necessarily facilitate

  16. Accountable Care Organizations: roles and opportunities for hospitals.

    PubMed

    Schoenbaum, Stephen C

    2011-08-01

    Federal health reform has established Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) as a new program, and some states and private payers have been independently developing ACO pilot projects. The objective is to hold provider groups accountable for the quality and cost of care to a population. The financial models for providers generally build off of shared savings between the payers and providers or some type of global payment that includes the possibility of partial or full capitation. For ACOs to achieve the same outcomes with lower costs or, better yet, improved outcomes with the same or lower costs, the delivery system will need to become more oriented toward primary care and care coordination than is currently the case. Providers of clinical services, in order to be more effective, efficient, and coordinated, will need to be supported by a variety of shared services, such as off-hours care, easy access to specialties, and information exchanges. These services can be organized by an ACO as a medical neighborhood or community. Hospitals, because they have a management structure, history of developing programs and services, and accessibility 24/7/365, are logical leaders of this enhancement of health care delivery for populations and other providers.

  17. An eight-year follow-up national study of medical school and general hospital ethics committees in Japan

    PubMed Central

    Akabayashi, Akira; Slingsby, Brian T; Nagao, Noriko; Kai, Ichiro; Sato, Hajime

    2007-01-01

    Background Ethics committees and their system of research protocol peer-review are currently used worldwide. To ensure an international standard for research ethics and safety, however, data is needed on the quality and function of each nation's ethics committees. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics and developments of ethics committees established at medical schools and general hospitals in Japan. Methods This study consisted of four national surveys sent twice over a period of eight years to two separate samples. The first target was the ethics committees of all 80 medical schools and the second target was all general hospitals with over 300 beds in Japan (n = 1457 in 1996 and n = 1491 in 2002). Instruments contained four sections: (1) committee structure, (2) frequency of annual meetings, (3) committee function, and (4) existence of a set of guidelines for the refusal of blood transfusion by Jehovah's Witnesses. Results Committee structure was overall interdisciplinary. Frequency of annual meetings increased significantly for both medical school and hospital ethics committees over the eight years. The primary activities for medical school and hospital ethics committees were research protocol reviews and policy making. Results also showed a significant increase in the use of ethical guidelines, particularly those related to the refusal of blood transfusion by Jehovah's Witnesses, among both medical school and hospital ethics committees. Conclusion Overall findings indicated a greater recognized degree of responsibilities and an increase in workload for Japanese ethics committees. PMID:17598923

  18. [Analysis of the technical efficiency of hospitals in the Spanish National Health Service].

    PubMed

    Pérez-Romero, Carmen; Ortega-Díaz, M Isabel; Ocaña-Riola, Ricardo; Martín-Martín, José Jesús

    To analyse the technical efficiency and productivity of general hospitals in the Spanish National Health Service (NHS) (2010-2012) and identify explanatory hospital and regional variables. 230 NHS hospitals were analysed by data envelopment analysis for overall, technical and scale efficiency, and Malmquist index. The robustness of the analysis is contrasted with alternative input-output models. A fixed effects multilevel cross-sectional linear model was used to analyse the explanatory efficiency variables. The average rate of overall technical efficiency (OTE) was 0.736 in 2012; there was considerable variability by region. Malmquist index (2010-2012) is 1.013. A 23% variability in OTE is attributable to the region in question. Statistically significant exogenous variables (residents per 100 physicians, aging index, average annual income per household, essential public service expenditure and public health expenditure per capita) explain 42% of the OTE variability between hospitals and 64% between regions. The number of residents showed a statistically significant relationship. As regards regions, there is a statistically significant direct linear association between OTE and annual income per capita and essential public service expenditure, and an indirect association with the aging index and annual public health expenditure per capita. The significant room for improvement in the efficiency of hospitals is conditioned by region-specific characteristics, specifically aging, wealth and the public expenditure policies of each one. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  19. CE: Beyond Maternity Nursing: The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.

    PubMed

    Cardaci, Regina

    2017-08-01

    : The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a program developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to promote breastfeeding in hospitals and birthing facilities worldwide. Since the program was launched in 1991, breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity have increased globally, a trend largely attributed to changes in hospital policies and practices brought about by the BFHI. This article provides an overview of these practices and policies, the institutional benefits of achieving BFHI certification, and the process through which health care facilities can do so. All nurses-whether they work in maternity care or another nursing specialty in a hospital, ambulatory, or community setting-can play a role in promoting societal health through their support of long-term breastfeeding as recommended by the WHO and UNICEF.

  20. Impact of infection control interventions on rates of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in National Health Service acute hospitals, East Midlands, UK, using interrupted time-series analysis.

    PubMed

    Newitt, S; Myles, P R; Birkin, J A; Maskell, V; Slack, R C B; Nguyen-Van-Tam, J S; Szatkowski, L

    2015-05-01

    Reducing healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) is a UK national priority. Multiple national and regional interventions aimed at reduction have been implemented in National Health Service acute hospitals, but assessment of their effectiveness is methodologically challenging. To assess the effectiveness of national and regional interventions undertaken between 2004 and 2008 on rates of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and meticillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteraemia within acute hospitals in the East Midlands, using interrupted time-series analysis. We used segmented regression to compare rates of MRSA and MSSA bacteraemia in the pre-intervention, implementation, and post-intervention phases for combined intervention packages in eight acute hospitals. Most of the change in MSSA and MRSA rates occurred during the implementation phase. During this phase, there were significant downward trends in MRSA rates for seven of eight acute hospital groups; in four, this was a steeper quarter-on-quarter decline compared with the pre-intervention phase, and, in one, an upward trend in the pre-intervention phase was reversed. Regarding MSSA, there was a significant positive effect in four hospital groups: one upward trend during the pre-intervention phase was reversed, two upward trends plateaued, and in one hospital group an indeterminate trend decreased significantly. However, there were significant increasing trends in quarterly MSSA rates in four hospital groups during the implementation or post-intervention periods. The impact of interventions varied by hospital group but the overall results suggest that national and regional campaigns had a beneficial impact on MRSA and MSSA bacteraemia within the East Midlands. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Impact of Introducing Full-time In-house Coordinators on Referral and Organ Donation Rates in Rio de Janeiro Public Hospitals: A Health Care Innovation Practice.

    PubMed

    Sarlo, R; Pereira, G; Surica, M; Almeida, D; Araújo, C; Figueiredo, O; Rocha, E; Vargas, E

    2016-09-01

    Establishing an organization to promote organ donation and a good organ procurement team assure quality and improve performance on organ donation rates. Brazil's organ procurement structure is based on 2 models disseminated worldwide: the "Spanish model," based on in-house coordinators, and the "American organ procurement organization (OPO) model," with extra-hospital coordinators. In 2006, Brazil's Federal Government had formally introduced the in-house coordination model for every hospital equipped with a mechanical ventilator bed. In January 2012, the Rio de Janeiro State OPO, Programa Estadual de Transplantes, introduced an innovation in the organization of the in-house coordination model in 4 selected public hospitals with high organ donation potential. It consisted in launching full-time in-house coordination teams, with ≥1 physician and 2 nurses per hospital fully dedicated to organ procurement. The objectives were to observe the impact of this innovation in referral and organ donor conversion rates and to analyze the importance of middle managers in health care innovation implementation. Comparing the year before implementation (2011) and the year of 2014 showed that this innovation led to an overall increase in referrals-from 131 to 305 per year (+132%) and conversion rates-from 20% to 42% per year-resulting in an increase in number of donors from 26 to 128 per year (+390%). Despite wide variations among hospitals in the outcomes, our results seem very encouraging and express a positive impact of this model, suggesting that dissemination to other hospitals may increase the number of donors and transplants in our region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. National Audit of Seizure management in Hospitals (NASH): results of the national audit of adult epilepsy in the UK

    PubMed Central

    Dixon, Peter A; Kirkham, Jamie J; Marson, Anthony G; Pearson, Mike G

    2015-01-01

    Objectives About 100 000 people present to hospitals each year in England with an epileptic seizure. How they are managed is unknown; thus, the National Audit of Seizure management in Hospitals (NASH) set out to assess prior care, management of the acute event and follow-up of these patients. This paper describes the data from the second audit conducted in 2013. Setting 154 emergency departments (EDs) across the UK. Participants Data from 4544 attendances (median age of 45 years, 57% men) showed that 61% had a prior diagnosis of epilepsy, 12% other neurological problems and 22% were first seizure cases. Each ED identified 30 consecutive adult cases presenting due to a seizure. Primary and secondary outcome measures Details were recorded of the patient's prior care, management at hospital and onward referral to neurological specialists onto an online database. Descriptive results are reported at national level. Results Of those with epilepsy, 498 (18%) were on no antiepileptic drug therapy and 1330 (48%) were on monotherapy. Assessments were often incomplete and witness histories were sought in only 759 (75%) of first seizure patients, 58% were seen by a senior doctor and 57% were admitted. For first seizure patients, advice on further seizure management was given to 264 (27%) and only 55% were referred to a neurologist or epilepsy specialist. For each variable, there was wide variability among sites that was not explicable. For the sites who partook in both audits, there was a trend towards better care in 2013, but this was small and dwarfed by the intersite variability. Conclusions These results have parallels with the Sentinel Audit of Stroke performed a decade earlier. There is wide intersite variability in care covering the entire care pathway, and a need for better organised and accessible care for these patients. PMID:25829372

  3. Voluntary organ donation system adapted to Chinese cultural values and social reality.

    PubMed

    Huang, Jiefu; Millis, J Michael; Mao, Yilei; Millis, M Andrew; Sang, Xinting; Zhong, Shouxian

    2015-04-01

    Organ donation and transplant systems have unique characteristics based on the local culture and socioeconomic context. China's transplant and organ donation systems developed without regulatory oversight until 2006 when regulation and policy were developed and then implemented over the next several years. Most recently, the pilot project of establishing a voluntary citizen-based deceased donor program was established. The pilot program addressed the legal, financial, and cultural barriers to organ donation in China. The pilot program has evolved into a national program. Significantly, it established a uniquely Chinese donor classification system. The Chinese donor classification system recognizes donation after brain death (category I), donation after circulatory death (category II), and donation after brain death followed by circulatory death (category III). Through August 2014, the system has identified 2326 donors and provided 6416 organs that have been allocated though a transparent organ allocation system. The estimated number of donors in 2014 is 1147. As China's attitudes toward organ donation have matured and evolved and as China, as a nation, is taking its place on the world stage, it is recognizing that its past practice of using organs from executed prisoners is not sustainable. It is time to recognize that the efforts to regulate transplantation and provide voluntary citizen-based deceased organ donation have been successful and that China should use this system to provide organs for all transplants in every province and hospital in China. At the national organ transplant congress on October 30, 2014, the Chairman of the China's national organ donation and transplantation committee, Jeifu Huang required all hospitals to stop using organs from executed prisoners immediately and the civilian organ donation will be sole source for organ transplant in China starting January 2015. © 2015 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  4. Activity-based funding for National Health Service hospitals in England: managers' experience and expectations.

    PubMed

    Sussex, Jonathan; Farrar, Shelley

    2009-05-01

    Activity-based funding of hospital services has been introduced progressively since 2003 in the National Health Service (NHS) in England, under the name 'Payment by Results' (PbR). It represents a major change from previous funding arrangements based on annual "block" payments for large bundles of services. We interviewed senior local NHS managers about their experience and expectations of the impact of PbR. A high degree of 'NHS solidarity' was apparent, and competition between NHS hospitals was muted. PbR has been introduced against a background of numerous other efficiency incentives, and managers did not detect a further PbR-specific boost to efficiency. No impact on care quality, either positive or negative, is yet evident.

  5. Hospital Contributions to the Delivery of Public Health Activities in US Metropolitan Areas: National and Longitudinal Trends

    PubMed Central

    Mays, Glen P.; Mamaril, Cezar B.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives. We investigated changes in hospital participation in local public health systems and the delivery of public health activities over time and assessed the relationship between hospital participation and the scope of activities available in local public health systems. Methods. We used longitudinal observations from the National Longitudinal Survey of Public Health Systems to examine how hospital contributions to the delivery of core public health activities varied in 1998, 2006, and 2012. We then used multivariate regression to assess the relationship between the level of hospital contributions and the overall availability of public health activities in the system. Results. Hospital participation in public health activities increased from 37% in 1998 to 41% in 2006 and down to 39% in 2012. Regression results indicated a positive association between hospital participation in public health activities and the total availability of public health services in the systems. Conclusions. Hospital collaboration does play an important role in the overall availability of public health services in local public health systems. Efforts to increase hospital participation in public health may have a positive impact on the scope of services provided and population health in US communities. PMID:26066929

  6. System of Monitoring Potential Deceased Organ Donations in Over 200 Hospitals in Poland Using a Web Tool: Implementation and Structure.

    PubMed

    Danek, T; Protasiuk, R; Mańkowski, M; Brutkiewicz, A; Trześniewski, R; Podlińska, I; Milecka, A; Jonas, M; Danielewicz, R; Czerwiński, J

    2016-06-01

    In 2010 the formation of the Polish Hospitals Network of Organ Donation Coordinators, originated by Poltransplant, began. One of the goals of this project is to report all deaths in hospital ICUs in which a coordinator is posted. The aim of this strategy is to monitor donation potential, following the recruitment process of potential donors and indicating stages of that process that may be improved to increase effective recruitment. Until the end of 2014 all data were forwarded to Poltransplant as Excel files, but since January 1, 2015, reporting and data collection have been are performed using web tool www.koordynator.net. The aim of the paper is to present the essentials in functioning principles, structure, and usage of the www.koordynator.net system, its technical construction, and to display good practices (know-how) tested by 1 country, for countries such as Poland, that contend with organ insufficiency. The application www.koordynator.net allows for remote addition of individual records with information about deceased patients in hospital ICUs, the forwarding of data about potential and actual organ donors, the generation of complete reports about deceased patients in each hospital monthly, and the introduction of historical data. Introduction of a potential donation monitoring system in 209 hospitals with transplant coordinators increases the number of identified potential and effective actual donors due to self-assessment analysis. Eventually, the www.koordynator.net reporting system allowed for external evaluation by coordinators from other hospitals, regional coordinators, and Poltransplant. The system is a modern tool that improves and increases the quality system in the organ donation field (quality assurance program). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Implementation of national palliative care guidelines in Swedish acute care hospitals: A qualitative content analysis of stakeholders' perceptions.

    PubMed

    Lind, S; Wallin, L; Brytting, T; Fürst, C J; Sandberg, J

    2017-11-01

    In high-income countries a large proportion of all deaths occur in hospitals. A common way to translate knowledge into clinical practice is developing guidelines for different levels of health care organisations. During 2012, national clinical guidelines for palliative care were published in Sweden. Later, guidance for palliative care was issued by the National Board of Health and Welfare. The aim of this study was two-fold: to investigate perceptions regarding these guidelines and identify obstacles and opportunities for implementation of them in acute care hospitals. Interviews were conducted with local politicians, chief medical officers and health professionals at acute care hospitals. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used in a directed content analysis approach. The results showed little knowledge of the two documents at all levels of the health care organisation. Palliative care was primarily described as end of life care and only few of the participants talked about the opportunity to integrate palliative care early in a disease trajectory. The environment and culture at hospitals, characterised by quick decisions and actions, were perceived as obstacles to implementation. Health professionals' expressed need for palliative care training is an opportunity for implementation of clinical guidelines. There is a need for further implementation of palliative care in hospitals. One option for further research is to evaluate implementation strategies tailored to acute care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Hospitalization and rehospitalization in Parkinson disease patients: Data from the National Parkinson Foundation Centers of Excellence.

    PubMed

    Shahgholi, Leili; De Jesus, Sol; Wu, Samuel S; Pei, Qinglin; Hassan, Anhar; Armstrong, Melissa J; Martinez-Ramirez, Daniel; Schmidt, Peter; Okun, Michael S

    2017-01-01

    Patients with Parkinson disease (PD) are at high risk of hospital encounters with increasing morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine the rate of hospital encounters in a cohort followed over 5 years and to identify associated factors. We queried the data from the International Multicenter National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement study. Multivariate logistic regression with backward selection was performed to identify factors associated with hospital encounter prior to baseline visit. Kaplan-Meier estimates were obtained and Cox regression performed on time to hospital encounter after the baseline visit. Of the 7,507 PD patients (mean age 66.5±9.9 years and disease duration 8.9±6.4 years at baseline visit), 1919 (25.6%) had a history of a hospital encounter prior to their baseline visit. Significant factors associated with a history of a hospital encounter prior to baseline included race (white race: OR 0.49), utilization of physical therapy (OR 1.47), history of deep brain stimulation (OR 1.87), number of comorbidities (OR 1.30), caregiver strain (OR 1.17 per standard deviation), and the standardized Timed Up and Go Test (OR 1.21). Patients with a history of hospitalization prior to the baseline were more likely to have a re-hospitalization (HR1.67, P<0.0001) compared to those without a prior hospitalization. In addition, the time to hospital encounter from baseline was significantly associated with age and number of medications. In patients with a history of hospitalization prior to the baseline visit, time to a second hospital encounter was significantly associated with caregiver strain and number of comorbidities. Hospitalization and re-hospitalization were common in this cohort of people with PD. Our results suggest addressing caregiver burden, simplifying medications, and emphasizing primary and multidisciplinary care for comorbidities are potential avenues to explore for reducing hospitalization rates.

  9. 76 FR 73756 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Stock Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Order Granting...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-29

    ...-Regulatory Organizations; National Stock Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Order Granting Accelerated... hereby given that on November 8, 2011, National Stock Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or ``NSX'') filed...-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of the Substance of the Proposed Rule Change National Stock...

  10. Predictors of actual turnover in a national sample of newly licensed registered nurses employed in hospitals.

    PubMed

    Brewer, Carol S; Kovner, Christine T; Greene, William; Tukov-Shuser, Magdalene; Djukic, Maja

    2012-03-01

    This paper is a report of a study of factors that affect turnover of newly licensed registered nurses in United States hospitals. There is a large body of research related to nursing retention; however, there is little information specific to newly licensed registered nurse turnover. Incidence rates of turnover among new nurses are unknown because most turnover data are not from nationally representative samples of nurses. This study used a longitudinal panel design to obtain data from 1653 registered nurses who were recently licensed by examination for the first time. We mailed surveys to a nationally representative sample of hospital registered nurses 1 year apart. The analytic sample consisted of 1653 nurses who responded to both survey mailings in January of 2006 and 2007. Full-time employment and more sprains and strains (including back injuries) result in more turnover. Higher intent to stay and hours of voluntary overtime and more than one job for pay reduces turnover. When we omitted intent to stay from the probit model, less job satisfaction and organizational commitment led to more turnover, confirming their importance to turnover. Magnet Recognition Award(®) hospitals and several other work attributes had no effect on turnover.   Turnover problems are complex, which means that there is no one solution to decreasing turnover. Multiple points of intervention exist. One specific approach that may improve turnover rates is hospital policies that reduce strains and sprains. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  11. Establishment of National Laboratory Standards in Public and Private Hospital Laboratories

    PubMed Central

    ANJARANI, Soghra; SAFADEL, Nooshafarin; DAHIM, Parisa; AMINI, Rana; MAHDAVI, Saeed; MIRAB SAMIEE, Siamak

    2013-01-01

    In September 2007 national standard manual was finalized and officially announced as the minimal quality requirements for all medical laboratories in the country. Apart from auditing laboratories, Reference Health Laboratory has performed benchmarking auditing of medical laboratory network (surveys) in provinces. 12th benchmarks performed in Tehran and Alborz provinces, Iran in 2010 in three stages. We tried to compare different processes, their quality and accordance with national standard measures between public and private hospital laboratories. The assessment tool was a standardized checklist consists of 164 questions. Analyzing process show although in most cases implementing the standard requirements are more prominent in private laboratories, there is still a long way to complete fulfillment of requirements, and it takes a lot of effort. Differences between laboratories in public and private sectors especially in laboratory personnel and management process are significant. Probably lack of motivation, plays a key role in obtaining less desirable results in laboratories in public sectors. PMID:23514840

  12. Longitudinal trends and cross-sectional analysis of English national hospital antibacterial use over 5 years (2008-13): working towards hospital prescribing quality measures.

    PubMed

    Cooke, Jonathan; Stephens, Peter; Ashiru-Oredope, Diane; Charani, Esmita; Dryden, Mathew; Fry, Carole; Hand, Kieran; Holmes, Alison; Howard, Philip; Johnson, Alan P; Livermore, David M; Mansell, Paula; McNulty, Cliodna A M; Wellsteed, Sally; Hopkins, Susan; Sharland, Mike

    2015-01-01

    There is global concern that antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to healthcare. Antimicrobial use is a primary driver of resistance but little information exists about the variation in antimicrobial use in individual hospitals in England over time or comparative use between hospitals. The objective of this study was to collate, analyse and report issue data from pharmacy records of 158 National Health Service (NHS) acute hospitals. This was a cohort study of inpatient antibacterial use in acute hospitals in England analysed over 5 years through a data warehouse from IMS Health, a leading provider of information, services and technology for the healthcare industry. Around 98% of NHS hospitals were included in a country with a population of 50 million residents. There was a dramatic change in the usage of different groups of antibacterials between 2009 and 2013 with a marked reduction in the use of first-generation cephalosporins by 24.7% and second-generation cephalosporins by 41%, but little change in the use of third-generation cephalosporins (+5.7%) and fluoroquinolones (+1.6%). In contrast, use of co-amoxiclav, carbapenems and piperacillin/tazobactam increased by 60.1%, 61.4% and 94.8%, respectively. There was wide variation in the total and relative amounts of antibacterials used between individual hospitals. Longitudinal analysis of antibacterial use demonstrated remarkable changes in NHS hospitals, probably reflecting governmental and professional guidance to mitigate the risk of Clostridium difficile infection. The wide variation in usage between individual hospitals suggests potential for quality improvement and benchmarking. Quality measures of optimal hospital antimicrobial prescribing need urgent development and validation to support antimicrobial stewardship initiatives. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e

  13. Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in Hospitalized Pediatric Refugees in an University Children's Hospital in Germany 2015-2016.

    PubMed

    Tenenbaum, Tobias; Becker, Klaus-Peter; Lange, Bettina; Martin, Anka; Schäfer, Peter; Weichert, Stefan; Schroten, Horst

    2016-11-01

    OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) colonizing in pediatric refugees admitted to a University Children Hospital in Germany. DESIGN Retrospective observational study. SETTING General pediatric and pediatric surgery units. PATIENTS In Germany, recommendations for MDRO screening of pediatric refugees were recently published. According to these and institutional recommendations, all hospitalized pediatric refugees were screened for MDROs between October 2015 and March 2016. METHODS Using electronic surveillance data, we performed a chart review to identify the prevalence of MDROs among and the clinical diagnoses of pediatric refugees. RESULTS Among 325 patients hospitalized for various causes, most frequently gastroenteritis (30.9%), MDROs were detected in 33.8%. Most of these patients were colonized with multidrug-resistant Gram-negative (MRGN) bacteria (113 isolates), mostly 2MRGN/ESBL (87 isolates); some patients were colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, 22 isolates); and 1 patient was colonized with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Among 110 refugee patients, we detected single colonization with an MDRO in 84 patients (76.4%), co-colonization with 2 pathogens in 23 patients (20.9%), and triple colonization in 3 patients (2.7%). However, infections with MDROs occurred in only 3.6% of pediatric refugees. The peak of positive MDRO screening results in 2015 correlated with an increased hospitalization rate. CONCLUSION Implementation of infection control measures among pediatric refugees is challenging. Due to the high frequency of MDROs in these patients, current screening, isolation, and treatment strategies may have to be adapted. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1-5.

  14. Are the nation's hospitals facing a capital crisis?

    PubMed

    Johnsson, J

    1990-07-20

    Are hospitals facing a capital crisis? Wall Street is taking a long, hard look at hospitals' bottom lines--and many analysts don't like what they see. Hospitals' increasing reliance on long-term debt, lower debt-service coverage ratios, and weakening performance indicators all signal a potentially volatile situation for some sectors of the field. Which hospitals are at risk? Experts point to hospitals in Southern California and New York. But others say that hospitals in moderate-size cities with 250 beds and $40 million or more in long-term debt are vulnerable. However, 40 percent of the 600 CEOs who responded to our Hamilton/KSA survey agree that the continued erosion of reimbursement will require a government bailout similar to the savings and loan industry. "A great deal depends on public policy," says Darrel Brownell, executive vice-president and chief financial officer, Memorial Health Services, a two-hospital system based in Long Beach, CA. "The government has the ability to maintain the industry in a stable condition, or it has the ability to force it into a bailout situation."

  15. Mortality in a teaching hospital during junior doctor changeover: a regional and national comparison.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Vijay; Proctor, Ian; Winstanley, Alison

    2013-03-01

    Concerns about whether the junior doctor changeover in the UK is associated with an increased risk of death have been reawakened by a retrospective study (Jen et al, 2009). Examination of overall mortality data has consistently failed to demonstrate any increase in mortality during the changeover. However, regional and national trends may mask this increase, so a study was undertaken to compare mortality in a busy London teaching hospital with regional and national trends. No evidence of an increase in mortality in August was found for any of the time periods examined, even after comparison with regional and national trends. The authors conclude that examination of overall mortality data is a blunt and impractical instrument for settling the question of whether an increase in morbidity and mortality occurs. Preventable morbidity and mortality should be audited.

  16. United Nations and nongovernmental organizations. Healthy skin for all.

    PubMed

    Ryan, T J

    1994-10-01

    The International League of Dermatologic Societies, the International Foundation for Dermatology, and the International Society of Dermatology: Tropical, Ecological, and Geographic, are the leading nongovernmental dermatology organizations that communicate with United Nations agencies such as the World Health Organization and UNESCO. The common goal of health for all must include healthy skin for all, and it therefore must include concepts such as primary health care, disability, wound healing, and advancement of women as well as the control and elimination of specific diseases such as leprosy.

  17. [Inpatient acute pain management in German hospitals: results from the national survey "Akutschmerzzensus 2012"].

    PubMed

    Erlenwein, J; Stamer, U; Koschwitz, R; Koppert, W; Quintel, M; Meißner, W; Petzke, F

    2014-04-01

    In 2007, the German national guidelines on "Treatment of acute perioperative and post-traumatic pain" were published. The aim of this study was to describe current structure and process data for acute pain management in German hospitals and to compare how the guidelines and other initiatives such as benchmarking or certification changed the healthcare landscape in the last decade. All directors of German departments of anesthesiology according to the DGAI ("Deutschen Gesellschaft für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin", German Society for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care) were mailed a standardized questionnaire on structures and processes of acute pain management in their hospitals. A total of 403 completed questionnaires (46 %) could be evaluated. Of hospitals, 81 % had an acute pain service (ASD), whereby only 45 % met defined quality criteria. Written standards for acute pain management were available in 97 % of the hospitals on surgical wards and 51 % on nonsurgical wards. In 96 %, perioperative pain was regularly recorded (generally pain at rest and/or movement, pain-related functional impairment in 16 % only). Beside these routine measurements, only 38 % of hospitals monitored pain for effectiveness after acute medications. Often interdisciplinary working groups and/or pain managers are established for hospital-wide control. As specific therapy, the patient-controlled analgesia and epidural analgesia are largely prevalent (> 90 % of all hospitals). In the last decade, intravenous and oral opioid administration of opioids (including slow release preparations) has become established in acute pain management. The survey was representative by evaluating 20 % of all German hospitals. The organizational requirements for appropriate pain management recommended by the German guidelines for acute pain recommended have been established in the hospital sector in recent years. However, the organizational enforcement for acute pain management in

  18. [Maternal discharge: conditions and organization for mothers and newborns returning home. The French National Authority for Health recommendations update].

    PubMed

    Hascoët, J-M; Petitprez, K

    2014-09-01

    In light of changes in both medical practices and the organization of medical care, the French National Authority for Health (Haute Autorité de santé, HAS) proposed new recommendations on the discharge of mothers and newborns, updating its 2004 recommendations on early discharge of mothers and newborns. This decision in turn made it necessary to define optimal discharge conditions and accompanying measures for mothers and infants returning home. The problem was approached by adopting the usual HAS methodology for drafting good practice recommendations. This involved establishing a working group bringing together representatives of all medical and care fields related to perinatology as well as patient representatives. This working group submitted draft recommendations, based on updated published references, to a committee. The committee then proposed amendments to the recommendations, which the working group was free to accept or reject. The updated recommendations that emerged from this process apply four essential principles : first, preparing for discharge as early as the prenatal period, ideally during the third trimester of pregnancy, in particular by providing expectant mothers with information on how the discharge will be organized and anticipating problems that might arise; second, ensuring care continuity between hospitalization, discharge to home, and follow-up; third, ensuring optimal conditions for discharge after a maternity stay of 72-96 h for normal delivery or 96-120 h in case of caesarean section (this hospital stay duration allows for neonatal screening); and fourth, defining how mothers and children are to be accompanied during the first postnatal month. In conclusion, these recommendations resulted in an increase in the duration of as well as an improvement in routine newborn surveillance, whether in hospital or after discharge, in what is a critical phase of infant development. They encourage ambulatory postnatal monitoring. The new

  19. Creating a "culture of research" in a community hospital: Strategies and tools from the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program.

    PubMed

    Dimond, Eileen P; St Germain, Diane; Nacpil, Lianne M; Zaren, Howard A; Swanson, Sandra M; Minnick, Christopher; Carrigan, Angela; Denicoff, Andrea M; Igo, Kathleen E; Acoba, Jared D; Gonzalez, Maria M; McCaskill-Stevens, Worta

    2015-06-01

    The value of community-based cancer research has long been recognized. In addition to the National Cancer Institute's Community Clinical and Minority-Based Oncology Programs established in 1983, and 1991 respectively, the National Cancer Institute established the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program in 2007 with an aim of enhancing access to high-quality cancer care and clinical research in the community setting where most cancer patients receive their treatment. This article discusses strategies utilized by the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program to build research capacity and create a more entrenched culture of research at the community hospitals participating in the program over a 7-year period. To facilitate development of a research culture at the community hospitals, the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program required leadership or chief executive officer engagement; utilized a collaborative learning structure where best practices, successes, and challenges could be shared; promoted site-to-site mentoring to foster faster learning within and between sites; required research program assessments that spanned clinical trial portfolio, accrual barriers, and outreach; increased identification and use of metrics; and, finally, encouraged research team engagement across hospital departments (navigation, multidisciplinary care, pathology, and disparities) to replace the traditionally siloed approach to clinical trials. The health-care environment is rapidly changing while complexity in research increases. Successful research efforts are impacted by numerous factors (e.g. institutional review board reviews, physician interest, and trial availability). The National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program sites, as program participants, had access to the required resources and support to develop and implement the strategies described. Metrics are an important component yet often challenging to

  20. Strategic opportunities in the oversight of the U.S. hospital accreditation system.

    PubMed

    Moffett, Maurice L; Morgan, Robert O; Ashton, Carol M

    2005-12-01

    Hospital accreditation and state certification are the means that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) employs to meet quality of care requirements for medical care reimbursement. Hospitals can choose to use either a national accrediting agency or a state certification inspection in order to receive Medicare payments. Approximately, 80% of hospitals choose the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). The purpose of this paper is to analyze and discuss improvements on the structure of the accreditation process in a Principal-Agent-Supervisor framework with a special emphasis on the oversight by the principal (CMS) of the supervisor (JCAHO).

  1. Manager traits and quality-of-care performance in hospitals.

    PubMed

    Aij, Kjeld Harald; Aernoudts, René L M C; Joosten, Gepke

    2015-07-06

    This paper aims to assess the impact of the leadership traits of chief executive officers (CEOs) on hospital performance in the USA. The effectiveness and efficiency of the CEO is of critical importance to the performance of any organization, including hospitals. Management systems and manager behaviours (traits) are of crucial importance to any organization because of their connection with organizational performance. To identify key factors associated with the quality of care delivered by hospitals, the authors gathered perceptions of manager traits from chief executive officers (CEOs) and followers in three groups of US hospitals delivering different levels of quality of care performance. Three high- and three low-performing hospitals were selected from the top and bottom 20th percentiles, respectively, using a national hospital ranking system based on standard quality of care performance measures. Three lean hospitals delivering intermediate performance were also selected. A survey was used to gather perceptions of manager traits (providing a modern or lean management system inclination) from CEOs and their followers in the three groups, which were compared. Four traits were found to be significantly different (alpha < 0.05) between lean (intermediate-) and low-performing hospitals. The different perceptions between these two hospital groups were all held by followers in the low-performing hospitals and not the CEOs, and all had a modern management inclination. No differences were found between lean (intermediate-) and high-performing hospitals, or between high- and low-performing hospitals. These findings support a need for hospital managers to acquire appropriate traits to achieve lean transformation, support a benefit of measuring manager traits to assess progress towards lean transformation and lend weight to improved quality of care that can be delivered by hospitals adopting a lean system of management.

  2. [Kidney transplant experience at the Specialty Hospital Bernardo Sepulveda National Medical Center Century XXI, Mexican Institute of Social Security].

    PubMed

    Gracida-Juárez, Carmen; Espinoza-Pérez, Ramón; Cancino-López, Jorge David; Ibarra-Villanueva, Araceli; Cedillo-López, Urbano; Villegas-Anzo, Fernando; Martínez-Alvarez, Julio

    2011-09-01

    The first kidney transplant in Mexico was done on October 22, 1963 at the General Hospital of National Medical Center (CMN) of the Mexican Institute of Social Security. After the earthquake in 1985, the transplantation activity was continued at the Specialty Hospital of National Medical Center Century XXI. Our program has a continue activity for almost 48 years and a total of 2019 kidney transplants from October 1963 to December 2010. We describe our experience in 20 years. Retrospective cohort study that includes all kidney transplants performed in the period from January 1991 to December 2010. Descriptive statistics were used. The survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan Meier method. We show the patient survival, graft survival censored for death with functional graft and total graft survival (uncensored). We analyzed a total of 1544 kidney transplants. The percentage of living donor was 82.9 vs. deceased donor of 17.1%. Patient survival at 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 years was 95.0, 91.8, 87.2, 81.1 and 70.1%, respectively; allograft survival rate censored for death with functional allograft at 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 years was 93.0, 86.2, 76.2, 63.7 and 50.9%, respectively. Our Transplant center also take care of around 1300 living donors in the long term, looking for morbidities as risk factors for the unique kidney as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension and others. In our program, the main source of renal allografts was living donors. Our transplant center has to increase the organ procurement from deceased donors. An important contribution of our center has been the long follow up of living donors according to international consensus.

  3. [The Brazilian Hospital Information System and the acute myocardial infarction hospital care].

    PubMed

    Escosteguy, Claudia Caminha; Portela, Margareth Crisóstomo; Medronho, Roberto de Andrade; de Vasconcellos, Maurício Teixeira Leite

    2002-08-01

    To analyze the applicability of the Brazilian Unified Health System's national hospital database to evaluate the quality of acute myocardial infarction hospital care. It was evaluated 1,936 hospital admission forms having acute myocardial infarction (AMI) as primary diagnosis in the municipal district of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1997. Data was collected from the national hospital database. A stratified random sampling of 391 medical records was also evaluated. AMI diagnosis agreement followed the literature criteria. Variable accuracy analysis was performed using kappa index agreement. The quality of AMI diagnosis registered in hospital admission forms was satisfactory according to the gold standard of the literature. In general, the accuracy of the variables demographics (sex, age group), process (medical procedures and interventions), and outcome (hospital death) was satisfactory. The accuracy of demographics and outcome variables was higher than the one of process variables. Under registration of secondary diagnosis was high in the forms and it was the main limiting factor. Given the study findings and the widespread availability of the national hospital database, it is pertinent its use as an instrument in the evaluation of the quality of AMI medical care.

  4. Hospital turnaround strategies.

    PubMed

    Langabeer, James

    2008-01-01

    Despite reports of higher profitability in recent years, hospitals are failing at a faster rate than ever before. Although many hospitals leave decisions regarding revenues and costs to chief financial officers and their staff, this is a recipe for disaster. From research conducted over the last 4 years on hospital bankruptcies and turnarounds, the author found that a common series of actions will help organizations evade collapse. The author explored these turnaround strategies through research and analysis of a variety of hospitals and health systems that had a high probability of immediate financial crisis or collapse. His continued observation and analysis of these hospitals in subsequent years showed that most hospitals never emerge from their bleak financial conditions. However, a few hospital administrations have successfully turned around their organizations.

  5. [On the issue of organization of consultative medical care on hospital stage].

    PubMed

    2011-01-01

    The study picked out several groups of in-demand specialties of consulting physicians. It is proposed to elaborate specific model of hospital consultative medical care providing the possibility of counseling by the most in-demand specialists already on the level of admission department. The key target is to avoid the involvement of less in-demand specialists at the expense of organization the specialized consultative crew on the basis on emergency medical care.

  6. Hospital days, hospitalization costs, and inpatient mortality among patients with mucormycosis: a retrospective analysis of US hospital discharge data

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Mucormycosis is a rare and potentially fatal fungal infection occurring primarily in severely immunosuppressed patients. Because it is so rare, reports in the literature are mainly limited to case reports or small case series. The aim of this study was to evaluate inpatient mortality, length of stay (LOS), and costs among a matched sample of high-risk patients with and without mucormycosis in a large nationally representative database. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis using the 2003–2010 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project – Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS). The NIS is a nationally representative 20% sample of hospitalizations from acute care United States (US) hospitals, with survey weights available to compute national estimates. We classified hospitalizations into four mutually exclusive risk categories for mucormycosis: A- severely immunocompromised, B- critically ill, C- mildly/moderately immunocompromised, D- major surgery or pneumonia. Mucormycosis hospitalizations (“cases”) were identified by ICD-9-CM code 117.7. Non-mucormycosis hospitalizations (“non-cases”) were propensity-score matched to cases 3:1. We examined demographics, clinical characteristics, and hospital outcomes (mortality, LOS, costs). Weighted results were reported. Results From 319,366,817 total hospitalizations, 5,346 cases were matched to 15,999 non-cases. Cases and non-cases did not differ significantly in age (49.6 vs. 49.7 years), female sex (40.5% vs. 41.0%), White race (53.3% vs. 55.9%) or high-risk group (A-49.1% vs. 49.0%, B-20.0% vs. 21.8%, C-25.5% vs. 23.8%, D-5.5% vs. 5.4%). Cases experienced significantly higher mortality (22.1% vs. 4.4%, P < 0.001), with mean LOS and total costs more than 3-fold higher (24.5 vs. 8.0 days and $90,272 vs. $25,746; both P < 0.001). Conclusions In a national hospital database, hospitalizations with mucormycosis had significantly higher inpatient mortality, LOS, and hospital costs than matched

  7. A Case Study in the Identification of Critical Factors Leading to Successful Implementation of the Hospital Incident Command System

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-01

    California EMSA, National Incident Management System, NIMS, hospital preparedness program, Nursing Home Incident Command System, NHICS, Hospital...The International Journal of Trauma Nursing published an article in 2007 entitled “Organization of a Hospital-based Victim Decontamination Plan...Journal of Trauma Nursing 5, no. 4 (October– November 2007): 119–123. 32 Ellen Lanser May, “Scarred but Smarter: Lessons Learned from Florida’s 2004

  8. National trends in incidence rates of hospitalization for stroke in children with sickle cell disease.

    PubMed

    McCavit, Timothy L; Xuan, Lei; Zhang, Song; Flores, Glenn; Quinn, Charles T

    2013-05-01

    The success of primary stroke prevention for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) throughout the United States is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to generate national incidence rates of hospitalization for stroke in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) before and after publication of the Stroke Prevention Trial in Sickle Cell Anemia (STOP trial) in 1998. We performed a retrospective trend analysis of the 1993-2009 Nationwide Inpatient Sample and Kids' Inpatient Databases. Hospitalizations for SCD patients 0-18 years old with stroke were identified by ICD-9CM code. The primary outcome, the trend in annual incidence rate of hospitalization for stroke in children with SCD, was analyzed by linear regression. Incidence rates of hospitalization for stroke before and after 1998 were compared by the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. From 1993 to 2009, 2,024 hospitalizations were identified for stroke. Using the mean annual incidence rate of hospitalization for stroke from 1993 to 1998 as the baseline, the rate decreased from 1993 to 2009 (point estimate = -0.022/100 patient years [95% CI, -0.039, -0.005], P = 0.027). The mean annual incidence rate of hospitalization stroke decreased by 45% from 0.51 per 100 patient years in 1993-1998 to 0.28 per 100 patient years in 1999-2009 (P = 0.008). Total hospital days and charges attributed to stroke also decreased by 45% and 24%, respectively. After publication of the STOP trial and hydroxyurea licensure in 1998, the incidence of hospitalization for stroke in children with SCD decreased across the United States, suggesting that primary stroke prevention has been effective nationwide, but opportunity for improvement remains. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Organisation for Change: The British National Health Service.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chester, T. E.

    Begun in 1948, The National Health Service was organized in a "functional" pattern of three main groups: hospital service, primary health care, and community health services and personal social services. Dissatisfaction led to a reorganization in 1974 along geographical divisions for region, area, and district levels, necessitating a…

  10. Low oxygen saturation is associated with pre-hospital mortality among non-traumatic patients using emergency medical services: A national database of Thailand.

    PubMed

    Sittichanbuncha, Yuwares; Savatmongkorngul, Sorrawit; Jawroongrit, Puchong; Sawanyawisuth, Kittisak

    2015-09-01

    Pre-hospital emergency medical services are an important network for Emergency Medicine. It has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality of patients by medical procedures. The Thai government established pre-hospital emergency medical services in 2008 to improve emergency medical care. Since then, there are limited data at the national level on mortality rates with pre-hospital care and the risk factors associated with mortality in non-traumatic patients. To study the pre-hospital mortality rate and factors associated with mortality in non-traumatic patients using the emergency medical service in Thailand. This study retrieved medical data from the National Institute for Emergency Medicine, NIEMS. The inclusion criteria were adult patients above the age of 15 who received medical services by the emergency medical services in Thailand (except Bangkok) from April 1st, 2011 to March 31st, 2012. Patients were excluded if there was no treatment during pre-hospital period, if they were trauma patients, or if their medical data was incomplete. Patients were categorized as either in the survival or non-survival group. Factors associated with mortality were examined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. During the study period, there were 127,602 non-traumatic patients who used pre-hospital emergency medical services in Thailand. Of those, 98,587 patients met the study criteria. For the statistical analyses, there were 66,760 patients who had complete clinical investigations. The mortality rate in this group was 1.89%. Only oxygen saturation was associated with mortality by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The adjusted OR was 0.922 (95% CI 0.8550.994). Low oxygen saturation is significantly associated with pre-hospital mortality in a national database of non-traumatic patients using emergency medical services in Thailand. During pre-hospital care, oxygen level should be monitored and promptly treated. Pulse oximetry devices should be available in all

  11. [Performance of Slovak hospitals as related to Porter's generic strategies].

    PubMed

    Hlavacka, S; Bacharova, L; Rusnakova, V; Wagner, R

    2001-01-01

    Porter's generic strategies characterize organizations in terms of their competitiveness, and are related to the performance of the organization. The aim of this study was to analyze the Porter's generic strategies and their effect on performance in the context of the Slovak hospital industry. Acute care hospitals with more than 30 beds were included into the study. National institutes providing specialized service were excluded from the study. Strategy and performance were evaluated on the basis of self-reported questionnaires, completed by chief administrators of hospitals (total 76 completed questionnaires were obtained, out of 81 distributed, i.e. 94% response rate). The cluster analysis was used for the identification of strategic orientation. Performance differences across strategic groups were tested using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The hierarchical cluster analysis uncovered a four-group taxonomy of hospitals: the group "Focused Cost Leadership" included 33% of hospitals, the group "Stuck-in-the middle" 49%, the group "Wait and See" 13% and the group "Cost leadership" 5%. Significant differences in performance were related to the Porter's pure, or hybrid strategies, respectively. In terms of industry evolution, the Slovak hospital industry could be characterized as fragmented, having a large number of small and medium size mainly state owned hospitals, with absence of market leaders, and with high exit barriers (mainly social and political) that hold back consolidation. (Tab. 1, Ref. 35.).

  12. The Impact of Hospital Size on CMS Hospital Profiling.

    PubMed

    Sosunov, Eugene A; Egorova, Natalia N; Lin, Hung-Mo; McCardle, Ken; Sharma, Vansh; Gelijns, Annetine C; Moskowitz, Alan J

    2016-04-01

    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) profile hospitals using a set of 30-day risk-standardized mortality and readmission rates as a basis for public reporting. These measures are affected by hospital patient volume, raising concerns about uniformity of standards applied to providers with different volumes. To quantitatively determine whether CMS uniformly profile hospitals that have equal performance levels but different volumes. Retrospective analysis of patient-level and hospital-level data using hierarchical logistic regression models with hospital random effects. Simulation of samples including a subset of hospitals with different volumes but equal poor performance (hospital effects=+3 SD in random-effect logistic model). A total of 1,085,568 Medicare fee-for-service patients undergoing 1,494,993 heart failure admissions in 4930 hospitals between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2008. CMS methodology was used to determine the rank and proportion (by volume) of hospitals reported to perform "Worse than US National Rate." Percent of hospitals performing "Worse than US National Rate" was ∼40 times higher in the largest (fifth quintile by volume) compared with the smallest hospitals (first quintile). A similar gradient was seen in a cohort of 100 hospitals with simulated equal poor performance (0%, 0%, 5%, 20%, and 85% in quintiles 1 to 5) effectively leaving 78% of poor performers undetected. Our results illustrate the disparity of impact that the current CMS method of hospital profiling has on hospitals with higher volumes, translating into lower thresholds for detection and reporting of poor performance.

  13. Herpes Zoster Associated Hospital Admissions in Italy: Review of the Hospital Discharge Forms

    PubMed Central

    Gabutti, Giovanni; Serenelli, Carlotta; Cavallaro, Alessandra; Ragni, Pietro

    2009-01-01

    In Italy a specific surveillance system for zoster does not exist, and thus updated and complete epidemiological data are lacking. The objective of this study was to retrospectively review the national hospital discharge forms database for the period 1999–2005 using the code ICD9-CM053. In the period 1999–2005, 35,328 hospital admissions have been registered with annual means of 4,503 hospitalizations and 543 day-hospital admissions. The great part of hospitalizations (61.9%) involved subjects older than 65 years; the mean duration of stay was 8 days. These data, even if restricted to hospitalizations registered at national level, confirm the epidemiological impact of shingles and of its complications. PMID:19826547

  14. Sponsorship of National Health Organizations by Two Major Soda Companies.

    PubMed

    Aaron, Daniel G; Siegel, Michael B

    2017-01-01

    Obesity is a pervasive public health problem in the U.S. Reducing soda consumption is important for stemming the obesity epidemic. However, several articles and one book suggest that soda companies are using their resources to impede public health interventions that might reduce soda consumption. Although corporate sponsorship by tobacco and alcohol companies has been studied extensively, there has been no systematic attempt to catalog sponsorship activities of soda companies. This study investigates the nature, extent, and implications of soda company sponsorship of U.S. health and medical organizations, as well as corporate lobbying expenditures on soda- or nutrition-related public health legislation from 2011 to 2015. Records of corporate philanthropy and lobbying expenditures on public health legislation by soda companies in the U.S. during 2011-2015 were found through Internet and database searches. From 2011 to 2015, the Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo were found to sponsor a total of 95 national health organizations, including many medical and public health institutions whose specific missions include fighting the obesity epidemic. During the study period, these two soda companies lobbied against 29 public health bills intended to reduce soda consumption or improve nutrition. There is surprisingly pervasive sponsorship of national health and medical organizations by the nation's two largest soda companies. These companies lobbied against public health intervention in 97% of cases, calling into question a sincere commitment to improving the public's health. By accepting funding from these companies, health organizations are inadvertently participating in their marketing plans. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. 17 CFR 240.17g-1 - Application for registration as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. 240.17g-1 Section 240.17g-1 Commodity and... Statistical Rating Organizations § 240.17g-1 Application for registration as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. (a) Initial application. A credit rating agency applying to the Commission to...

  16. 17 CFR 240.17g-1 - Application for registration as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. 240.17g-1 Section 240.17g-1 Commodity and... Statistical Rating Organizations § 240.17g-1 Application for registration as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. (a) Initial application. A credit rating agency applying to the Commission to...

  17. 17 CFR 240.17g-3 - Annual financial reports to be furnished by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... furnished by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. 240.17g-3 Section 240.17g-3 Commodity... Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations § 240.17g-3 Annual financial reports to be furnished by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. (a) A nationally recognized statistical rating...

  18. 17 CFR 240.17g-3 - Annual financial reports to be furnished by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... furnished by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. 240.17g-3 Section 240.17g-3 Commodity... Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations § 240.17g-3 Annual financial reports to be furnished by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. (a) A nationally recognized statistical rating...

  19. Performance indicators for quality in surgical and laboratory services at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Mbembati, Naboth A; Mwangu, Mugwira; Muhondwa, Eustace P Y; Leshabari, Melkizedek M

    2008-04-01

    Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), a teaching and national referral hospital, is undergoing major reforms to improve the quality of health care. We performed a retrospective descriptive study using a set of performance indicators for the surgical and laboratory services of MNH in years 2001 and 2002, to help monitor and evaluate the impact of reforms on the quality of health care during and after the reform process. Hospital records were reviewed and information recorded for planned and postponed operations, laboratory equipment, reagents, laboratory tests and quality assurance programmes. In the year 2001 a total of 4332 non-emergency operations were planned, 3313 operations were performed and 1019 (23.5%) operations were postponed. In the year 2002, 4301 non-emergency operations were planned, 3046 were performed and 1255 (29%) were postponed. The most common reasons for operation postponement were "time-barred", interference by emergency operations, no show of patients and inoperable anaesthetic machines. Equipment problems and supply and staff shortages together accounted for one quarter of postponements. In the laboratory, a lack of equipment prevented some tests, but quality assurance was performed for most tests. Current surgical services at MNH are inadequate; operating theatres require modern, functioning equipment and adequate supplies of consumables to provide satisfactory care.

  20. National survey of Filipinos on acceptance of incentivized organ donation.

    PubMed

    Danguilan, R A; De Belen-Uriarte, R; Jorge, S L; Lesaca, R J; Amarillo, M L L; Ampil, R S; Ona, E T

    2012-05-01

    The increasing number of patients requiring transplantation has brought about a shortage of donor kidneys. Incentives can potentially improve organ donation. There is a need to know if the public can accept incentivized organ donation. To evaluate knowledge and opinions on organ donation and compensating the donor/donor family and to determine factors affecting consent. The third survey in 2009 covered 15 regions, 29 provinces, and 14 cities in the National Capital Region. There were 1500 respondents interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Analysis used Statistical Package for Social Science and chi-square. Of the respondents, 63% were females and 74% were married. Nearly half were between 26 and 45 years old. Fewer than 5% were unschooled. Monthly household income was less than USD $222.00 in 70% of respondents. A majority knew about donation from 2001 to 2009. Fewer than 20% knew about deceased donors. Those who wanted to become donors decreased. Sixty-five percent were willing to donate a brain-dead relative's organs. Respondents felt that kidney donors deserve a token of gratitude. Options included livelihood (32%), cash (31%), and educational assistance (26%). Sixty percent wanted the donor assistance termed a "token of gratitude." Consent for donation was positively correlated (P < .05) with higher education and monthly income. Awareness on organ transplantation and donation increased. Factors that promote organ donation are higher education and monthly income. A majority of Filipinos felt that the donor deserves a token of gratitude. Public acceptance of incentivized organ donation may be pursued. Strategies to improve the national advocacy campaign for deceased donation are needed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Gestational age and 1-year hospital admission or mortality: a nation-wide population-based study.

    PubMed

    Iacobelli, Silvia; Combier, Evelyne; Roussot, Adrien; Cottenet, Jonathan; Gouyon, Jean-Bernard; Quantin, Catherine

    2017-01-18

    Describe the 1-year hospitalization and in-hospital mortality rates, in infants born after 31 weeks of gestational age (GA). This nation-wide population-based study used the French medico-administrative database to assess the following outcomes in singleton live-born infants (32-43 weeks) without congenital anomalies (year 2011): neonatal hospitalization (day of life 1 - 28), post-neonatal hospitalization (day of life 29 - 365), and 1-year in-hospital mortality rates. Marginal models and negative binomial regressions were used. The study included 696,698 live-born babies. The neonatal hospitalization rate was 9.8%. Up to 40 weeks, the lower the GA, the higher the hospitalization rate and the greater the likelihood of requiring the highest level of neonatal care (both p < 0.001). The relative risk adjusted for sex and pregnancy-related diseases (aRR) reached 21.1 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 19.2-23.3) at 32 weeks. The post-neonatal hospitalization rate was 12.1%. The raw rates for post-neonatal hospitalization fell significantly from 32 - 40 and increased at 43 weeks and this persisted after adjustment (aRR = 3.6 [95% CI: 3.3-3.9] at 32 and 1.5 [95% CI: 1.1-1.9] at 43 compared to 40 weeks). The main causes of post-neonatal hospitalization were bronchiolitis (17.2%), gastroenteritis (10.4%) ENT diseases (5.4%) and accidents (6.2%). The in-hospital mortality rate was 0.85‰, with a significant decrease (p < 0.001) according to GA at birth (aRR = 3.8 [95% CI: 2.4-5.8] at 32 and 6.6 [95% CI: 2.1-20.9] at 43, compared to 40 weeks. There's a continuous change in outcome in hospitalized infants born above 31 weeks. Birth at 40 weeks gestation is associated with the lowest 1-year morbidity and mortality.

  2. Organic Liquids Distribution: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    National emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for organic liquidsdistribution (OLD) (non-gasoline) operations. Includes rule history, Federal Registry citations, implementation and compliance information.

  3. [Complicated chickenpox in a national pediatric Peruvian hospital, 2001-2011].

    PubMed

    Miranda-Choque, Edwin; Candela-Herrera, Jorge; Díaz-Pera, Javier; Farfán-Ramos, Sonia; Muñoz-Junes, Edith María; Escalante-Santivañez, Imelda Rita

    2013-03-01

    The objective of the study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of complicated chickenpox cases seen at the National Institute of Children's Health (INSN, Spanish acronym) of Peru from 2001 to 2011. A case series was collected, including a total of 1,073 children with complicated chickenpox. The median age was 2.5 years (IQR 1.1-4.8 years), of which 578 (54%) were male. The most frequent complications were secondary skin and soft tissue infections with 768 cases (72%). 13 deaths (1.4%) were recorded. In conclusion, the hospitalizations due to complicated chickenpox in the INSN included mostly children under five, with a short stay and a low proportion of deaths most complications being related to secondary skin and soft tissue infections.

  4. 76 FR 23817 - Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority; National Institutes of Health

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority; National Institutes of Health Part N, National Institutes of Health, of the Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority for the Department of Health and Human Services (40 FR...

  5. Comparison of the Mortality Probability Admission Model III, National Quality Forum, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IV hospital mortality models: implications for national benchmarking*.

    PubMed

    Kramer, Andrew A; Higgins, Thomas L; Zimmerman, Jack E

    2014-03-01

    To examine the accuracy of the original Mortality Probability Admission Model III, ICU Outcomes Model/National Quality Forum modification of Mortality Probability Admission Model III, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IVa models for comparing observed and risk-adjusted hospital mortality predictions. Retrospective paired analyses of day 1 hospital mortality predictions using three prognostic models. Fifty-five ICUs at 38 U.S. hospitals from January 2008 to December 2012. Among 174,001 intensive care admissions, 109,926 met model inclusion criteria and 55,304 had data for mortality prediction using all three models. None. We compared patient exclusions and the discrimination, calibration, and accuracy for each model. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IVa excluded 10.7% of all patients, ICU Outcomes Model/National Quality Forum 20.1%, and Mortality Probability Admission Model III 24.1%. Discrimination of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IVa was superior with area under receiver operating curve (0.88) compared with Mortality Probability Admission Model III (0.81) and ICU Outcomes Model/National Quality Forum (0.80). Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IVa was better calibrated (lowest Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic). The accuracy of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IVa was superior (adjusted Brier score = 31.0%) to that for Mortality Probability Admission Model III (16.1%) and ICU Outcomes Model/National Quality Forum (17.8%). Compared with observed mortality, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IVa overpredicted mortality by 1.5% and Mortality Probability Admission Model III by 3.1%; ICU Outcomes Model/National Quality Forum underpredicted mortality by 1.2%. Calibration curves showed that Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation performed well over the entire risk range, unlike the Mortality Probability Admission Model and ICU Outcomes Model/National Quality Forum models. Acute

  6. Attitudes of non-medical staff in hospitals in Spain, Mexico, Cuba and Costa Rica towards organ donation.

    PubMed

    Ríos, Antonio; López-Navas, Ana; Ayala-García, Marcos A; Sebastián, María J; Abdo-Cuza, Anselmo; Alán, Jeanina; Martínez-Alarcón, Laura; Ramírez-Barba, Ector J; Muñoz-Jiménez, Gerardo; Palacios, Gerardo; Suárez-López, Juliette; Castellanos, Roberto; González-Yebra, Beatriz; Martínez-Navarro, Miguel Á; Díaz-Chávez, Ernesto; Nieto, Adrián; Ramírez, Pablo; Parrilla, Pascual

    2013-01-01

    Non-medical staff members in hospitals are highly credible at population level, and are a source of opinion even though they do not have sufficient medical training. To analyse the attitudes of non-medical professionals of Spanish and Latin American hospitals towards organ donation and identify the factors that influence these attitudes. Through the "Proyecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante" (International Collaborative Donor Project), a stratified random sample was selected from non-medical services of eleven hospitals: 3 Spanish (n=277), 5 Mexican (n=632), 2 Cuban (n=42) and 1 Costa Rican (n=101). Of the 1052 professionals surveyed, 72% (n=754) were in favour of donating an organ after death. By country, 98% of Cubans, 80% of Mexicans, 66% of Costa Ricans and 52% of Spanish were in favour (P<.001). The most influential variables were: 1) country, with results being more positive in Mexico (odds ratio [OR]=2.197), 2) believing in the possibility that they will require a transplant (OR=2.202), 3) having discussed the issue with their family (OR=3.23), 4) the positive attitude of their partner towards donation (OR=3.322), 5) not being concerned about possible mutilation of their body after donation (OR=3.378), 6) preferring options other than burial (OR=2.525), 7) accepting an autopsy (OR=2.958). The attitude of non-medical staff members of hospitals towards the donation of their own organs varies greatly depending on the country of the respondent. Psychosocial factors that influence these attitudes are similar to those described at the population level.

  7. 17 CFR 240.17g-2 - Records to be made and retained by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... retained by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. 240.17g-2 Section 240.17g-2 Commodity... Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations § 240.17g-2 Records to be made and retained by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. (a) Records required to be made and retained. A nationally...

  8. Business-IT Alignment: A Current-State Evaluation of Strategic Alignment within the Hospital Organization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evers, Kevin W.

    2010-01-01

    More than thirty years of research has shown that the practical value of business-IT alignment is significant and that its importance derives from strategic impact on business outcomes. The purpose of this exploratory study is to identify the current-state of business-IT alignment maturity within the hospital organization. Data for this study was…

  9. National Trends in Incidence Rates of Hospitalization for Stroke in Children With Sickle Cell Disease

    PubMed Central

    McCavit, Timothy L.; Xuan, Lei; Zhang, Song; Flores, Glenn; Quinn, Charles T.

    2014-01-01

    Background The success of primary stroke prevention for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) throughout the United States is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to generate national incidence rates of hospitalization for stroke in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) before and after publication of the Stroke Prevention Trial in Sickle Cell Anemia (STOP trial) in 1998. Procedure We performed a retrospective trend analysis of the 1993–2009 Nationwide Inpatient Sample and Kids’ Inpatient Databases. Hospitalizations for SCD patients 0–18 years old with stroke were identified by ICD-9CM code. The primary outcome, the trend in annual incidence rate of hospitalization for stroke in children with SCD, was analyzed by linear regression. Incidence rates of hospitalization for stroke before and after 1998 were compared by the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results From 1993 to 2009, 2,024 hospitalizations were identified for stroke. Using the mean annual incidence rate of hospitalization for stroke from 1993 to 1998 as the baseline, the rate decreased from 1993 to 2009 (point estimate = −0.022/100 patient years [95% CI, −0.039, −0.005], P = 0.027). The mean annual incidence rate of hospitalization stroke decreased by 45% from 0.51 per 100 patient years in 1993–1998 to 0.28 per 100 patient years in 1999–2009 (P = 0.008). Total hospital days and charges attributed to stroke also decreased by 45% and 24%, respectively. Conclusions After publication of the STOP trial and hydroxyurea licensure in 1998, the incidence of hospitalization for stroke in children with SCD decreased across the United States, suggesting that primary stroke prevention has been effective nationwide, but opportunity for improvement remains. PMID:23151905

  10. A taxonomy of nursing care organization models in hospitals

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Over the last decades, converging forces in hospital care, including cost-containment policies, rising healthcare demands and nursing shortages, have driven the search for new operational models of nursing care delivery that maximize the use of available nursing resources while ensuring safe, high-quality care. Little is known, however, about the distinctive features of these emergent nursing care models. This article contributes to filling this gap by presenting a theoretically and empirically grounded taxonomy of nursing care organization models in the context of acute care units in Quebec and comparing their distinctive features. Methods This study was based on a survey of 22 medical units in 11 acute care facilities in Quebec. Data collection methods included questionnaire, interviews, focus groups and administrative data census. The analytical procedures consisted of first generating unit profiles based on qualitative and quantitative data collected at the unit level, then applying hierarchical cluster analysis to the units’ profile data. Results The study identified four models of nursing care organization: two professional models that draw mainly on registered nurses as professionals to deliver nursing services and reflect stronger support to nurses’ professional practice, and two functional models that draw more significantly on licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and assistive staff (orderlies) to deliver nursing services and are characterized by registered nurses’ perceptions that the practice environment is less supportive of their professional work. Conclusions This study showed that medical units in acute care hospitals exhibit diverse staff mixes, patterns of skill use, work environment design, and support for innovation. The four models reflect not only distinct approaches to dealing with the numerous constraints in the nursing care environment, but also different degrees of approximations to an “ideal” nursing professional practice

  11. Hospitalization and rehospitalization in Parkinson disease patients: Data from the National Parkinson Foundation Centers of Excellence

    PubMed Central

    De Jesus, Sol; Wu, Samuel S.; Pei, Qinglin; Hassan, Anhar; Armstrong, Melissa J.; Martinez-Ramirez, Daniel; Schmidt, Peter; Okun, Michael S.

    2017-01-01

    Background Patients with Parkinson disease (PD) are at high risk of hospital encounters with increasing morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine the rate of hospital encounters in a cohort followed over 5 years and to identify associated factors. Methods We queried the data from the International Multicenter National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement study. Multivariate logistic regression with backward selection was performed to identify factors associated with hospital encounter prior to baseline visit. Kaplan-Meier estimates were obtained and Cox regression performed on time to hospital encounter after the baseline visit. Results Of the 7,507 PD patients (mean age 66.5±9.9 years and disease duration 8.9±6.4 years at baseline visit), 1919 (25.6%) had a history of a hospital encounter prior to their baseline visit. Significant factors associated with a history of a hospital encounter prior to baseline included race (white race: OR 0.49), utilization of physical therapy (OR 1.47), history of deep brain stimulation (OR 1.87), number of comorbidities (OR 1.30), caregiver strain (OR 1.17 per standard deviation), and the standardized Timed Up and Go Test (OR 1.21). Patients with a history of hospitalization prior to the baseline were more likely to have a re-hospitalization (HR1.67, P<0.0001) compared to those without a prior hospitalization. In addition, the time to hospital encounter from baseline was significantly associated with age and number of medications. In patients with a history of hospitalization prior to the baseline visit, time to a second hospital encounter was significantly associated with caregiver strain and number of comorbidities. Conclusion Hospitalization and re-hospitalization were common in this cohort of people with PD. Our results suggest addressing caregiver burden, simplifying medications, and emphasizing primary and multidisciplinary care for comorbidities are potential avenues to explore for reducing hospitalization

  12. Pregnant & Lactating Mothers' Attitudes and Practice of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding at King Fahd Hospital of University (KFHU)--Khobar, Saudi Arabia: Appraisal of Baby Friendly Hospital Initiatives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salem, Laila Younis Abu; Al Madani, Maha Mohammed

    2015-01-01

    Background: World Health organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have been recommended the application of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in order to promote & support breastfeeding. The aim of this study was to assess pregnant and lactating mothers' attitudes…

  13. Creating a “culture of research” in a community hospital: Strategies and tools from the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program

    PubMed Central

    St. Germain, Diane; Nacpil, Lianne M; Zaren, Howard A; Swanson, Sandra M; Minnick, Christopher; Carrigan, Angela; Denicoff, Andrea M; Igo, Kathleen E; Acoba, Jared D; Gonzalez, Maria M; McCaskill-Stevens, Worta

    2015-01-01

    Background The value of community-based cancer research has long been recognized. In addition to the National Cancer Institute’s Community Clinical and Minority-Based Oncology Programs established in 1983, and 1991 respectively, the National Cancer Institute established the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program in 2007 with an aim of enhancing access to high-quality cancer care and clinical research in the community setting where most cancer patients receive their treatment. This article discusses strategies utilized by the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program to build research capacity and create a more entrenched culture of research at the community hospitals participating in the program over a 7-year period. Methods To facilitate development of a research culture at the community hospitals, the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program required leadership or chief executive officer engagement; utilized a collaborative learning structure where best practices, successes, and challenges could be shared; promoted site-to-site mentoring to foster faster learning within and between sites; required research program assessments that spanned clinical trial portfolio, accrual barriers, and outreach; increased identification and use of metrics; and, finally, encouraged research team engagement across hospital departments (navigation, multidisciplinary care, pathology, and disparities) to replace the traditionally siloed approach to clinical trials. Limitations The health-care environment is rapidly changing while complexity in research increases. Successful research efforts are impacted by numerous factors (e.g. institutional review board reviews, physician interest, and trial availability). The National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program sites, as program participants, had access to the required resources and support to develop and implement the strategies described. Metrics are an important

  14. Hospital volume and mortality for 25 types of inpatient treatment in German hospitals: observational study using complete national data from 2009 to 2014.

    PubMed

    Nimptsch, Ulrike; Mansky, Thomas

    2017-09-06

    To explore the existence and strength of a relationship between hospital volume and mortality, to estimate minimum volume thresholds and to assess the potential benefit of centralisation of services. Observational population-based study using complete German hospital discharge data (Diagnosis-Related Group Statistics (DRG Statistics)). All acute care hospitals in Germany. All adult patients hospitalised for 1 out of 25 common or medically important types of inpatient treatment from 2009 to 2014. Risk-adjusted inhospital mortality. Lower inhospital mortality in association with higher hospital volume was observed in 20 out of the 25 studied types of treatment when volume was categorised in quintiles and persisted in 17 types of treatment when volume was analysed as a continuous variable. Such a relationship was found in some of the studied emergency conditions and low-risk procedures. It was more consistently present regarding complex surgical procedures. For example, about 22 000 patients receiving open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm were analysed. In very high-volume hospitals, risk-adjusted mortality was 4.7% (95% CI 4.1 to 5.4) compared with 7.8% (7.1 to 8.7) in very low volume hospitals. Theminimum volume above which risk of death would fall below the average mortality was estimated as 18 cases per year. If all hospitals providing this service would perform at least 18 cases per year, one death among 104 (76 to 166) patients could potentially be prevented. Based on complete national hospital discharge data, the results confirmed volume-outcome relationships for many complex surgical procedures, as well as for some emergency conditions and low-risk procedures. Following these findings, the study identified areas where centralisation would provide a benefit for patients undergoing the specific type of treatment in German hospitals and quantified the possible impact of centralisation efforts. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise

  15. Drug user organizations in the Nordic countries--local, national, and international dimensions.

    PubMed

    Frank, Vibeke Asmussen; Anker, Jørgen; Tammi, Tuukka

    2012-04-01

    The article focuses on drug user organizations that represent and advocate for active "hard drug" users in the Nordic countries. It discusses the opportunities and challenges that these organizations face in their search for legitimacy and political influence. The comparative perspective points at similarities and differences in national contexts that both support and challenges the existence of drug user organizations, including drug policy, social welfare policy, trends in drug use, and organizational conditions. The article also discusses the importance of international network and transnational organizations that support drug user organizations.

  16. CHRONICLE OF THE "ANGLO-YUGOSLAV CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL" IN SREMSKA KAMENICA.

    PubMed

    Dobanovački, Dušanka; Mikić, Želimir; Vučković, Nada

    2015-01-01

    As a peacetime work of Katherine S. Macphail (Glasgow, 1887- St.Andrews, 1974) MB ChB (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery), the Anglo-Serbian Children's Hospital in Belgrade was established after World War I, and the English-Yugoslav Children's Hospital for Treatment of Osteoarticular Tuberculosis was founded in Sremska Kamenica in 1934. Situated on the Fruška Gora slope, the hospital-sanatorium was a well-equipped medical institution with an operating theatre and x-ray machine providing very advanced therapy, comparable to those in Switzerland and England: aero and heliotherapy, good quality nourishment, etc. In addition, school lessons were organized as well as several types of handwork as the work-therapy. It was a privately owned hospital but almost all the children were treated free of cost. The age for admission was up to 14. During the period from 1934 to 1937, around 458 children underwent hospital treatment, most of them with successful results. During the war years the Sanatorium was closed but after the war it was reactivated. In 1948 by the act of final nationalization of all medical institutions in the communist Yugoslavia, the hospital was transformed into a ward of orthopedic surgery under the supervision of the referent departments in Belgrade and Novi Sad. Today, hospital is out of work and deprived of its humanitarian mission. The building is neglected and in ruins although it has been proclaimed the national treasure by the Regional Institute for Protection of Monuments of Culture.

  17. A widening gap? Static and dynamic performance differences between specialist and general hospitals.

    PubMed

    Vera, Antonio; Petratos, Pythagoras; Salge, Torsten Oliver

    2018-03-01

    This paper develops and tests a dynamic model of hospital focus. It does so by tracing the performance trajectories of specialist and general hospitals to identify whether a performance gap exists and whether it widens or shrinks over time. Our longitudinal analyses of all hospital organizations within the English National Health Service (NHS) reveal not only a notable performance gap between specialist and general hospitals in particular with regards to patient satisfaction that widens over time, but also the emergence of a gap especially with regards to hospital staff job satisfaction. These findings reflect the considerable potential of specialization as a means to enhance hospital effectiveness. However, they also alert health policy makers to the threat of a widening performance gap between specialist and general hospitals with potential negative repercussions at the patient and health system level.

  18. Evidence Points To 'Gaming' At Hospitals Subject To National Health Service Cleanliness Inspections.

    PubMed

    Toffolutti, Veronica; McKee, Martin; Stuckler, David

    2017-02-01

    Inspections are a key way to monitor and ensure quality of care and maintain high standards in the National Health Service (NHS) in England. Yet there is a perception that inspections can be gamed. This can happen, for example, when staff members know that an inspection will soon take place. Using data for 205 NHS hospitals for the period 2011-14, we tested whether patients' perceptions of cleanliness increased during periods when inspections occurred. Our results show that during the period within two months of an inspection, there was a significant elevation (2.5-11.0 percentage points) in the share of patients who reported "excellent" cleanliness. This association was consistent even after adjustment for secular time trends. The association was concentrated in hospitals that outsourced cleaning services and was not detected in those that used NHS cleaning services. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  19. Decreasing incidence and mortality among hospitalized patients suffering a ventilator-associated pneumonia: Analysis of the Spanish national hospital discharge database from 2010 to 2014.

    PubMed

    de Miguel-Díez, Javier; López-de-Andrés, Ana; Hernández-Barrera, Valentín; Jiménez-Trujillo, Isabel; Méndez-Bailón, Manuel; Miguel-Yanes, José M de; Del Rio-Lopez, Benito; Jiménez-García, Rodrigo

    2017-07-01

    The aim of this study was to describe trends in the incidence and outcomes of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) among hospitalized patients in Spain (2010-2014).This is a retrospective study using the Spanish national hospital discharge database from year 2010 to 2014. We selected all hospital admissions that had an ICD-9-CM code: 997.31 for VAP in any diagnosis position. We analyzed incidence, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, procedures, pathogen isolations, and hospital outcomes.We identified 9336 admissions with patients suffering a VAP. Incidence rates of VAP decreased significantly over time (from 41.7 cases/100,000 inhabitants in 2010 to 40.55 in 2014). The mean Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was 1.08 ± 0.98 and it did not change significantly during the study period. The most frequent causative agent was Pseudomonas and there were not significant differences in the isolation of this microorganism over time. Time trend analyses showed a significant decrease in in-hospital mortality (IHM), from 35.74% in 2010 to 32.81% in 2014. Factor associated with higher IHM included male sex, older age, higher CCI, vein or artery occlusion, pulmonary disease, cancer, undergone surgery, emergency room admission, and readmission.This study shows that the incidence of VAP among hospitalized patients has decreased in Spain from 2010 to 2014. The IHM has also decreased over the study period. Further investigations are needed to improve the prevention and control of VAP.

  20. Association between costs and quality of acute myocardial infarction care hospitals under the Korea National Health Insurance program.

    PubMed

    Kang, Hee-Chung; Hong, Jae-Seok

    2017-08-01

    If cost reductions produce a cost-quality trade-off, healthcare policy makers need to be more circumspect about the use of cost-effective initiatives. Additional empirical evidence about the relationship between cost and quality is needed to design a value-based payment system. We examined the association between cost and quality performances for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) care at the hospital level.In 2008, this cross-sectional study examined 69 hospitals with 6599 patients hospitalized under the Korea National Health Insurance (KNHI) program. We separately estimated hospital-specific effects on cost and quality using the fixed effect models adjusting for average patient risk. The analysis examined the association between the estimated hospital effects against the treatment cost and quality. All hospitals were distributed over the 4 cost × quality quadrants rather than concentrated in only the trade-off quadrants (i.e., above-average cost and above-average quality, below-average cost and below-average quality). We found no significant trade-off between cost and quality among hospitals providing AMI care in Korea.Our results further contribute to formulating a rationale for value-based hospital-level incentive programs by supporting the necessity of different approaches depending on the quality location of a hospital in these 4 quadrants.

  1. Payment of hospital cardiac services.

    PubMed

    Unger, W J

    1991-01-01

    This report describes how acute-care community hospitals in the United States get paid for services when their patients either are entitled to Medicare or Medicaid benefits or subscribe to a Blue Cross or Blue Shield plan, a commercial insurance plan, a health maintenance organization, a preferred provider organization, or some other third-party payment mechanism. The focus of this report is on cardiac services, which are the most common type of inpatient services provided by acute-care community hospitals. Over the past three decades, extraordinary advances in medical and surgical technologies as well as healthier life-styles have cut the annual death rate for coronary heart disease in half. Despite this progress, cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of hospitalization. On average nationwide, diseases and disorders of the circulatory system are the primary reason for 17 percent of all patient admissions, and among the nation's 35 million Medicare beneficiaries they are the primary reason for 25 percent of all admissions. In the United States heart disease is the leading cause of death and a major cause of morbidity. Its diagnosis and treatment are often complex and costly, often requiring multiple hospitalizations and years of medical management. To focus management attention and resources on the immense cardiology marketplace, many hospitals have hired individuals with strong clinical backgrounds to manage their cardiology programs. These "front-line" managers play a key role in coordinating a hospital's services for patients with cardiovascular disease. Increasingly, these managers are being asked to become active participants in the reimbursement process. This report was designed to meet their needs. Because this report describes common reimbursement principles and practices applicable to all areas of hospital management and because it provides a "tool kit" of analytical, planning, and forecasting techniques, it could also be useful to hospital

  2. Development of Hospital-based Data Sets as a Vehicle for Implementation of a National Electronic Health Record.

    PubMed

    Keikha, Leila; Farajollah, Seyede Sedigheh Seied; Safdari, Reza; Ghazisaeedi, Marjan; Mohammadzadeh, Niloofar

    2018-01-01

    In developing countries such as Iran, international standards offer good sources to survey and use for appropriate planning in the domain of electronic health records (EHRs). Therefore, in this study, HL7 and ASTM standards were considered as the main sources from which to extract EHR data. The objective of this study was to propose a hospital data set for a national EHR consisting of data classes and data elements by adjusting data sets extracted from the standards and paper-based records. This comparative study was carried out in 2017 by studying the contents of the paper-based records approved by the health ministry in Iran and the international ASTM and HL7 standards in order to extract a minimum hospital data set for a national EHR. As a result of studying the standards and paper-based records, a total of 526 data elements in 174 classes were extracted. An examination of the data indicated that the highest number of extracted data came from the free text elements, both in the paper-based records and in the standards related to the administrative data. The major sources of data extracted from ASTM and HL7 were the E1384 and Hl7V.x standards, respectively. In the paper-based records, data were extracted from 19 forms sporadically. By declaring the confidentiality of information, the ASTM standards acknowledge the issue of confidentiality of information as one of the main challenges of EHR development, and propose new types of admission, such as teleconference, tele-video, and home visit, which are inevitable with the advent of new technology for providing healthcare and treating diseases. Data related to finance and insurance, which were scattered in different categories by three organizations, emerged as the financial category. Documenting the role and responsibility of the provider by adding the authenticator/signature data element was deemed essential. Not only using well-defined and standardized data, but also adapting EHR systems to the local facilities and

  3. IAIMS and JCAHO: implications for hospital librarians. Integrated Academic Information Management Systems. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

    PubMed Central

    Doyle, J D

    1999-01-01

    The roles of hospital librarians have evolved from keeping print materials to serving as a focal point for information services and structures within the hospital. Concepts that emerged from the Integrated Academic Information Management Systems (IAIMS) as described in the Matheson Report and the 1994 Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) standards have combined to propel hospital libraries into many new roles and functions. This paper will review the relationship of the two frameworks, provide a view of their commonalities, and establish the advantages of both for hospital librarianship as a profession. PMID:10550022

  4. Measuring hospital medical staff organizational structure.

    PubMed Central

    Shortell, S M; Getzen, T E

    1979-01-01

    Based on organization theory and the work of Roemer and Friedman, seven dimensions of hospital medical staff organization structure are proposed and examined. The data are based on a 1973 nationwide survey of hospital medical staffs conducted by the American Hospital Association. Factor analysis yielded six relatively independent dimensions supporting a multidimensional view of medical staff organization structure. The six dimensions include 1) Resource Capability, 2) Generalist Physician Contractual Orientation, 3) Communication/Control, 4) Local Staff Orientation, 5) Participation in Decision Making, and 6) Hospital-Based Physician Contractual Orientation. It is suggested that these dimensions can be used to develop an empirical typology of hospital medical staff organization structure and to investigate the relationship between medical staff organization and public policy issues related to cost containment and quality assurance. PMID:511580

  5. National Audit of Seizure management in Hospitals (NASH): results of the national audit of adult epilepsy in the UK.

    PubMed

    Dixon, Peter A; Kirkham, Jamie J; Marson, Anthony G; Pearson, Mike G

    2015-03-31

    About 100,000 people present to hospitals each year in England with an epileptic seizure. How they are managed is unknown; thus, the National Audit of Seizure management in Hospitals (NASH) set out to assess prior care, management of the acute event and follow-up of these patients. This paper describes the data from the second audit conducted in 2013. 154 emergency departments (EDs) across the UK. Data from 4544 attendances (median age of 45 years, 57% men) showed that 61% had a prior diagnosis of epilepsy, 12% other neurological problems and 22% were first seizure cases. Each ED identified 30 consecutive adult cases presenting due to a seizure. Details were recorded of the patient's prior care, management at hospital and onward referral to neurological specialists onto an online database. Descriptive results are reported at national level. Of those with epilepsy, 498 (18%) were on no antiepileptic drug therapy and 1330 (48%) were on monotherapy. Assessments were often incomplete and witness histories were sought in only 759 (75%) of first seizure patients, 58% were seen by a senior doctor and 57% were admitted. For first seizure patients, advice on further seizure management was given to 264 (27%) and only 55% were referred to a neurologist or epilepsy specialist. For each variable, there was wide variability among sites that was not explicable. For the sites who partook in both audits, there was a trend towards better care in 2013, but this was small and dwarfed by the intersite variability. These results have parallels with the Sentinel Audit of Stroke performed a decade earlier. There is wide intersite variability in care covering the entire care pathway, and a need for better organised and accessible care for these patients. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  6. Hospitality Services. Student Activity Book.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock. Home Economics Curriculum Center.

    This student activity book contains pencil-and-paper activities for use in a hospitality services course focusing on the food and lodging segments of the hospitality and tourism industry. The activities are organized into 29 chapters on the following topics: hospitality services industry; professional ethics; organization/management structures in…

  7. A national survey of clinical pharmacy services in county hospitals in China.

    PubMed

    Yao, Dongning; Xi, Xiaoyu; Huang, Yuankai; Hu, Hao; Hu, Yuanjia; Wang, Yitao; Yao, Wenbing

    2017-01-01

    Clinical pharmacy is not only a medical science but also an elaborate public health care system firmly related to its subsystems of education, training, qualification authentication, scientific research, management, and human resources. China is a developing country with a tremendous need for improvements in the public health system, including the clinical pharmacy service system. The aim of this research was to evaluate the infrastructure and personnel qualities of clinical pharmacy services in China. Public county hospitals in China. A national survey of clinical pharmacists in county hospitals was conducted. It was sampled through a stratified sampling strategy. Responses were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The main outcome measures include the coverage of clinical pharmacy services, the overall staffing of clinical pharmacists, the software and hardware of clinical pharmacy services, the charge mode of clinical pharmacy services, and the educational background, professional training acquisition, practical experience, and entry path of clinical pharmacists. The overall coverage of clinical pharmacy services on both the department scale (median = 18.25%) and the patient scale (median = 15.38%) does not meet the 100% coverage that is required by the government. In 57.73% of the sample hospitals, the staffing does not meet the requirement, and the size of the clinical pharmacist group is smaller in larger hospitals. In addition, 23.4% of the sample hospitals do not have management rules for the clinical pharmacists, and 43.1% do not have rational drug use software, both of which are required by the government. In terms of fees, 89.9% of the sample hospitals do not charge for the services. With regard to education, 8.5% of respondents are with unqualified degree, and among respondents with qualified degree, 37.31% are unqualified in the major; 43% of respondents lack the clinical pharmacist training required by the government. Most

  8. Best practices to promote occupational safety and satisfaction: a comparison of three North American hospitals.

    PubMed

    McCaughey, Deirdre; DelliFraine, Jami; Erwin, Cathleen O

    2015-01-01

    Hospitals in North America consistently have employee injury rates ranking among the highest of all industries. Organizations that mandate workplace safety training and emphasize safety compliance tend to have lower injury rates and better employee safety perceptions. However, it is unclear if the work environment in different national health care systems (United States vs. Canada) is associated with different employee safety perceptions or injury rates. This study examines occupational safety and workplace satisfaction in two different countries with employees working for the same organization. Survey data were collected from environmental services employees (n = 148) at three matched hospitals (two in Canada and one in the United States). The relationships that were examined included: (1) safety leadership and safety training with individual/unit safety perceptions; (2) supervisor and coworker support with individual job satisfaction and turnover intention; and (3) unit turnover, labor usage, and injury rates. Hierarchical regression analysis and ANO VA found safety leadership and safety training to be positively related to individual safety perceptions, and unit safety grade and effects were similar across all hospitals. Supervisor and coworker support were found to be related to individual and organizational outcomes and significant differences were found across the hospitals. Significant differences were found in injury rates, days missed, and turnover across the hospitals. This study offers support for occupational safety training as a viable mechanism to reduce employee injury rates and that a codified training program translates across national borders. Significant differences were found.between the hospitals with respect to employee and organizational outcomes (e.g., turnover). These findings suggest that work environment differences are reflective of the immediate work group and environment, and may reflect national health care system differences.

  9. A national common massive transfusion protocol (MTP) is a feasible and advantageous option for centralized blood services and hospitals.

    PubMed

    Chay, J; Koh, M; Tan, H H; Ng, J; Ng, H J; Chia, N; Kuperan, P; Tan, J; Lew, E; Tan, L K; Koh, P L; Desouza, K A; Bin Mohd Fathil, S; Kyaw, P M; Ang, A L

    2016-01-01

    A common national MTP was jointly implemented in 2011 by the national blood service (Blood Services Group) and seven participating acute hospitals to provide rapid access to transfusion support for massively haemorrhaging patients treated in all acute care hospitals. Through a systematic clinical workflow, blood components are transfused in a ratio of 1:1:1 (pRBC: whole blood-derived platelets: FFP), together with cryoprecipitate for fibrinogen replacement. The composition of components for the MTP is fixed, although operational aspects of the MTP can be adapted by individual hospitals to suit local hospital workflow. The MTP could be activated in support of any patient with critical bleeding and at risk of massive transfusion, including trauma and non-trauma general medical, surgical and obstetric patients. There were 434 activations of the MTP from October 2011 to October 2013. Thirty-nine per cent were for trauma patients, and 30% were for surgical patients with heavy intra-operative bleeding, with 25% and 6% for patients with gastrointestinal bleeding and peri-partum haemorrhage, respectively. Several hospitals reported reduction in mean time between request and arrival of blood. Mean transfusion ratio achieved was one red cell unit: 0·8 FFP units: 0·8 whole blood-derived platelet units: 0·4 units of cryoprecipitate. Although cryoprecipitate usage more than doubled after introduction of MTP, there was no significant rise in overall red cells, platelet and FFP usage following implementation. This successful collaboration shows that shared transfusion protocols are feasible and potentially advantageous for hospitals sharing a central blood provider. © 2015 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  10. Hospital information systems: experience at the fully digitized Seoul National University Bundang Hospital.

    PubMed

    Yoo, Sooyoung; Hwang, Hee; Jheon, Sanghoon

    2016-08-01

    The different levels of health information technology (IT) adoption and its integration into hospital workflow can affect the maximization of the benefits of using of health IT. We aimed at sharing our experiences and the journey to the successful adoption of health IT over 13 years at a tertiary university hospital in South Korea. The integrated system of comprehensive applications for direct care, support care, and smart care has been implemented with the latest IT and a rich user information platform, achieving the fully digitized hospital. The users experience design methodology, barcode and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technologies, smartphone and mobile technologies, and data analytics were integrated into hospital workflow. Applications for user-centered electronic medical record (EMR) and clinical decision support (CDS), closed loop medication administration (CLMA), mobile EMR and dashboard system for care coordination, clinical data warehouse (CDW) system, and patient engagement solutions were designed and developed to improve quality of care, work efficiency, and patient safety. We believe that comprehensive electronic health record systems and patient-centered smart hospital applications will go a long way in ensuring seamless patient care and experience.

  11. National audit of pressure ulcers and incontinence-associated dermatitis in hospitals across Wales: a cross-sectional study

    PubMed Central

    Clark, Michael; Semple, Martin J; Ivins, Nicola; Mahoney, Kirsten; Harding, Keith

    2017-01-01

    Objective The Chief Nurse National Health Service Wales initiated a national survey of acute and community hospital patients in Wales to identify the prevalence of pressure ulcers and incontinence-associated dermatitis. Methods Teams of two nurses working independently assessed the skin of each inpatient who consented to having their skin observed. Results Over 28 September 2015 to 2nd October 2015, 8365 patients were assessed across 66 hospitals with 748 (8.9%) found to have pressure ulcers. Not all patients had their skin inspected with all mental health patients exempt from this part of the audit along with others who did not consent or were too ill. Of the patients with pressure ulcers, 593 (79.3%) had their skin inspected with 158 new pressure ulcers encountered that were not known to ward staff, while 152 pressure ulcers were incorrectly categorised by the ward teams. Incontinence-associated dermatitis was encountered in 360 patients (4.3%), while medical device-related pressure ulcers were rare (n=33). The support surfaces used while patients were in bed were also recorded to provide a baseline against which future changes in equipment procurement could be assessed. The presence of other wounds was also recorded with 2537 (30.3%) of all hospital patients having one or more skin wounds. Conclusions This survey has demonstrated that although complex, it is feasible to undertake national surveys of pressure ulcers, incontinence-associated dermatitis and other wounds providing comprehensive and accurate data to help plan improvements in wound care across Wales. PMID:28827240

  12. The Impact of a National Faculty Development Program Embedded Within an Academic Professional Organization.

    PubMed

    Baldwin, Constance D; Gusic, Maryellen E; Chandran, Latha

    2017-08-01

    A sizeable literature describes the effectiveness of institution-based faculty development programs in nurturing faculty educators as scholars, but national programs are less common and seldom evaluated. To fill this role, the Educational Scholars Program (ESP) was created within the Academic Pediatric Association (APA) in 2006. It is a national, three-year, cohort-based certification program focused on fostering educational scholarship. This article describes the development and outcomes of an innovative program embedded within the framework of a national professional organization, and offers a model for potential adaptation by similar organizations to enhance their support of educators.After 10 years, 171 scholars have enrolled in the ESP, and 50 faculty have participated. Scholars are assigned a faculty advisor and participate in three full-day sessions at a national meeting; online, interactive learning modules; and a mentored, scholarly project. The program receives support from the APA in four organizational frames: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic. The self-perceived scholarly proficiency of the scholars in Cohort 1 increased significantly over time, and their productivity and collaborations increased during and after the program. Scholars wrote enthusiastically about their experience in yearly and postprogram evaluations. In interviews, eight past APA presidents explained that the ESP strengthened the APA's mission, created new leaders, and provided a new model for other APA programs. Outcomes of the ESP suggest that a longitudinal faculty development program embedded within a national professional organization can create a social enterprise not only within the organization but also within the broader national community of educator-scholars.

  13. [The future of hospitals and the hospitals in the future].

    PubMed

    Illés, S Tamás

    2016-07-01

    By the end of the 20th century the vertically organized hospitals formed into a closed hierarchical system, in which the healthcare supply significantly fragmented. The existing hospitals in the current organization are not prepared for the increase in longevity, nor for the high growth in the number of chronic and long-term illnesses and the multi-morbidity since they were not designed for extended carry treatments. The fast incorporation of high-tech and very expensive technologies into healthcare generates an economic crisis. Solving the supply and economic crisis at the same time cannot be achieved without changing the structure of hospitals. Future hospitals will be organized in a network, conducting special treatments according to disease profiles. According to present knowledge, this is the only structure that allows for economies in scale, the proper spending of the ever-shrinking resources, and to ensure the effective patient care required after the changing of disorder structures and patient corporate identities. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(28), 1099-1104.

  14. Which Clinical and Patient Factors Influence the National Economic Burden of Hospital Readmissions After Total Joint Arthroplasty?

    PubMed

    Kurtz, Steven M; Lau, Edmund C; Ong, Kevin L; Adler, Edward M; Kolisek, Frank R; Manley, Michael T

    2017-12-01

    The Affordable Care Act of 2010 advanced the economic model of bundled payments for total joint arthroplasty (TJA), in which hospitals will be financially responsible for readmissions, typically at 90 days after surgery. However, little is known about the financial burden of readmissions and what patient, clinical, and hospital factors drive readmission costs. (1) What is the incidence, payer mix, and demographics of THA and TKA readmissions in the United States? (2) What patient, clinical, and hospital factors are associated with the cost of 30- and 90-day readmissions after primary THA and TKA? (3) Are there any differences in the economic burden of THA and TKA readmissions between payers? (4) What types of THA and TKA readmissions are most costly to the US hospital system? The recently developed Nationwide Readmissions Database from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (2006 hospitals from 21 states) was used to identify 719,394 primary TJAs and 62,493 90-day readmissions in the first 9 months of 2013 based on International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes. We classified the reasons for readmissions as either procedure- or medical-related. Cost-to-charge ratios supplied with the Nationwide Readmissions Database were used to compute the individual per-patient cost of 90-day readmissions as a continuous variable in separate general linear models for THA and TKA. Payer, patient, clinical, and hospital factors were treated as covariates. We estimated the national burden of readmissions by payer and by the reason for readmission. The national rates of 30- and 90-day readmissions after THA were 4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.2%-4.5%) and 8% (95% CI, 7.5%-8.1%), respectively. The national rates of 30- and 90-day readmissions after primary TKA were 4% (95% CI, 3.8%-4.0%) and 7% (95% CI, 6.8%-7.2%), respectively. The five most important variables responsible for the cost of 90-day THA readmissions (in rank order, based

  15. Perinatal regionalization versus hospital competition: the Hartford example.

    PubMed

    Richardson, D K; Reed, K; Cutler, J C; Boardman, R C; Goodman, K; Moynihan, T; Driscoll, J; Raye, J R

    1995-09-01

    The increasingly competitive health care environment may undermine effective traditional regional organizations. It is urgent to document the benefits of perinatal regionalization for the emerging health care system. We present a case study that illustrates many of the challenges to and benefits of perinatal regionalization in the 1990s. The controversy in Hartford was sparked by a proposed merger of two major pediatric services into a full-service children's hospital. Community hospitals reacted with plans to upgrade their obstetrics/neonatal facilities toward level II (intermediate) or II+ (intensive) neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The fear that unrestricted competition would drive up overall health care costs prompted the hospital association and Chamber of Commerce to retain consultants to evaluate the number and location of regional NICU beds. The consultant team interviewed stake-holders in area hospitals, health maintenance organizations, insurance companies, businesses, state agencies, and community groups, and analyzed quantitative data on newborn discharges. The existing system worked remarkably well for clinical care, training, referrals, and provider and patient satisfaction. There was a high level of inter-hospital collaboration and regional leadership in obstetrics and pediatrics, but strong and growing competition between their hospitals. Hospital administrators enumerated the competitive threats that obligated them to compete and the financial disincentives to support the regional structures. Business leaders and insurance executives emphasized the need to control costs. Analysis of discharge data showed marginal adequacy of NICU beds but maldistribution between NICUs, particularly between level III and level II units. The consultants recommended no new beds based on population projections, declining lengths of stay nationally, and substantial gains available from aggressive back-transport of convalescing infants. The consultants emphasized

  16. 78 FR 54349 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-03

    ... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-70263; File No. SR-NSCC-2013-09] Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change.... On July 2, 2013, the National Securities Clearing Corporation filed with the Securities and Exchange...

  17. 75 FR 55836 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-14

    ... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-62849; File No. SR-NSCC-2010-07] Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change To... September 3, 2010. I. Introduction On July 1, 2010, National Securities Clearing Corporation (``NSCC...

  18. Regional Hospital Input Price Indexes

    PubMed Central

    Freeland, Mark S.; Schendler, Carol Ellen; Anderson, Gerard

    1981-01-01

    This paper describes the development of regional hospital input price indexes that is consistent with the general methodology used for the National Hospital Input Price Index. The feasibility of developing regional indexes was investigated because individuals inquired whether different regions experienced different rates of increase in hospital input prices. The regional indexes incorporate variations in cost-share weights (the amount an expense category contributes to total spending) associated with hospital type and location, and variations in the rate of input price increases for various regions. We found that between 1972 and 1979 none of the regional price indexes increased at average annual rates significantly different from the national rate. For the more recent period 1977 through 1979, the increase in one Census Region was significantly below the national rate. Further analyses indicated that variations in cost-share weights for various types of hospitals produced no substantial variations in the regional price indexes relative to the national index. We consider these findings preliminary because of limitations in the availability of current, relevant, and reliable data, especially for local area wage rate increases. PMID:10309557

  19. Changes in the monitoring and oversight practices of not-for-profit hospital governing boards 1989-2005: evidence from three national surveys.

    PubMed

    Alexander, Jeffrey A; Lee, Shoou-Yih D; Wang, Virginia; Margolin, Frances S

    2009-04-01

    Despite the legal and practical importance of monitoring and oversight of management by hospital governing boards, there is little empirical evidence of how hospital boards fulfill these roles and the extent to which these practices have changed over time. We utilize data from three national surveys of hospital governance to examine how oversight and monitoring practices in public and private not-for-profit (NFP) hospital boards have changed over time. Findings suggest that board relations with CEOs in NFP hospitals display important but potentially contradictory patterns. On the one hand, NFP hospital boards appear to be exercising more stringent oversight of management and hospital performance. On the other hand, management is more actively involved with governance matters with less separation of board and management. This general pattern varies by the dimension of oversight and monitoring practice and by specific characteristics of NFP hospitals.

  20. Pediatric hospital medicine core competencies: development and methodology.

    PubMed

    Stucky, Erin R; Ottolini, Mary C; Maniscalco, Jennifer

    2010-01-01

    Pediatric hospital medicine is the most rapidly growing site-based pediatric specialty. There are over 2500 unique members in the three core societies in which pediatric hospitalists are members: the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Academic Pediatric Association (APA) and the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM). Pediatric hospitalists are fulfilling both clinical and system improvement roles within varied hospital systems. Defined expectations and competencies for pediatric hospitalists are needed. In 2005, SHM's Pediatric Core Curriculum Task Force initiated the project and formed the editorial board. Over the subsequent four years, multiple pediatric hospitalists belonging to the AAP, APA, or SHM contributed to the content of and guided the development of the project. Editors and collaborators created a framework for identifying appropriate competency content areas. Content experts from both within and outside of pediatric hospital medicine participated as contributors. A number of selected national organizations and societies provided valuable feedback on chapters. The final product was validated by formal review from the AAP, APA, and SHM. The Pediatric Hospital Medicine Core Competencies were created. They include 54 chapters divided into four sections: Common Clinical Diagnoses and Conditions, Core Skills, Specialized Clinical Services, and Healthcare Systems: Supporting and Advancing Child Health. Each chapter can be used independently of the others. Chapters follow the knowledge, skills, and attitudes educational curriculum format, and have an additional section on systems organization and improvement to reflect the pediatric hospitalist's responsibility to advance systems of care. These competencies provide a foundation for the creation of pediatric hospital medicine curricula and serve to standardize and improve inpatient training practices. (c) 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine.

  1. The orthopaedic error index: development and application of a novel national indicator for assessing the relative safety of hospital care using a cross-sectional approach.

    PubMed

    Panesar, Sukhmeet S; Netuveli, Gopalakrishnan; Carson-Stevens, Andrew; Javad, Sundas; Patel, Bhavesh; Parry, Gareth; Donaldson, Liam J; Sheikh, Aziz

    2013-11-21

    The Orthopaedic Error Index for hospitals aims to provide the first national assessment of the relative safety of provision of orthopaedic surgery. Cross-sectional study (retrospective analysis of records in a database). The National Reporting and Learning System is the largest national repository of patient-safety incidents in the world with over eight million error reports. It offers a unique opportunity to develop novel approaches to enhancing patient safety, including investigating the relative safety of different healthcare providers and specialties. We extracted all orthopaedic error reports from the system over 1 year (2009-2010). The Orthopaedic Error Index was calculated as a sum of the error propensity and severity. All relevant hospitals offering orthopaedic surgery in England were then ranked by this metric to identify possible outliers that warrant further attention. 155 hospitals reported 48 971 orthopaedic-related patient-safety incidents. The mean Orthopaedic Error Index was 7.09/year (SD 2.72); five hospitals were identified as outliers. Three of these units were specialist tertiary hospitals carrying out complex surgery; the remaining two outlier hospitals had unusually high Orthopaedic Error Indexes: mean 14.46 (SD 0.29) and 15.29 (SD 0.51), respectively. The Orthopaedic Error Index has enabled identification of hospitals that may be putting patients at disproportionate risk of orthopaedic-related iatrogenic harm and which therefore warrant further investigation. It provides the prototype of a summary index of harm to enable surveillance of unsafe care over time across institutions. Further validation and scrutiny of the method will be required to assess its potential to be extended to other hospital specialties in the UK and also internationally to other health systems that have comparable national databases of patient-safety incidents.

  2. Improving Surgical Complications and Patient Safety at the Nation's Largest Military Hospital: An Analysis of National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Data.

    PubMed

    Maturo, Steve; Hughes, Charlotte; Kallingal, George; Silvey, Stephen; Johnson, A J; Soderdahl, Douglas; Renz, Evan; Brennan, Joseph

    2017-03-01

    The U.S. Military Health System cares for over 9 million patients and encompasses 63 hospitals and 413 clinics worldwide. Military medicine balances the simultaneous tasks of caring for those patients wounded in military engagements, treating large numbers of families of service men and women, and training the next generation of health care providers and ancillary staff. Similar to civilian health care delivery in the United States, military medicine has also seen increased scrutiny in the areas of cost and quality. In 2014, the U.S. military medical health care system was criticized for higher than average surgical complication rates and concerns regarding patient safety, quality of care, lack of transparency, and compartmentalized leadership. The San Antonio Military Medical Center was specifically cited as having "a perennial problem with surgical infection control…the infection rate of surgical wounds was 77% higher than expected given the mix of cases, according to a Pentagon-ordered comparison with civilian hospitals." To determine the scope of complication rates, data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) were analyzed. The goal of this article is to describe the NSQIP surgical outcome data for the U.S. Military's largest medical center from 2009 to 2014 and compare national averages in the areas of mortality, morbidity, cardiac occurrences, pneumonia, unplanned intubation, ventilator use greater than 48 hours, infections, readmissions, and return to operating room. Retrospective data analysis of NSQIP data from 2009 to 2014 at the San Antonio Military Medical Center, a level I trauma center for military members and eligible dependents along with civilian trauma patients. Observed event rates were compared with expected event rates for each year with the 2-tail Fisher's exact test to determine if rates were significantly different from each other. Cochran-Armitage Trend Test was performed to compare

  3. The development of hospital-based palliative care services in public hospitals in the Western Cape, South Africa.

    PubMed

    Gwyther, L; Krause, R; Cupido, C; Stanford, J; Grey, H; Credé, T; De Vos, A; Arendse, J; Raubenheimer, P

    2018-02-01

    With the recent approval of a South African (SA) National Policy Framework and Strategy for Palliative Care by the National Health Council, it is pertinent to reflect on initiatives to develop palliative care services in public hospitals. This article reviews the development of hospital-based palliative care services in the Western Cape, SA. Palliative care services in SA started in the non-governmental sector in the 1980s. The first SA hospital-based palliative care team was established in Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in 2001. The awareness of the benefit of palliative care in the hospital setting led to the development of isolated pockets of excellence providing palliative care in the public health sector in SA. This article describes models for palliative care at tertiary, provincial and district hospital level, which could inform development of hospital-based palliative care as the national policy for palliative care is implemented in SA.

  4. Sources of Meaningfulness in the Workplace: A Study in the US Hospitality Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dimitrov, Danielle

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the sources of meaningfulness at the workplace, according to the perceptions of hospitality employees from different national cultures in one US-based hotel, based on Dimitrov's empirical study about the features of the humane organization. Design/methodology/approach: This was an exploratory…

  5. Epidemiology of burns undergoing hospitalization to the National Burns Unit in the Sultanate of Oman: a 25-year review.

    PubMed

    Al-Shaqsi, Sultan; Al-Kashmiri, Ammar; Al-Bulushi, Taimoor

    2013-12-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of burns admitted to the National Burns Unit (NBU) in the Sultanate of Oman between 1987 and 2011. This is a retrospective review of burn patients admitted to Oman's National Burns Unit (NBU) between 1987 and 2011. The data extracted from the national burn registry. The study describes the admission rate by gender and age groups, occupation, causes of burns, time-to-admission, length of stay and in-hospital mortality of burns between 1987 and 2011. During a 25-year from 1987 to 2011, there were 3531 burn patients admitted to the National Burns Unit in Oman. The average admission rate to NBU is 7.02 per 100,000 persons per year. On average, males were more likely to be admitted to the NBU than females during the study period (P value < 0.04). Patients aged 1-10 years old constituted 46.6% of caseload during the study period. Flames and scalds caused 88.4% of burns. About half of all patients admitted to the NBU have burns to more than 11% of total body surface area (TBSA). The average stay in hospital was estimated to be 15.3 days per patient. The average in-hospital mortality rate was estimated to be 8.2% per year (range 1.9-22%). Burns are significant public health issue in the Sultanate of Oman. Children are disproportionately over-represented in this study. Prevention programmes are urgently needed to address this "silent and costly epidemic." Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  6. Relative performance of for-profit psychiatric hospitals in investor-owned systems and nonprofit psychiatric hospitals.

    PubMed

    McCue, M J; Clement, J P

    1993-01-01

    The authors analyzed the differences in operational and financial performance between 42 matched pairs of for-profit psychiatric hospitals belonging to multifacility organizations and nonprofit psychiatric hospitals for the fiscal years ending in 1986 through 1990. The pairs of short-term hospitals were matched according to location, standard metropolitan statistical area, or wage index. Analyses were based on data on these hospitals from the Health Care Financing Administration. The groups of variables studied included the hospitals' operational performance and productivity, profitability and payer mix, revenue and expenses, and capital structure. Differences in the mean values of the variables for the for-profit hospitals and the nonprofit hospitals were analyzed by pairwise t tests. The for-profit organization hospitals had significantly higher net revenue, lower salary expenses, and higher profits than the nonprofit hospitals. Patients in the for-profit hospitals had longer stays, and these hospitals had fewer full-time employees per adjusted inpatient day and per adjusted discharge. The higher prices and operating margins of the for-profit hospitals belonging to investor-owned systems reflect the profit-maximizing goal of these facilities. The ability of for-profit organization hospitals to achieve economies of scale in expenses, however, was not evident except in the case of salary expenses.

  7. Audit of clinical-laboratory practices in haematology and blood transfusion at Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Makubi, Abel N; Meda, Collins; Magesa, Alex; Minja, Peter; Mlalasi, Juliana; Salum, Zubeda; Kweka, Rumisha E; Rwehabura, James; Quaresh, Amrana; Magesa, Pius M; Robert, David; Makani, Julie; Kaaya, Ephata

    2012-10-01

    In Tanzania, there is paucity of data for monitoring laboratory medicine including haematology. This therefore calls for audits of practices in haematology and blood transfusion in order to provide appraise practice and devise strategies that would result in improved quality of health care services. This descriptive cross-sectional study which audited laboratory practice in haematology and blood transfusion at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) aimed at assessing the pre-analytical stage of laboratory investigations including laboratory request forms and handling specimen processing in the haematology laboratory and assessing the chain from donor selection, blood component processing to administration of blood during transfusion. A national standard checklist was used to audit the laboratory request forms (LRF), phlebotomists' practices on handling and assessing the from donor selection to administration 6f blood during transfusion. Both interview and observations were used. A total of 195 LRF were audited and 100% of had incomplete information such as patients' identification numbers, time sample ordered, reason for request, summary of clinical assessment and differential diagnoses. The labelling of specimens was poorly done by phlebotomists/clinicians in 82% of the specimens. Also 65% (132/202) of the blood samples delivered in the haematology laboratory did not contain the recommended volume of blood. There was no laboratory request form specific for ordering blood and there were no guidelines for indication of blood transfusion in the wards/ clinics. The blood transfusion laboratory section was not participating in external quality assessment and the hospital transfusion committee was not in operation. It is recommended that a referral hospital like MNH should have a transfusion committee to provide an active forum to facilitate communication between those involved with transfusion, monitor, coordinate and audit blood transfusion practices as per national

  8. National Epidemiologic Surveys of Enterobacter aerogenes in Belgian Hospitals from 1996 to 1998

    PubMed Central

    De Gheldre, Y.; Struelens, M. J.; Glupczynski, Y.; De Mol, P.; Maes, N.; Nonhoff, C.; Chetoui, H.; Sion, C.; Ronveaux, O.; Vaneechoutte, M.

    2001-01-01

    Two national surveys were conducted to describe the incidence and prevalence of Enterobacter aerogenes in 21 Belgian hospitals in 1996 and 1997 and to characterize the genotypic diversity and the antimicrobial resistance profiles of clinical strains of E. aerogenes isolated from hospitalized patients in Belgium in 1997 and 1998. Twenty-nine hospitals collected 10 isolates of E. aerogenes, which were typed by arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) using two primers and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. MICs of 10 antimicrobial agents were determined by the agar dilution method. Beta-lactamases were detected by the double-disk diffusion test and characterized by isoelectric point. The median incidence of E. aerogenes colonization or infection increased from 3.3 per 1,000 admissions in 1996 to 4.2 per 1000 admissions in the first half of 1997 (P < 0.01). E. aerogenes strains (n = 260) clustered in 25 AP-PCR types. Two major types, BE1 and BE2, included 36 and 38% of strains and were found in 21 and 25 hospitals, respectively. The BE1 type was indistinguishable from a previously described epidemic strain in France. Half of the strains produced an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase, either TEM-24 (in 86% of the strains) or TEM-3 (in 14% of the strains). Over 75% of the isolates were resistant to ceftazidime, piperacillin-tazobactam, and ciprofloxacin. Over 90% of the strains were susceptible to cefepime, carbapenems, and aminoglycosides. In conclusion, these data suggest a nationwide dissemination of two epidemic multiresistant E. aerogenes strains in Belgian hospitals. TEM-24 beta-lactamase was frequently harbored by one of these epidemic strains, which appeared to be genotypically related to a TEM-24-producing epidemic strain from France, suggesting international dissemination. PMID:11230400

  9. HRSA's collaborative efforts with national organizations to expand primary care for the medically underserved.

    PubMed Central

    Crane, A B

    1991-01-01

    As the Federal agency that provides leadership in expanding access to primary health care, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) manages some 50 programs directed toward the delivery of services and strengthening the base of national health resources. An enabling element of the agency's strategy is the expansion of partnerships with national associations, private foundations, and other entities that share a concern for the health care of the medically underserved. Cooperative efforts with national organizations are intended to promote the integration of public and private resources and encourage adoption of efficient approaches to organizing and financing health care. Medical education in the primary care specialties, State programs for women and children, involvement of managed care organizations with low-income populations, and programs concerning the uninsured are the foci of some of these collaborative relationships. PMID:1899932

  10. Epidemiology of pancreatic cancer in France: descriptive study from the French national hospital database.

    PubMed

    Maire, Frédérique; Cibot, Jean-Olivier; Compagne, Catherine; Hentic, Olivia; Hammel, Pascal; Muller, Nelly; Ponsot, Philippe; Levy, Philippe; Ruszniewski, Philippe

    2017-08-01

    Although indirect evidence suggests that the incidence of pancreatic adenocarcinoma has increased in the last decade, few data are available in European countries. The aim of the present study was to update the epidemiology of pancreatic cancer in France in 2014 from the French national hospital database (Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d'Information). All patients hospitalized for pancreatic cancer in France in 2014 in public or private institutions were included. Patient and stays (length, type of support, institutions) characteristics were studied. The results were compared with those observed in 2010. A total of 13 346 (52% men, median age 71 years) new patients were treated for pancreatic cancer in 2014, accounting for a 12.5% increase compared with 2010. Overall, 22% of patients were operated on. Liver metastases were present in 60% of cases. The disease accounted for 146 680 hospital stays (+24.8% compared with 2010), 76% of which were related to chemotherapy (+32%). The average annual number and length of stay were 7 and 2.6 days, respectively. In 2014, 11 052 deaths were reported (+15.8%). Approximately 13 350 new cases of pancreatic cancer were observed in France in 2014. The increase in incidence was associated with a marked increase in hospital stays for chemotherapy.

  11. French hospital nurses' opinion about euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: a national phone survey.

    PubMed

    Bendiane, M K; Bouhnik, A-D; Galinier, A; Favre, R; Obadia, Y; Peretti-Watel, P

    2009-04-01

    Hospital nurses are frequently the first care givers to receive a patient's request for euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide (PAS). In France, there is no consensus over which medical practices should be considered euthanasia, and this lack of consensus blurred the debate about euthanasia and PAS legalisation. This study aimed to investigate French hospital nurses' opinions towards both legalisations, including personal conceptions of euthanasia and working conditions and organisation. A phone survey conducted among a random national sample of 1502 French hospital nurses. We studied factors associated with opinions towards euthanasia and PAS, including contextual factors related to hospital units with random-effects logistic models. Overall, 48% of nurses supported legalisation of euthanasia and 29%, of PAS. Religiosity, training in pallative care/pain management and feeling competent in end-of-life care were negatively correlated with support for legalisation of both euthanasia and PAS, while nurses working at night were more prone to support legalisation of both. The support for legalisation of euthanasia and PAS was also weaker in pain treatment/palliative care and intensive care units, and it was stronger in units not benefiting from interventions of charity/religious workers and in units with more nurses. Many French hospital nurses uphold the legalisation of euthanasia and PAS, but these nurses may be the least likely to perform what proponents of legalisation call "good" euthanasia. Improving professional knowledge of palliative care could improve the management of end-of-life situations and help to clarify the debate over euthanasia.

  12. The CCC National Partnership: an example of organizations collaborating on comprehensive cancer control.

    PubMed

    Hohman, Karin; Rochester, Phyllis; Kean, Tom; Belle-Isle, Lori

    2010-12-01

    The landscape of cancer control has changed throughout the past 12 years and continues to change even more so as health reform is implemented in the United States. With the advent of health reform, coalitions, such as comprehensive cancer control (CCC) coalitions, are more important than ever if the intended benefits of reform are to be realized. Comprehensive cancer control (CCC) coalitions in state, tribe, territory, and Pacific Island Jurisdictions are "engines of change" and form a network that can facilitate important cancer control progress throughout this country. Since the onset of CCC efforts, the vitality of this network of coalitions and their sustainability has been the primary focus of a group of national organizations, now known as the Comprehensive Cancer Control National Partnership (CCCNP). The CCCNP is national organizations who come together voluntarily to develop strategies and resources that support implementation of CCC coalition plans across the nation.

  13. An Assessment of the Application of Pharma Cloud System to the National Health Insurance Program of Taiwan and the Result in Hospitals.

    PubMed

    Yan, Yu-Hua; Lu, Chen-Luan

    2016-01-01

    National Health Insurance Administration established Pharma Cloud System in July 2014. The purpose is to decrease therapeutic duplications and enhance public medication safety. Comparison will be made among individual hospitals and the administering branches of National Health Insurance Bureau (NHIB) on the statistical data on the inquiry of the cloud medication history record system to understand the result of the installation and advocacy of this system. The results show (1) there were 2,329,846 entries of data collected from the branches of the NHIB from 2015 on cloud medication history record and 50,224 entries of data from individual hospitals. (2) The inquiry rate at the branches of the NHIB was 43.2% from January to April, 2015 and at individual hospitals was 18.8%. (3) The improvement rate at the branches of the NHIB was 32.5% and at the individual hospitals was 47.0% from January to April, 2015.

  14. 76 FR 1475 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-10

    ...-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing and Immediate... CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2). I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the...'s fee schedule. II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis...

  15. Disability and Hospital Care Expenses among National Health Insurance Beneficiaries: Analyses of Population-Based Data in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Lan-Ping; Lee, Jiunn-Tay; Lin, Fu-Gong; Lin, Pei-Ying; Tang, Chi-Chieh; Chu, Cordia M.; Wu, Chia-Ling; Lin, Jin-Ding

    2011-01-01

    Nationwide data were collected concerning inpatient care use and medical expenditure of people with disabilities (N = 937,944) among national health insurance beneficiaries in Taiwan. Data included gender, age, hospitalization frequency and expenditure, healthcare setting and service department, discharge diagnose disease according to the ICD-9-CM…

  16. Hospital marketing.

    PubMed

    Carter, Tony

    2003-01-01

    This article looks at a prescribed academic framework for various criteria that serve as a checklist for marketing performance that can be applied to hospital marketing organizations. These guidelines are drawn from some of Dr. Noel Capon of Columbia University's book Marketing Management in the 21st Century and applied to actual practices of hospital marketing organizations. In many ways this checklist can act as a "marketing" balanced scorecard to verify performance effectiveness and develop opportunities for innovation.

  17. Integration of Substance Abuse Treatment Organizations into Accountable Care Organizations: Results from a National Survey

    PubMed Central

    D’Aunno, Thomas; Friedmann, Peter D.; Chen, Qixuan; Wilson, Donna M.

    2016-01-01

    To meet their aims of managing population health to improve the quality and cost of health care in the United States, accountable care organizations (ACOs) will need to focus on coordinating care for individuals with substance abuse disorders. The prevalence of these disorders is high, and these individuals often suffer from comorbid chronic medical and social conditions. This article examines the extent to which the nation’s fourteen thousand specialty substance abuse treatment (SAT) organizations, which have a daily census of more than 1 million patients, are contracting with ACOs across the country; we also examine factors associated with SAT organization involvement with ACOs. We draw on data from a recent (2014) nationally representative survey of executive directors and clinical supervisors from 635 SAT organizations. Results show that only 15 percent of these organizations had signed contracts with ACOs. Results from multivariate analyses show that directors’ perceptions of market competition, organizational ownership, and geographic location are significantly related to SATinvolvement with ACOs. We discuss implications for integrating the SAT specialty system with the mainstream health care system. PMID:26124307

  18. Hospital contract management: a descriptive profile.

    PubMed Central

    Alexander, J A; Lewis, B L

    1984-01-01

    Despite the dramatic growth in hospital contract management in the last decade, research only recently has begun to provide insights into the structure, operation, and effectiveness of these arrangements. Two descriptive questions regarding hospital contract management are addressed in an effort to increase correspondence between theoretical and evaluative research in this area: (1) how do contract-managed hospitals differ from traditionally managed hospitals? and (2) how do contract-managed hospitals differ from each other? Principal discriminating variables in the analyses are hospital size, control, urban-rural location, region, management organization control, and management organization size. Results of the analysis on a sample of 406 contract-managed hospitals and 401 unaffiliated hospitals reveal important differences between contract-managed and traditionally managed hospitals as well as among contract management organizations. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for future research and performance evaluations on contract management arrangements. PMID:6490376

  19. [A proposal to improve nursing fee differentiation policy for general hospitals using profitability-analysis in the national health insurance].

    PubMed

    Kim, Sungjae; Kim, Jinhyun

    2012-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to propose optimal hospitalization fees for nurse staffing levels and to improve the current nursing fee policy. A break-even analysis was used to evaluate the impact of a nursing fee policy on hospital's financial performance. Variables considered included the number of beds, bed occupancy rate, annual total patient days, hospitalization fees for nurse staffing levels, the initial annual nurses' salary, and the ratio of overhead costs to nursing labor costs. Data were collected as secondary data from annual reports of the Hospital Nursing Association and national health insurance. The hospitalization fees according to nurse staffing levels in general hospitals are required to sustain or decrease in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7, and increase in grades 5 and 6. It is suggested that the range between grade 2 and 3 be sustained at the current level, the range between grade 4 and 5 be widen or merged into one, and the range between grade 6 and 7 be divided into several grades. Readjusting hospitalization fees for nurse staffing level will improve nurse-patient ratio and enhance the quality of nursing care in hospitals. Follow-up studies including tertiary hospitals and small hospitals are recommended.

  20. The PSRO hospital review system.

    PubMed

    Goran, M J; Roberts, J S; Kellogg, M A; Fielding, J; Jessee, W

    1975-04-01

    The 1972 Social Security amendments contained the landmark Professional Standards Review Organization (PSRO) provisions as well as several sections upgrading existing utilization review (UR) requirements under Medicare and Medicaid. With issuance of the PSRO Program Manual and the recent publication of the new UR regulations, HEW for the first time has brought Medicare and Medicaid hospital review requirements into conformity and made them compatible with and supportive of the PSRO program. This article defines the PSRO hospital review system, describes how the three major components-concurrent review, medical care evaluation studies, and profile analysis-interrelate and provides examples of each of these components. Under utilization review requirements or PSRO, hospitals will be required to implement an integrated system of review designed to assure appropriate utilization practices and improve the quality of care. These aims are to be accomplished through the application of concepts of peer review, the use of norms, criteria, and standards, the identification of deficiencies in the quality, administration, or appropriateness of health care services, and their correction through linkage with programs of continuing medical education. Although PSROs are initially responsible for review in hospitals, they will likely provide the locus for a community-wide system of peer review for all services provided under National Health Insurance.

  1. Exploring relationships between hospital patient safety culture and Consumer Reports safety scores.

    PubMed

    Smith, Scott Alan; Yount, Naomi; Sorra, Joann

    2017-02-16

    A number of private and public companies calculate and publish proprietary hospital patient safety scores based on publicly available quality measures initially reported by the U.S. federal government. This study examines whether patient safety culture perceptions of U.S. hospital staff in a large national survey are related to publicly reported patient safety ratings of hospitals. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (Hospital SOPS) assesses provider and staff perceptions of hospital patient safety culture. Consumer Reports (CR), a U.S. based non-profit organization, calculates and shares with its subscribers a Hospital Safety Score calculated annually from patient experience survey data and outcomes data gathered from federal databases. Linking data collected during similar time periods, we analyzed relationships between staff perceptions of patient safety culture composites and the CR Hospital Safety Score and its five components using multiple multivariate linear regressions. We analyzed data from 164 hospitals, with patient safety culture survey responses from 140,316 providers and staff, with an average of 856 completed surveys per hospital and an average response rate per hospital of 56%. Higher overall Hospital SOPS composite average scores were significantly associated with higher overall CR Hospital Safety Scores (β = 0.24, p < 0.05). For 10 of the 12 Hospital SOPS composites, higher patient safety culture scores were associated with higher CR patient experience scores on communication about medications and discharge. This study found a relationship between hospital staff perceptions of patient safety culture and the Consumer Reports Hospital Safety Score, which is a composite of patient experience and outcomes data from federal databases. As hospital managers allocate resources to improve patient safety culture within their organizations, their efforts may also indirectly improve consumer

  2. Analysis of National Trends in Hospital Acquired Conditions Following Major Urological Surgery Before and After Implementation of the Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program,,✰✰✰.

    PubMed

    Rude, Tope L; Donin, Nicholas M; Cohn, Matthew R; Meeks, William; Gulig, Scott; Patel, Samir N; Wysock, James S; Makarov, Danil V; Bjurlin, Marc A

    2018-06-07

    To define the rates of common Hospital Acquired Conditions (HACs) in patients undergoing major urological surgery over a period of time encompassing the implementation of the Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction program, and to evaluate whether implementation of the HAC reimbursement penalties in 2008 was associated with a change in the rate of HACs. Using American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) data, we determined rates of HACs in patients undergoing major inpatient urological surgery from 2005 to 2012. Rates were stratified by procedure type and approach (open vs. laparoscopic/robotic). Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between year of surgery and HACs. We identified 39,257 patients undergoing major urological surgery, of whom 2300 (5.9%) had at least one hospital acquired condition. Urinary tract infection (UTI, 2.6%) was the most common, followed by surgical site infection (SSI, 2.5%) and venous thrombotic events (VTE, 0.7%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that open surgical approach, diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, weight loss, and ASA class were among the variables associated with higher likelihood of HAC. We observed a non-significant secular trend of decreasing rates of HAC from 7.4% to 5.8% HACs during the study period, which encompassed the implementation of the Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program. HACs occurred at a rate of 5.9% after major urological surgery, and are significantly affected by procedure type and patient health status. The rate of HAC appeared unaffected by national reduction program in this cohort. Better understanding of the factors associated with HACs is critical in developing effective reduction programs. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. Has cost containment after the National Health Insurance system been successful? Determinants of Taiwan hospital costs.

    PubMed

    Hung, Jung-Hua; Chang, Li

    2008-03-01

    Taiwan implemented the National Health Insurance system (NHI) in 1995. After the NHI, the insurance coverage expanded and the quality of healthcare improved, however, the healthcare costs significantly escalated. The objective of this study is to determine what factors have direct impact on the increased costs after the NHI. Panel data analysis is used to investigate changes and factors affecting cost containment at Taipei municipal hospitals from 1990 to 2001. The results show that the expansion of insured healthcare coverage (especially to the elderly and the treatment of more complicated types of diseases), and the increased competition (requiring the growth of new technology and the longer average length of stay) are important driving forces behind the increase of hospital costs, directly influenced by the advent of the NHI. Therefore, policymakers should emphasize health prevention activities and disease management programs for the elderly to improve cost containment. In addition, hospital managers should find ways to improve the hospital efficiency (shorten the LOS) to reduce excess services and medical waste. They also need to better understand their market position and acquire suitable new-tech equipment earlier, to be a leader, not a follower. Finally, policymakers should establish related benchmark indices for what drivers up hospital costs (micro-aspect) and to control healthcare expenditures (macro-level).

  4. Mixed method versus full top-down microcosting for organ recovery cost assessment in a French hospital group.

    PubMed

    Hrifach, Abdelbaste; Brault, Coralie; Couray-Targe, Sandrine; Badet, Lionel; Guerre, Pascale; Ganne, Christell; Serrier, Hassan; Labeye, Vanessa; Farge, Pierre; Colin, Cyrille

    2016-12-01

    The costing method used can change the results of economic evaluations. Choosing the appropriate method to assess the cost of organ recovery is an issue of considerable interest to health economists, hospitals, financial managers and policy makers in most developed countries. The main objective of this study was to compare a mixed method, combining top-down microcosting and bottom-up microcosting versus full top-down microcosting to assess the cost of organ recovery in a French hospital group. The secondary objective was to describe the cost of kidney, liver and pancreas recovery from French databases using the mixed method. The resources consumed for each donor were identified and valued using the proposed mixed method and compared to the full top-down microcosting approach. Data on kidney, liver and pancreas recovery were collected from a medico-administrative French database for the years 2010 and 2011. Related cost data were recovered from the hospital cost accounting system database for 2010 and 2011. Statistical significance was evaluated at P < 0.05. All the median costs for organ recovery differ significantly between the two costing methods (non-parametric test method; P < 0.01). Using the mixed method, the median cost for recovering kidneys was found to be €5155, liver recovery was €2528 and pancreas recovery was €1911. Using the full top-down microcosting method, median costs were found to be 21-36% lower than with the mixed method. The mixed method proposed appears to be a trade-off between feasibility and accuracy for the identification and valuation of cost components when calculating the cost of organ recovery in comparison to the full top-down microcosting approach.

  5. A multifaceted approach to spreading palliative care consultation services in California public hospital systems.

    PubMed

    Brousseau, Ruth Tebbets; Jameson, Wendy; Kalanj, Boris; Kerr, Kathleen; O'Malley, Kate; Pantilat, Steven

    2012-01-01

    Historically, California's 17 public hospital systems-those that are county owned and operated, and those University of California medical centers with the mandate to serve low income, vulnerable populations-have struggled to implement Palliative Care Consultation Services (PCCS)-this, despite demonstrated need for these services among the uninsured and Medicaid populations served by these facilities. Since 2008, through a collaborative effort of a foundation, a palliative care training center, and a nonprofit quality improvement organization, the Spreading Palliative Care in Public Hospitals initiative (SPCPH) has resulted in a 3-fold increase in the number of California public hospitals providing PCCS, from 4 to 12. The SPCPH leveraged grant funding, the trusted relationships between California public hospitals and their quality improvement organization, technical assistance and training, peer support and learning, and a tailored business case demonstrating the financial/resource utilization benefits of dedicated PCCS. This article describes the SPCPH's distinctive design, features of the public hospital PCCS, patient and team characteristics, and PCCS provider perceptions of environmental factors, and SPCPH features that promoted or impeded their success. Lessons learned may have implications for other hospital systems undertaking implementation of palliative care services. © 2012 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

  6. The Higher Education System: Academic Organization in Cross-National Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Burton R.

    Basic elements of the higher education system are considered, along with variations across nations (the United Kingdom, Sweden, Japan, Italy, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Australia, Canada, the United States, Poland, Yugoslavia, Mexico, and Thailand). Three basic elements of the organization of higher education system are identified:…

  7. 77 FR 528 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The National Securities Clearing Corporation; Order Granting...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-05

    ...-Regulatory Organizations; The National Securities Clearing Corporation; Order Granting Approval of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend Rules Relating To the Creation of a Service To Provide Post-Trade Information... trading activity of their organizations, their correspondent firms, or both through review of post-trade...

  8. 78 FR 69168 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-18

    ... approve a proposed rule change of a self-regulatory organization if it finds that such proposed rule... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-70848; File No. SR-NSCC-2013-10] Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change To...

  9. National audit of pressure ulcers and incontinence-associated dermatitis in hospitals across Wales: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Clark, Michael; Semple, Martin J; Ivins, Nicola; Mahoney, Kirsten; Harding, Keith

    2017-08-21

    The Chief Nurse National Health Service Wales initiated a national survey of acute and community hospital patients in Wales to identify the prevalence of pressure ulcers and incontinence-associated dermatitis. Teams of two nurses working independently assessed the skin of each inpatient who consented to having their skin observed. Over 28 September 2015 to 2nd October 2015, 8365 patients were assessed across 66 hospitals with 748 (8.9%) found to have pressure ulcers. Not all patients had their skin inspected with all mental health patients exempt from this part of the audit along with others who did not consent or were too ill. Of the patients with pressure ulcers, 593 (79.3%) had their skin inspected with 158 new pressure ulcers encountered that were not known to ward staff, while 152 pressure ulcers were incorrectly categorised by the ward teams. Incontinence-associated dermatitis was encountered in 360 patients (4.3%), while medical device-related pressure ulcers were rare (n=33). The support surfaces used while patients were in bed were also recorded to provide a baseline against which future changes in equipment procurement could be assessed. The presence of other wounds was also recorded with 2537 (30.3%) of all hospital patients having one or more skin wounds. This survey has demonstrated that although complex, it is feasible to undertake national surveys of pressure ulcers, incontinence-associated dermatitis and other wounds providing comprehensive and accurate data to help plan improvements in wound care across Wales. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  10. 42: DESIGNING A DASHBOARD FOR EVALUATION THE BUSINESS-IT ALIGNMENT STRATEGIES IN HOSPITALS ORGANIZATIONS

    PubMed Central

    piri, Zakieh; Raef, Behnaz; moftian, Nazila; dehghani, Mohamad; khara, Rouhallah

    2017-01-01

    Background and aims Business-IT Alignment Evaluation is One of the most important issues that managers should monitor and make decisions about it. Dashboard software combines data and graphical indicators to deliver at-a-glance summaries of information for users to view the state of their business and quickly respond. The aim of this study was to design a dashboard to assess the business-IT alignment strategies for hospitals organizations in Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Methods This is a functional-developmental study. Initially, we searched related databases (PubMed and ProQuest) to determine the key performance indicators of business-IT alignment for selecting the best model for dashboard designing. After selecting the Luftman model, the key indicators were extracted for designing the dashboard model. In the next stage, an electronic questionnaire was designed based on extracted indicators. This questionnaire sends to Hospital managers and IT administrators. Collected data were analyzed by Excel 2015 and displayed in dashboard page. Results The number of key performance indicators was 39. After recognition the technical requirements the dashboard was designed in Excel. The overall business-IT alignment rate in hospitals was 3.12. Amir-aalam hospital has the highest business-IT alignment rate (3.55) and vali-asr hospital has the lowest business-IT alignment rat (2.80). Conclusion Using dashboard software improves the alignment and reduces the time and energy compared with doing this process manually.

  11. The Dutch Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio (HSMR) method and cardiac surgery: benchmarking in a national cohort using hospital administration data versus a clinical database

    PubMed Central

    Siregar, S; Pouw, M E; Moons, K G M; Versteegh, M I M; Bots, M L; van der Graaf, Y; Kalkman, C J; van Herwerden, L A; Groenwold, R H H

    2014-01-01

    Objective To compare the accuracy of data from hospital administration databases and a national clinical cardiac surgery database and to compare the performance of the Dutch hospital standardised mortality ratio (HSMR) method and the logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation, for the purpose of benchmarking of mortality across hospitals. Methods Information on all patients undergoing cardiac surgery between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2010 in 10 centres was extracted from The Netherlands Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery database and the Hospital Discharge Registry. The number of cardiac surgery interventions was compared between both databases. The European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation and hospital standardised mortality ratio models were updated in the study population and compared using the C-statistic, calibration plots and the Brier-score. Results The number of cardiac surgery interventions performed could not be assessed using the administrative database as the intervention code was incorrect in 1.4–26.3%, depending on the type of intervention. In 7.3% no intervention code was registered. The updated administrative model was inferior to the updated clinical model with respect to discrimination (c-statistic of 0.77 vs 0.85, p<0.001) and calibration (Brier Score of 2.8% vs 2.6%, p<0.001, maximum score 3.0%). Two average performing hospitals according to the clinical model became outliers when benchmarking was performed using the administrative model. Conclusions In cardiac surgery, administrative data are less suitable than clinical data for the purpose of benchmarking. The use of either administrative or clinical risk-adjustment models can affect the outlier status of hospitals. Risk-adjustment models including procedure-specific clinical risk factors are recommended. PMID:24334377

  12. Deliberation Makes a Difference: Preparation Strategies for TeamSTEPPS Implementation in Small and Rural Hospitals

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Xi; Baloh, Jure; Ward, Marcia M.; Stewart, Greg L.

    2016-01-01

    Small and rural hospitals face special challenges to implement and sustain organization-wide quality improvement (QI) initiatives due to limited resources and infrastructures. We studied the implementation of TeamSTEPPS, a national QI initiative, in 14 critical access hospitals. Drawing on QI and organization development theories, we propose five strategic preparation steps for TeamSTEPPS: assess needs, reflect on the context, set goals, develop a shared understanding, and select change agents. We explore how hospitals’ practices correspond to suggested best practices by analyzing qualitative data collected through quarterly interviews with key informants. We find that the level of deliberation was a key factor that differentiated hospitals’ practices. Hospitals that were more deliberate in preparing for the five strategic steps were more likely to experience engagement, perceive efficacy, foresee and manage barriers, and achieve progress during implementation. We discuss potential steps that hospitals may take to better prepare for TeamSTEPPS implementation. PMID:26429835

  13. Framing in policy processes: a case study from hospital planning in the National Health Service in England.

    PubMed

    Jones, Lorelei; Exworthy, Mark

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports from an ethnographic study of hospital planning in England undertaken between 2006 and 2009. We explored how a policy to centralise hospital services was espoused in national policy documents, how this shifted over time and how it was translated in practice. We found that policy texts defined hospital planning as a clinical issue and framed decisions to close hospitals or hospital departments as based on the evidence and necessary to ensure safety. We interpreted this framing as a rhetorical strategy for implementing organisational change in the context of community resistance to service closure and a concomitant policy emphasising the importance of public and patient involvement in planning. Although the persuasive power of the framing was limited, a more insidious form of power was identified in the way the framing disguised the political nature of the issue by defining it as a clinical problem. We conclude by discussing how the clinical rationale constrains public participation in decisions about the delivery and organisation of healthcare and restricts the extent to which alternative courses of action can be considered. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Nursing Home Residents at Risk of Hospitalization and the Characteristics of Their Hospital Stays.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murtaugh, Christopher M.; Freiman, Marc P.

    1995-01-01

    Analysis of national medical data identified elderly nursing home residents with an elevated risk of hospitalization and the characteristics of their hospital stays. Findings indicate an elevated risk of hospitalization for residents diagnosed with one of several different primary diagnoses. Infections accounted for over 25% of hospital stays.…

  15. Capacity of middle management in health-care organizations for working with people—the case of Slovenian hospitals

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Effective human resources management plays a vital role in the success of health-care sector reform. Leaders are selected for their clinical expertise and not their management skills, which is often the case at the middle-management level. The purpose of this study was to examine the situation in some fields that involve working with people in health-care organizations at middle-management level. Methods The study included eight state-owned hospitals in Slovenia. A cross-sectional study included 119 middle managers and 778 employees. Quota sampling was used for the subgroups. Structured survey questionnaires were administered to leaders and employees, each consisting of 24 statements in four content sets evaluated on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Respondents were also asked about the type and number of training or education programmes they had participated in over the last three years. Descriptive statistics, two-way analysis of variance, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression were used. The study was conducted from March to December 2008. Results Statistically significant differences were established between leaders and employees in all content sets; no significant differences were found when comparing health-care providers and health-administration workers. Employment position was found to be a significant predictor for employee development (β = 0.273, P < 0.001), the leader–employee relationship (β = 0.291, P < 0.001) and organizational motivation (β = 0.258, P < 0.001). Area of work (β = 0.113, P = 0.010) and employment position (β = 0.389, P < 0.001) were significant predictors for personal involvement. Level of education correlated negatively with total scores for organizational motivation: respondents with a higher level of education were rated with a lower score (β = -0.117, P = 0.024). Health-care providers participate in management programmes less frequently than do health-administration workers. Conclusion

  16. Integrating hospitals into community emergency preparedness planning.

    PubMed

    Braun, Barbara I; Wineman, Nicole V; Finn, Nicole L; Barbera, Joseph A; Schmaltz, Stephen P; Loeb, Jerod M

    2006-06-06

    Strong community linkages are essential to a health care organization's overall preparedness for emergencies. To assess community emergency preparedness linkages among hospitals, public health officials, and first responders and to investigate the influence of community hazards, previous preparation for an event requiring national security oversight, and experience responding to actual disasters. With expert advice from an advisory panel, a mailed questionnaire was used to assess linkage issues related to training and drills, equipment, surveillance, laboratory testing, surge capacity, incident management, and communication. A simple random sample of 1750 U.S. medical-surgical hospitals. Of 678 hospital representatives that agreed to participate, 575 (33%) completed the questionnaire in early 2004. Respondents were hospital personnel responsible for environmental safety, emergency management, infection control, administration, emergency services, and security. Prevalence and breadth of participation in community-wide planning; examination of 17 basic elements in a weighted analysis. In a weighted analysis, most hospitals (88.2% [95% CI, 84.1% to 92.3%]) engaged in community-wide drills and exercises, and most (82.2% [CI, 77.8% to 86.5%]) conducted a collaborative threat and vulnerability analysis with community responders. Of all respondents, 57.3% (CI, 52.1% to 62.5%) reported that their community plans addressed the hospital's need for additional supplies and equipment, and 73.0% (CI, 68.1% to 77.9%) reported that decontamination capacity needs were addressed. Fewer reported a direct link to the Health Alert Network (54.4% [CI, 49.3% to 59.5%]) and around-the-clock access to a live voice from a public health department (40.0% [CI, 35.0% to 45.0%]). Performance on many of 17 basic elements was better in large and urban hospitals and was associated with a high number of perceived hazards, previous national security event preparation, and experience in actual

  17. Loyalty and positive word-of-mouth: patients and hospital personnel as advocates of a customer-centric health care organization.

    PubMed

    Ferguson, Ronald J; Paulin, Michele; Leiriao, Elizabeth

    2006-01-01

    The ability to attract and retain loyal customers depends on the successful implementation of a customer-centric strategy. Customer loyalty is an attitude about an organization and its' services that is manifested by intentions and behaviors of re-patronization and recommendation. In the context of many medical services, loyalty through repeat patronization is not pertinent, whereas loyalty through positive word-of mouth (WOM) recommendation can be a powerful marketing tool. The Shouldice Hospital, a well-known institution for the surgical correction of hernias, instituted a marketing plan to develop a stable base of patients by creating positive WOM advocacy. This study focused on the consequences of both hernia patient overall satisfaction (and overall service quality) and hospital personnel satisfaction on the level of positive WOM advocacy. Using a commitment ladder of positive WOM advocacy, respondents were divided into three categories described as passive supporters, active advocates and ambassador advocates. Patient assessments of overall satisfaction and service quality were significantly related to these progressive levels of WOM for recommending the hospital to potential patients. Similarly, the satisfaction of the hospital employees was also significantly related to these progressive levels of positive WOM about recommending the hospital to potential patients and to potential employees. High levels of satisfaction are required to create true ambassadors of a service organization.

  18. Information systems analysis approach in hospitals: a national survey.

    PubMed

    Wong, B K; Sellaro, C L; Monaco, J A

    1995-03-01

    A survey of 216 hospitals reveals that some hospitals do not conduct cost-benefit analyses or analyze possible adverse effects in feasibility studies. In determining and analyzing system requirements, external factors that initiate the transaction are not examined, and computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools are seldom used. Some hospitals do not investigate the advantages and disadvantages of using in-house-developed software versus purchased software packages in the evaluation of alternatives. The survey finds that, overall, most hospitals follow the traditional systems development life cycle (SDLC) approach in analyzing information systems.

  19. Wide variation in adoption of screening and infection control interventions for multidrug-resistant organisms: a national study.

    PubMed

    Pogorzelska, Monika; Stone, Patricia W; Larson, Elaine L

    2012-10-01

    We performed a survey of National Healthcare Safety Network hospitals in 2008 to describe adoption of screening and infection control policies aimed at multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) in intensive care units (ICUs) and identify predictors of their presence, monitoring, and implementation. Four hundred forty-one infection control directors were surveyed using a modified Dillman technique. To explore differences in screening and infection control policies by setting characteristics, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were constructed. In total, 250 hospitals participated (57% response rate). Study ICUs (n = 413) routinely screened for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (59%); vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (22%); multidrug-resistant, gram-negative rods (12%); and Clostridium difficile (11%). Directors reported ICU policies to screen all admissions for any MDRO (40%), screen periodically (27%), utilize presumptive isolation/contact precautions pending a screen (31%), and cohort colonized patients (42%). Several independent predictors of the presence and implementation of different interventions including mandatory reporting and teaching status were identified. This study found wide variation in adoption of MDRO screening and infection control interventions, which may reflect differences in published recommendations or their interpretation. Further research is needed to provide additional insight on effective strategies and how best to promote compliance. Copyright © 2012 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Pediatric Hospital Discharges to Home Health and Postacute Facility Care: A National Study.

    PubMed

    Berry, Jay G; Hall, Matt; Dumas, Helene; Simpser, Edwin; Whitford, Kathleen; Wilson, Karen M; O'Neill, Margaret; Mittal, Vineeta; Agrawal, Rishi; Dribbon, Michael; Haines, Christopher J; Traul, Christine; Marks, Michelle; O'Brien, Jane

    2016-04-01

    Acute care hospitals are challenged to provide efficient, high-quality care to children who have medically complex conditions and may require weeks or months for recovery. Although the use of home health care (HHC) and facility-based postacute care (PAC) after discharge is well documented for adults, to our knowledge, little is known for children. To assess the national prevalence of, characteristics of children discharged to, and variation in use across states of HHC and PAC for children. Retrospective analysis of 2,423,031 US acute care hospital discharges in 2012 for patients ages 0 to 21 years from the nationally representative Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Kids' Inpatient Database. Discharges to HHC (eg, visiting or private-duty home nursing) and PAC (eg, rehabilitation facility) were identified from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Discharge Status Codes. We compared children's characteristics (eg, race/ethnicity and number of chronic conditions) by discharge type using generalized linear regression. The median age of participants was 3 years (interquartile range, 0-13 years), and 45.6% were female. Of 2,423,031 US acute care hospital discharges in 2012 for patients ages 0 to 21 years, 122,673 discharges (5.1%) were to HHC and 26,282 (1.1%) were to PAC facilities. Neonatal care was the most common reason (44.5%, n = 54,589) for acute care hospitalization with discharge to HHC. Nonneonatal respiratory, musculoskeletal, and trauma-related problems, collectively, were the most common reasons for discharge to PAC (42.9%, n = 11,275). When compared with PAC, more discharges to HHC had no chronic condition (34.4% vs 18.0%, P < .001) and fewer discharges to HHC had 4 or more chronic conditions (22.5% vs 37.7%, P < .001). In multivariable analysis, Hispanic children were less likely to use PAC (0.8% vs 1.1%; odds ratio [OR], 0.9 [95% CI, 0.8-0.9]) or HHC (3.3% vs 5.5%; OR, 0.8 [95% CI, 0.7-0.8]) compared with other children. Children with 4 or

  1. Work organization in hospital wards and nurses' emotional exhaustion: A multi-method study of observation-based assessment and nurses' self-reports.

    PubMed

    Stab, Nicole; Hacker, Winfried; Weigl, Matthias

    2016-09-01

    Ward organization is a major determinant for nurses' well-being on the job. The majority of previous research on this relationship is based on single source methods, which have been criticized as skewed estimations mainly due to subjectivity of the ratings and due to common source bias. To investigate the association of ward organization characteristics and nurses' exhaustion by combining observation-based assessments with nurses' self-reports. Cross-sectional study on 25 wards of four hospitals and 245 nurses. Our multi-method approach to evaluate hospital ward organization consisted of on-site observations with a standardized assessment tool and of questionnaires to evaluate nurses' self-reports and exhaustion. After establishing the reliability of our measures, we applied multi-level regression analyses to determine associations between determinant and outcome variables. We found substantial convergence in ward organization between the observation-based assessments and nurses' self-reports, which supports the validity of our external assessments. Furthermore, two observation-based characteristics, namely participation and patient-focused care, were significantly associated with lower emotional exhaustion among the nurses. Our results suggest that observation-based assessments are a valid and feasible way to assess ward organization in hospitals. Nurses' self-reported as well as observation-based ratings on ward organization were associated with nurses' emotional exhaustion. This is of interest mainly for identifying alternative measures in evaluating nurses' work environments, to inform health promotion activities and to evaluate job redesign intervention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Strategic management process in hospitals.

    PubMed

    Zovko, V

    2001-01-01

    Strategic management is concerned with strategic choices and strategic implementation; it provides the means by which organizations meet their objectives. In the case of hospitals it helps executives and all employees to understand the real purpose and long term goals of the hospital. Also, it helps the hospital find its place in the health care service provision chain, and enables the hospital to coordinate its activities with other organizations in the health care system. Strategic management is a tool, rather than a solution, that helps executives to identify root causes of major problems in the hospital.

  3. Performance Analysis of Hospital Information System of the National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital

    PubMed Central

    Han, Jung Mi; Boo, Eun Hee; Kim, Jung A; Yoon, Soo Jin; Kim, Seong Woo

    2012-01-01

    Objectives This study evaluated the qualitative and quantitative performances of the newly developed information system which was implemented on November 4, 2011 at the National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital. Methods Registration waiting time and changes in the satisfaction scores for the key performance indicators (KPI) before and after the introduction of the system were compared; and the economic effects of the system were analyzed by using the information economics approach. Results After the introduction of the system, the waiting time for registration was reduced by 20%, and the waiting time at the internal medicine department was reduced by 15%. The benefit-to-cost ratio was increased to 1.34 when all intangible benefits were included in the economic analysis. Conclusions The economic impact and target satisfaction rates increased due to the introduction of the new system. The results were proven by the quantitative and qualitative analyses carried out in this study. This study was conducted only seven months after the introduction of the system. As such, a follow-up study should be carried out in the future when the system stabilizes. PMID:23115744

  4. Relationship of hospital organizational culture to patient safety climate in the Veterans Health Administration.

    PubMed

    Hartmann, Christine W; Meterko, Mark; Rosen, Amy K; Shibei Zhao; Shokeen, Priti; Singer, Sara; Gaba, David M

    2009-06-01

    Improving safety climate could enhance patient safety, yet little evidence exists regarding the relationship between hospital characteristics and safety climate. This study assessed the relationship between hospitals' organizational culture and safety climate in Veterans Health Administration (VA) hospitals nationally. Data were collected from a sample of employees in a stratified random sample of 30 VA hospitals over a 6-month period (response rate = 50%; n = 4,625). The Patient Safety Climate in Healthcare Organizations (PSCHO) and the Zammuto and Krakower surveys were used to measure safety climate and organizational culture, respectively. Higher levels of safety climate were significantly associated with higher levels of group and entrepreneurial cultures, while lower levels of safety climate were associated with higher levels of hierarchical culture. Hospitals could use these results to design specific interventions aimed at improving safety climate.

  5. The History of Neurosurgery at the National Hospital, Queen Square, London, with Some Personal Recollections from 1948 Onwards: The Early Years.

    PubMed

    Powell, Michael P

    2017-07-01

    The National Hospital, Queen Square, London was founded as a charitable institution in 1860, becoming the first dedicated neuroscience hospital in the world. Sir Victor Horsley, the first neurosurgeon was appointed in 1886, and since that time, Queen Square neurosurgeons have been prominent on the World neurosurgical stage, including Sir Wylie McKissock and Prof Lindsay Symon, inter alia. This article gives the history taken from both published records and personal stories, recorded by a neurosurgeon who has worked at the hospital for thirty five years. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Burden, etiology and predictors of visual impairment among children attending Mulago National Referral Hospital eye clinic, Uganda.

    PubMed

    Kinengyere, Patience; Kizito, Samuel; Kiggundu, John Baptist; Ampaire, Anne; Wabulembo, Geoffrey

    2017-09-01

    Childhood visual impairment (CVI) has not been given due attention. Knowledge of CVI is important in planning preventive measures. The aim of this study was determine the prevalence, etiology and the factors associated with childhood visual impairment among the children attending the eye clinic in Mulago National Referral Hospital. This was a cross sectional hospital based study among 318 children attending the Mulago Hospital eye clinic between January 2015 to March 2015. Ocular and general history was taken and patient examination done. The data generated was entered by Epidata and analyzed by STATA 12. The prevalence of CVI was 42.14%, 134 patients with 49 patients (15.41%) having moderate visual impairment, 45 patients (14.15%) having severe visual impairment and 40 patients (12.58%) presenting with blindness. Significant predictors included; increasing age, delayed developmental milestones and having abnormal corneal, refractive and fundus findings. There is a high burden of visual impairment among children in Uganda. It is vital to screen all the children presenting to hospital for visual impairment. Majority of the causes of the visual impairment are preventable.

  7. 78 FR 61424 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-03

    ... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-70544; File No. SR-NSCC-2013-10] Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change... September 16, 2013, National Securities Clearing Corporation (``NSCC'') filed with the Securities and...

  8. Hospital managers' need for information in decision-making--An interview study in nine European countries.

    PubMed

    Kidholm, Kristian; Ølholm, Anne Mette; Birk-Olsen, Mette; Cicchetti, Americo; Fure, Brynjar; Halmesmäki, Esa; Kahveci, Rabia; Kiivet, Raul-Allan; Wasserfallen, Jean-Blaise; Wild, Claudia; Sampietro-Colom, Laura

    2015-11-01

    Assessments of new health technologies in Europe are often made at the hospital level. However, the guidelines for health technology assessment (HTA), e.g. the EUnetHTA Core Model, are produced by national HTA organizations and focus on decision-making at the national level. This paper describes the results of an interview study with European hospital managers about their need for information when deciding about investments in new treatments. The study is part of the AdHopHTA project. Face-to-face, structured interviews were conducted with 53 hospital managers from nine European countries. The hospital managers identified the clinical, economic, safety and organizational aspects of new treatments as being the most relevant for decision-making. With regard to economic aspects, the hospital managers typically had a narrower focus on budget impact and reimbursement. In addition to the information included in traditional HTAs, hospital managers sometimes needed information on the political and strategic aspects of new treatments, in particular the relationship between the treatment and the strategic goals of the hospital. If further studies are able to verify our results, guidelines for hospital-based HTA should be altered to reflect the information needs of hospital managers when deciding about investments in new treatments. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  9. Foundation Trusts: economics in the 'postmodern hospital'.

    PubMed

    Newbold, David

    2005-09-01

    Foundation Trust Hospitals are community-controlled health care providers which have increased autonomy about how they produce outcomes for the British National Health Service. Although there is a literature on hospital economics it is unclear how these innovative providers will behave, if they have to compete for scarce resources with other hospitals. This paper reviews some of the earlier theories, such as the neoclassical theory of the firm, and discusses their relevance along with 'newer' economic theories such as the transaction costs and evolutionary theory of the firm, plus organizational and human resources theory, to the performance of Foundation Trusts. Much contemporary health care provision is shaped along modernist lines, using scientific endeavour to maximize the impact on health outcomes and technical and social efficiency. However, there is an increasingly postmodern standpoint--critical of modernity--being taken by both patients and hospital staff, to deconstruct processes in the organizations that serve them. Foundation Trusts are postmodern hospitals insomuch as they (to attract scarce resources in a competitive environment), need to marshal the diverse theories of the firm together in order to provide a mass-customized, quality experience, transparently and at least cost--whilst maintaining a stable organizational culture for staff.

  10. Strategic hospital alliances: do the type and market structure of strategic hospital alliances matter?

    PubMed

    McCue, M J; Clement, J P; Luke, R D

    1999-10-01

    Throughout the 1990s, hospitals formed local alliances to defend against increasingly powerful hospital rivals and to improve their market positions relative to aggressive and consolidating managed-care organizations. An important consequence of hospitals combining or aligning horizontally at the local level is a significant consolidation of hospital markets. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the type of the local strategic hospital alliances (SHAs), market, environment, and operational factors with financial performance. The study is a cross-sectional analysis of the financial performance across SHAs in all metropolitan statistical areas in 1995. SHAs with dominant or dominant for-profit (FP) hospitals are not more financially successful than other SHAs. SHAs in markets with high health maintenance organization (HMO) or SHA penetration have lower revenues per case-mix adjusted discharge. The operational characteristics, proportion of teaching members in the SHA, and SHA bed size, result in higher revenues and expenses, whereas greater SHA technical efficiency results in lower costs. Health care organizations are centralizing their operations and governance. This study shows that this trend has not added financial value to hospital collectives, at least at this point in their development.

  11. Palliative Care for Hospitalized Patients With Stroke: Results From the 2010 to 2012 National Inpatient Sample.

    PubMed

    Singh, Tarvinder; Peters, Steven R; Tirschwell, David L; Creutzfeldt, Claire J

    2017-09-01

    Substantial variability exists in the use of life-prolonging treatments for patients with stroke, especially near the end of life. This study explores patterns of palliative care utilization and death in hospitalized patients with stroke across the United States. Using the 2010 to 2012 nationwide inpatient sample databases, we included all patients discharged with stroke identified by International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Revision codes. Strokes were subclassified as ischemic, intracerebral, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. We compared demographics, comorbidities, procedures, and outcomes between patients with and without a palliative care encounter (PCE) as defined by the International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Revision code V66.7. Pearson χ 2 test was used for categorical variables. Multivariate logistic regression was used to account for hospital, regional, payer, and medical severity factors to predict PCE use and death. Among 395 411 patients with stroke, PCE was used in 6.2% with an increasing trend over time ( P <0.05). We found a wide range in PCE use with higher rates in patients with older age, hemorrhagic stroke types, women, and white race (all P <0.001). Smaller and for-profit hospitals saw lower rates. Overall, 9.2% of hospitalized patients with stroke died, and PCE was significantly associated with death. Length of stay in decedents was shorter for patients who received PCE. Palliative care use is increasing nationally for patients with stroke, especially in larger hospitals. Persistent disparities in PCE use and mortality exist in regards to age, sex, race, region, and hospital characteristics. Given the variations in PCE use, especially at the end of life, the use of mortality rates as a hospital quality measure is questioned. © 2017 The Authors.

  12. Influential Factors for and Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients with Suicide-Related Behaviors: A National Record Study in Taiwan from 1997–2010

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Yu-Wen; Huang, Hui-Chuan; Lin, Mei-Feng; Shyu, Meei-Ling; Tsai, Po-Li; Chang, Hsiu-Ju

    2016-01-01

    Background Investigating the factors related to suicide is crucial for suicide prevention. Psychiatric disorders, gender, socioeconomic status, and catastrophic illnesses are associated with increased risk of suicide. Most studies have typically focused on the separate influences of physiological or psychological factors on suicide-related behaviors, and have rarely used national data records to examine and compare the effects of major physical illnesses, psychiatric disorders, and socioeconomic status on the risk of suicide-related behaviors. Objectives To identify the characteristics of people who exhibited suicide-related behaviors and the multiple factors associated with repeated suicide-related behaviors and deaths by suicide by examining national data records. Design This is a cohort study of Taiwan’s national data records of hospitalized patients with suicide-related behaviors from January 1, 1997, to December 31, 2010. Participants The study population included all people in Taiwan who were hospitalized with a code indicating suicide or self-inflicted injury (E950–E959) according to the International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification. Results Self-poisoning was the most common method of self-inflicted injury among hospitalized patients with suicide-related behaviors who used a single method. Those who were female, had been hospitalized for suicide-related behaviors at a younger age, had a low income, had a psychiatric disorder (i.e., personality disorder, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcohol-related disorder, or adjustment disorder), had a catastrophic illness, or had been hospitalized for suicide-related behaviors that involved two methods of self-inflicted injury had a higher risk of hospitalization for repeated suicide-related behaviors. Those who were male, had been hospitalized for suicide-related behaviors at an older age, had low income, had schizophrenia, showed repeated suicide

  13. Socioeconomic differences in children's and adolescents' hospital admissions in Germany: a report based on health insurance data on selected diagnostic categories

    PubMed Central

    Geyer, S; Peter, R; Siegrist, J

    2002-01-01

    Study objective: The extent of social inequalities in children's hospitalisation risks was examined in terms of socioeconomic status and parents' nationality. This was considered in terms of inpatient treatment attributable to a number of diagnoses (ICD-9), especially infectious diseases and psychiatric disorders. Design and setting: Analyses were performed with records of a German statutory health insurance comprising 48 412 (52.8% male and 47.2% female) children and adolescents of 15 years of age or younger who were co-insured between 1987 and 1996. Classification of socioeconomic position was based on parental occupational position. Results: Social inequalities in terms of hospital admissions attributable to acute diseases were rather small. The only exception were infections of the respiratory organs: in the highest status positions as compared with the lowest one the relative risk for being admitted was RR=0.22 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.89). However, length of stay in hospital was significantly related to socioeconomic position for infections of the upper respiratory tract and infections of the respiratory organs, with children and adolescents with the lowest socioeconomic background having spent the longest periods in hospital. With regard to nationality, pneumonia/flu was the only diagnostic category where relative risks for being admitted were higher in non-German children and adolescents (RR=1.5; 95% CI 1.2 to 1.8). Conversely, hospital admissions attributable to psychiatric diagnoses were significantly lower among non-German patients (RR=0.43; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.61), thus suggesting differential utilisation patterns according to nationality. Conclusions: Health inequalities in children's and adolescents' hospital admissions in Germany are small and inconsistent if parents' socioeconomic status and nationality are taken as criterion. Yet, children of lower status background stay longer in hospital if suffering from highly prevalent infectious diseases. This last

  14. Biomaterials use in Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda: Access and affordability.

    PubMed

    Bakwatanisa, Bosco; Enywaku, Alfred; Kiwanuka, Martin; Lamunu, Claire; Mbowa, Nicholas; Mukiibi, Denis; Namayega, Catherine; Ngabirano, Beryl; Ntambi, Henry; Reichert, William

    2016-01-01

    Students in Biomaterials BBE3102 at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda were assigned semester long group projects in the first semester of the 2014-15 academic year to determine the biomaterials type and usage in Mulago National Referral Hospital, which is emblematic of large public hospitals across East Africa. Information gathering was conducted through student interviews with Mulago physicians because there were no archival records. The students divided themselves into seven project groups covering biomaterials use in the areas of wound closure, dental and oral surgery, cardiology, burn care, bone repair, ophthalmology and total joint replacement. As in the developed world, the majority of biomaterials used in Mulago are basic wound closure materials, dental materials, and bone fixation materials, all of which are comparatively inexpensive, easy to store, and readily available from either the government or local suppliers; however, there were significant issues with the implant supply chain, affordability, and patient compliance and follow-up in cases where specialty expertise and expensive implants were employed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. 78 FR 71686 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-29

    ... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-70937; File No. SR-NSCC-2013-11] Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Add a New Service to the National Securities Clearing Corporation's Obligation Warehouse (``OW...

  16. Use of simulation-based medical training in Swiss pediatric hospitals: a national survey.

    PubMed

    Stocker, Martin; Laine, Kathryn; Ulmer, Francis

    2017-06-17

    Simulation-based medical training (SBMT) is a powerful tool for continuing medical education. In contrast to the Anglo-Saxon medical education community, up until recently, SBMT was scarce in continental Europe's pediatric health care education: In 2009, only 3 Swiss pediatric health care institutions used SBMT. The Swiss catalogue of objectives in Pediatrics does not acknowledge SBMT. The aim of this survey is to describe and analyze the current state of SBMT in Swiss pediatric hospitals and health care departments. A survey was carried out with medical education representatives of every institution. SBMT was defined as any kind of training with a mannequin excluding national and/or international standardized courses. The survey reference day was May 31st 2015. Thirty Swiss pediatric hospitals and health care departments answered our survey (response rate 96.8%) with 66.6% (20 out of 30) offering SBMT. Four of the 20 hospitals offering SMBT had two independently operating training simulation units, resulting in 24 educational units as the basis for our SBMT analysis. More than 90% of the educational units offering SBMT (22 out of 24 units) were conducting in-situ training and 62.5% (15 out of 24) were using high-technology mannequins. Technical skills, communication and leadership ranked among the top training priorities. All institutions catered to inter-professional participants. The vast majority conducted training that was neither embedded within a larger educational curriculum (19 out of 24: 79.2%) nor evaluated (16 out of 24: 66.6%) by its participants. Only 5 institutions (20.8%) extended their training to at least two thirds of their hospital staff. Two thirds of the Swiss pediatric hospitals and health care departments are offering SBMT. Swiss pediatric SBMT is inter-professional, mainly in-situ based, covering technical as well as non-technical skills, and often employing high-technology mannequins. The absence of a systematic approach and reaching only

  17. Haunted by Enron's ghost. National Century Financial Enterprises files for Chapter 11, leaving a string of broken healthcare chains and hospitals.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Mark

    2002-11-25

    Some are calling it the Enron of the healthcare industry. Ryder trucks hauled possible evidence from embattled financier National Century Financial Enterprises during an FBI raid. NCFE filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week, sending ripples through the industry and contributing to the bankruptcies of a string of national healthcare chains and at least six hospitals.

  18. Epidemiology of multimorbidity in New Zealand: a cross-sectional study using national-level hospital and pharmaceutical data

    PubMed Central

    Semper, Kelly; Millar, Elinor; Sarfati, Diana

    2018-01-01

    Objectives To describe the prevalence of multimorbidity (presence of two or more long-term health conditions) in the New Zealand (NZ) population, and compare risk of health outcomes by multimorbidity status. Design Cross-sectional analysis for prevalence of multimorbidity, with 1-year prospective follow-up for health outcomes. Setting NZ general population using national-level routine health data on hospital discharges and pharmaceutical dispensing. Participants All NZ adults (aged 18+, n=3 489 747) with an active National Health Index number at the index date (1 January 2014). Outcome measures Prevalence of multimorbidity was calculated using two data sources: prior routine hospital discharge data (61 ICD-10 coded diagnoses from the M3 multimorbidity index); and recent pharmaceutical dispensing records (30 conditions from the P3 multimorbidity index). Methods Prevalence of multimorbidity was calculated separately for the two data sources, stratified by age group, sex, ethnicity and socioeconomic deprivation, and age and sex standardised to the total population. One-year risk of poor health outcomes (mortality, ambulatory sensitive hospitalisation (ASH) and overnight hospital admission) was compared by multimorbidity status using logistic regression adjusted for confounders. Results Prevalence of multimorbidity was 7.9% using past hospital discharge data, and 27.9% using past pharmaceutical dispensing data. Prevalence increased with age, with a clear socioeconomic gradient and differences in prevalence by ethnicity. Age and sex standardised risk of 1-year mortality was 2.7% for those with multimorbidity (defined on hospital discharge data), and 0.5% for those without multimorbidity (age and sex-adjusted OR 4.8, 95% CI 4.7 to 5.0). Risk of ASH was also increased for those with multimorbidity (eg, pharmaceutical discharge definition: age and sex-standardised risk 6.2%, compared with 1.8% for those without multimorbidity; age and sex-adjusted OR 3.6, 95% CI 3.5 to

  19. Pediatric Neurosurgical Outcomes Following a Neurosurgery Health System Intervention at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Uganda.

    PubMed

    Fuller, Anthony T; Haglund, Michael M; Lim, Stephanie; Mukasa, John; Muhumuza, Michael; Kiryabwire, Joel; Ssenyonjo, Hussein; Smith, Emily R

    2016-11-01

    Pediatric neurosurgical cases have been identified as an important target for impacting health disparities in Uganda, with over 50% of the population being less than 15 years of age. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the Duke-Mulago collaboration on pediatric neurosurgical outcomes in Mulago National Referral Hospital. We performed retrospective analysis of all pediatric neurosurgical cases who presented at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, to examine overall, preprogram (2005-2007), and postprogram (2008-2013) outcomes. We analyzed mortality, presurgical infections, postsurgical infections, length of stay, types of procedures, and significant predictors of mortality. Data on neurosurgical cases was collected from surgical logbooks, patient charts, and Mulago National Referral Hospital's yearly death registry. Of 820 pediatric neurosurgical cases, outcome data were complete for 374 children. Among children who died within 30 days of a surgical procedure, the largest group was less than a year old (45%). Postinitiation of the Duke-Mulago collaboration, we identified an overall increase in procedures, with the greatest increase in cases with complex diagnoses. Although children ages 6-18 years of age were 6.66 times more likely to die than their younger counterparts preprogram, age was no longer a predictive variable postprogram. When comparing pre- and postprogram outcomes, mortality among pediatric patients within 30 days after a neurosurgical procedure increased from 4.3% to 10.0%, mortality after 30 days increased slightly from 4.9% to 5.0%, presurgical infections decreased by 4.6%, and postsurgery infections decreased slightly by 0.7%. Our data show the provision of more complex neurological procedures does not necessitate improved outcomes. Rather, combining these higher-level procedures with essential pre- and postoperative care and continued efforts in health system strengthening for pediatric neurosurgical

  20. Development of Hospital-based Data Sets as a Vehicle for Implementation of a National Electronic Health Record

    PubMed Central

    Keikha, Leila; Farajollah, Seyede Sedigheh Seied; Safdari, Reza; Ghazisaeedi, Marjan; Mohammadzadeh, Niloofar

    2018-01-01

    Background In developing countries such as Iran, international standards offer good sources to survey and use for appropriate planning in the domain of electronic health records (EHRs). Therefore, in this study, HL7 and ASTM standards were considered as the main sources from which to extract EHR data. Objective The objective of this study was to propose a hospital data set for a national EHR consisting of data classes and data elements by adjusting data sets extracted from the standards and paper-based records. Method This comparative study was carried out in 2017 by studying the contents of the paper-based records approved by the health ministry in Iran and the international ASTM and HL7 standards in order to extract a minimum hospital data set for a national EHR. Results As a result of studying the standards and paper-based records, a total of 526 data elements in 174 classes were extracted. An examination of the data indicated that the highest number of extracted data came from the free text elements, both in the paper-based records and in the standards related to the administrative data. The major sources of data extracted from ASTM and HL7 were the E1384 and Hl7V.x standards, respectively. In the paper-based records, data were extracted from 19 forms sporadically. Discussion By declaring the confidentiality of information, the ASTM standards acknowledge the issue of confidentiality of information as one of the main challenges of EHR development, and propose new types of admission, such as teleconference, tele-video, and home visit, which are inevitable with the advent of new technology for providing healthcare and treating diseases. Data related to finance and insurance, which were scattered in different categories by three organizations, emerged as the financial category. Documenting the role and responsibility of the provider by adding the authenticator/signature data element was deemed essential. Conclusion Not only using well-defined and standardized data

  1. The Book of the Sick of Santa Maria della Morte in Bologna and the Medical Organization of a Hospital in the Sixteenth-Century.

    PubMed

    Savoia, Paolo

    2016-01-01

    In 2012 a manuscript was rediscovered in the Biblioteca dell'Archiginnasio of Bologna, titled Libro degli infermi dell'Arciconfraternita di S. Maria della Morte. It is the record of incoming patients of one for the main hospitals of the city, devoted exclusively to the sick poor and not just to the poor, called Santa Maria della Morte, compiled by a young student assistant (astante) for the period 1558-1564. I publish here a transcription of a portion of this Libro pertaining to the year 1560. My introduction situates the manuscript within the context of the history of early modern Italian hospitals, describes the organization of the hospital of Santa Maria della Morte based on archival sources of the period, and finally highlights the connections between surgical and anatomical education and the internal organization of the hospital.

  2. Evaluation of the association between Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS) measures and catheter-associated infections: results of two national collaboratives

    PubMed Central

    Meddings, Jennifer; Reichert, Heidi; Greene, M Todd; Safdar, Nasia; Krein, Sarah L; Olmsted, Russell N; Watson, Sam R; Edson, Barbara; Albert Lesher, Mariana; Saint, Sanjay

    2017-01-01

    Background The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has funded national collaboratives using the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program to reduce rates of two catheter-associated infections—central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), using evidence-based intervention bundles to improve technical aspects of care and socioadaptive approaches to foster a culture of safety. Objective Examine the association between hospital units' results for the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS) and catheter-associated infection rates. Methods We analysed data from two prospective cohort studies from acute-care intensive care units (ICUs) and non-ICUs participating in the AHRQ CLABSI and CAUTI collaboratives. National Healthcare Safety Network catheter-associated infections per 1000 catheter-days were collected at baseline and quarterly postimplementation. The HSOPS was collected at baseline and again 1 year later. Infection rates were modelled using multilevel negative binomial models as a function of HSOPS components over time, adjusted for hospital-level characteristics. Results 1821 units from 1079 hospitals (CLABSI) and 1576 units from 949 hospitals (CAUTI) were included. Among responding units, infection rates declined over the project periods (by 47% for CLABSI, by 23% for CAUTI, unadjusted). No significant associations were found between CLABSI or CAUTI rates and HSOPS measures at baseline or over time. Conclusions We found no association between results of the HSOPS and catheter-associated infection rates when measured at baseline and postintervention in two successful large national collaboratives focused on prevention of CLABSI and CAUTI. These results suggest that it may be possible to improve CLABSI and CAUTI rates without making significant changes in safety culture, particularly as measured by instruments like HSOPS. PMID:27222593

  3. Japanese hospitals--culture and competition: a study of ten hospitals.

    PubMed

    Anbäcken, O

    1994-01-01

    Japanese health care is characterized by a pluralistic system with a high degree of private producers. Central government regulates the prices and the financing system. All citizens are covered by a mandatory employment-based health insurance operating on a non-profit basis. The consumer has a free choice of physician and hospital. A comparison between Japan, Sweden and some other countries shows significant dissimilarities in the length of stay, number of treatments per hospital bed and year and the staffing of hospitals. About 80 per cent of the hospitals and 94 per cent of the clinics are privately owned. The typical private hospital owned by a physician has less than 100 beds. In this paper, data collected (1992/93) in an empirical study of Japanese hospitals and their leadership is presented. Also discussed are the hospitals' style of management, tools and strategies for competition and competences--personal and formal skills required of the leadership in the hospital. There follows a study of ten hospitals, among which hospital directors and chief physicians were interviewed. Interviews are also made with key persons in the Ministry of Health and Welfare and other organizations in the health care field. The result is also analysed from a cultural perspective--'what kind of impact does the Japanese culture have on the health care organization?' and/or 'what kind of sub-culture is developed in the Japanese hospitals'. Some comparisons are made with Sweden, USA, Canada and Germany. The different roles of the professions in the hospital are included in the study as well as the incentives for different kinds of strategies--specialization, growing in size, investments in new equipment, different kind of ownership and hospitals. Another issue discussed is the attempt to uncover whether there is an implicit distribution of specialties--silent agreements between hospitals, etc.

  4. Fail to prepare and you can prepare to fail: the experience of financing path changes in teaching hospitals in Iran.

    PubMed

    Doshmangir, Leila; Rashidian, Arash; Jafari, Mehdi; Ravaghi, Hamid; Takian, Amirhossein

    2016-04-21

    In 1995, teaching and public hospitals that are affiliated with the ministry of health and medical education (MOHME) in Iran were granted financial self-sufficiency to practice contract-based relations with insurance organizations. The so-called "hospital autonomy" policy involved giving authority to the insurance organizations to purchase health services. The policy aimed at improving hospitals' performance, hoping to reduce government's costs. However, the policy was never implemented as intended. This was because most participating hospitals gave up to implement autonomous financing and took other financing pathways. This paper analyses the reasons for the gap between the intended policy and its execution. The lessons learned from this analysis can inform, we envisage, the implementation of similar initiatives in other settings. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 28 national and 13 regional health policy experts. We also gathered a comprehensive and purposeful set of related documents and analyzed their content. The qualitative data were analyzed by thematic inductive-deductive approach. We found a number of prerequisites and requirements that were not prepared prior to the implementing hospital autonomy policy and categorized them into policy content (sources of funds for the policy), implementation context (organization of insurance organizations, medical tariffs, hospitals' organization, feasibility of policy implementation, actors and stakeholders' support), and implementation approach (implementation method, blanket approach to the implementation and timing of implementation). These characteristics resulted in unsuitable platform for policy implementation and eventually led to policy failure. Autonomy of teaching hospitals and their exclusive financing through insurance organizations did not achieve the desired goals of purchaser-provider split in Iran. Unless contextual preparations are in place, hospital autonomy will not succeed and problematic

  5. Floor cleaning: effect on bacteria and organic materials in hospital rooms.

    PubMed

    Andersen, B M; Rasch, M; Kvist, J; Tollefsen, T; Lukkassen, R; Sandvik, L; Welo, A

    2009-01-01

    Routine surface cleaning is recommended to control the spread of pathogens in hospital environments. In Norway, ordinary cleaning of patient rooms is traditionally performed with soap and water. In this study, four floor-mopping methods--dry, spray, moist and wet mopping--were compared by two systems using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence (Hygiena and Biotrace). These systems assess residual organic soil on surfaces. The floor-mopping methods were also assessed by microbiological samples from the floor and air, before and after cleaning. All methods reduced organic material on the floors but wet and moist mopping seemed to be the most effective (P < 0.001, P < 0.011, respectively, ATP Hygiena). The two ATP methods were easy to use, although each had their own reading scales. Cleaning reduced organic material to 5-36% of the level present before cleaning, depending upon mopping method. All four mopping methods reduced bacteria on the floor from about 60-100 to 30-60 colony-forming units (cfu)/20cm2 floor. Wet, moist and dry mopping seemed to be more effective in reducing bacteria on the floor, than the spray mopping (P=0.007, P=0.002 and P=0.011, respectively). The burden of bacteria in air increased for all methods just after mopping. The overall best cleaning methods seemed to be moist and wet mopping.

  6. Connecting the Nation: Classrooms, Libraries, and Health Care Organizations in the Information Age. Update 1995.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez, Emilio

    Connecting every classroom, library, hospital, and clinic in the United States to the National Information Infrastructure (NII) is a priority for the Clinton Administration. This document provides a status report on this initiative by drawing from current data regarding Internet connectivity, a benchmark for NII access. Chapter 1 of the report…

  7. Work Hours and Self rated Health of Hospital Doctors in Norway and Germany. A comparative study on national samples

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The relationship between extended work hours and health is well documented among hospital doctors, but the effect of national differences in work hours on health is unexplored. The study examines the relationship between work hours and self rated health in two national samples of hospital doctors. Methods The study population consisted of representative samples of 1,260 German and 562 Norwegian hospital doctors aged 25-65 years (N = 1,822) who received postal questionnaires in 2006 (Germany) and 2008 (Norway). The questionnaires contained items on demography, work hours (number of hours per workday and on-call per month) and self rated subjective health on a five point scale - dichotomized into "good" (above average) and "average or below". Results Compared to Norway, a significantly higher proportion of German doctors exceeded a 9 hour work day (58.8% vs. 26.7%) and 60 hours on-call per month (63.4% vs. 18.3%). Every third (32.2%) hospital doctor in Germany worked more than this, while this pattern was rare in Norway (2.9%). In a logistic regression model, working in Norway (OR 4.17; 95% CI 3.02-5.73), age 25-44 years (OR 1.66; 95% CI 1.29-2.14) and not exceeding 9 hour work day and 60 hours on-call per month (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.03-1.77) were all independent significant predictors of good self reported health. Conclusion A lower percentage of German hospital doctors reported self rated health as "good", which is partly explained by the differences in work time pattern. Initiatives to increase doctors' control over their work time are recommended. PMID:21338494

  8. Incentive Program Requirements for Eligible Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, and Eligible Professionals; Provider-Based Status of Indian Health Service and Tribal Facilities and Organizations; Costs Reporting and Provider Requirements; Agreement Termination Notices. Final rule.

    PubMed

    2017-08-14

    We are revising the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems for FY 2018. Some of these changes implement certain statutory provisions contained in the Pathway for Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Reform Act of 2013, the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, the 21st Century Cures Act, and other legislation. We also are making changes relating to the provider-based status of Indian Health Service (IHS) and Tribal facilities and organizations and to the low-volume hospital payment adjustment for hospitals operated by the IHS or a Tribe. In addition, we are providing the market basket update that will apply to the rate-of-increase limits for certain hospitals excluded from the IPPS that are paid on a reasonable cost basis subject to these limits for FY 2018. We are updating the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) for FY 2018. In addition, we are establishing new requirements or revising existing requirements for quality reporting by specific Medicare providers (acute care hospitals, PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, LTCHs, and inpatient psychiatric facilities). We also are establishing new requirements or revising existing requirements for eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. We are updating policies relating to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, and the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program. We also are making changes relating to transparency of accrediting organization survey

  9. National perspective on in-hospital emergency units in Iraq

    PubMed Central

    Lafta, Riyadh K.; Al-Nuaimi, Maha A.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Hospitals play a crucial role in providing communities with essential medical care during times of disasters. The emergency department is the most vital component of hospitals' inpatient business. In Iraq, at present, there are many casualties that cause a burden of work and the need for structural assessment, equipment updating and evaluation of process. Objective: To examine the current pragmatic functioning of the existing set-up of services of in-hospital emergency departments within some general hospitals in Baghdad and Mosul in order to establish a mechanism for future evaluation for the health services in our community. Methods: A cross-sectional study was employed to evaluate the structure, process and function of six major hospitals with emergency units: four major hospitals in Baghdad and two in Mosul. Results: The six surveyed emergency units are distinct units within general hospitals that serve (collectively) one quarter of the total population. More than one third of these units feature observation unit beds, laboratory services, imaging facilities, pharmacies with safe storage, and ambulatory entrance. Operation room was found only in one hospital's reception and waiting area. Consultation/track area, cubicles for infection control, and discrete tutorial rooms were not available. Patient assessment was performed (although without adequate privacy). The emergency specialist, family medicine specialist and interested general practitioner exist in one-third of the surveyed units. Psychiatrist, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and social work links are not available. The shortage in medication, urgent vaccines and vital facilities is an obvious problem. Conclusions: Our emergency unit's level and standards of care are underdeveloped. The inconsistent process and inappropriate environments need to be reconstructed. The lack of drugs, commodities, communication infrastructure, audit and training all require effective build up. PMID

  10. Children Exposed to Abuse in Youth-Serving Organizations: Results From National Sample Surveys.

    PubMed

    Shattuck, Anne; Finkelhor, David; Turner, Heather; Hamby, Sherry

    2016-02-01

    Protecting children in youth-serving organizations is a national concern. To provide clinicians, policymakers, and parents with estimates of children's exposure to abuse in youth-serving organizations. Telephone survey data from the 3 National Surveys of Children's Exposure to Violence (2008, 2011, and 2014) were combined to create a sample of 13,052 children and youths aged 0 to 17 years. The survey participants included youths aged 10 to 17 years and caregivers of children aged 0 to 9 years. Items from the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire. In the combined sample of 13 052 children and youths aged 0 to 17 years, the rate of abuse by persons in youth-serving organizations was 0.4% (95% CI, 0.2-0.7) for the past year and 0.8% (95% CI, 0.5-1.1) over the lifetime. Most of the maltreatment (63.2%) was verbal abuse and only 6.4% was any form of sexual violence or assault. Abuse in youth-serving organizations was a relatively rare form of abuse, dwarfed by abuse by family members and other adults.

  11. Organisational characteristics associated with the use of daily interruption of sedation in US hospitals: a national study.

    PubMed

    Miller, Melissa A; Krein, Sarah L; Saint, Sanjay; Kahn, Jeremy M; Iwashyna, Theodore J

    2012-02-01

    Daily interruption of sedation (DIS) has multiple proven benefits, but implementation is erratic. Past research on sedative interruption utilisation focused on individual clinicians, ignoring the role of organisations in shaping practice. The authors test the hypothesis that specific hospital organisational characteristics are associated with routine use of DIS. National, mailed survey to a stratified random sample of US hospitals in 2009. Respondents were the lead infection control professionals at each institution. Survey items enquired about DIS use, institutional structure, and organisational culture. Multivariable analysis was used to evaluate the independent association of these factors with DIS use. A total of 386 hospitals formed our final analytic sample; the response rate was 69.4%. Hospitals ranged in size from 25 to 1359 beds. 26% of hospitals were associated with a medical school. Almost 80% reported regular use of DIS for ventilated patients. While 75.4% of hospitals reported having leadership focus on safety culture, only 42.7% reported that their staff were receptive to changes in practice. In a multivariable logistic regression model, structural characteristics such as size and academic affiliation were not associated with use of DIS. However, leadership emphasis on safety culture (p=0.04), staff receptivity to change (p=0.02) and involvement in an infection prevention collaborative (p=0.04) were significantly associated with regular DIS use. Several elements of hospital organisational culture were associated with regular use of DIS in US hospitals. These findings emphasise the importance of combining specific administrative approaches with strategies to encourage receptivity to change among bedside clinicians in order to successfully implement complex evidence-based practices in the intensive care setting.

  12. 76 FR 23537 - Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-27

    ... National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) (76 FR 12013). The March 4, 2011 notice provided for five-minute public comment slots. Due to the overwhelming number of people who have signed up to present comments...

  13. National Costs Associated with Methicillin-susceptible and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus Hospitalizations in the United States, 2010-2014.

    PubMed

    Klein, Eili Y; Jiang, Wendi; Mojica, Nestor; Tseng, Katie K; McNeill, Ryan; Cosgrove, Sara E; Perl, Trish M

    2018-05-12

    Infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been associated with worse patient outcomes and higher costs of care than susceptible (MSSA) infections. However, the healthcare landscape has changed since prior studies found these differences, including widespread dissemination of community-associated strains of MRSA. Our objective was to provide updated estimates of the excess costs of resistant S. aureus infections. We conducted a retrospective analysis using data from the National Inpatient Sample from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for the years 2010 to 2014. We calculated costs for hospitalizations including MRSA- and MSSA-related septicemia and pneumonia infections, as well as MRSA- and MSSA-related infections from conditions classified elsewhere and of an unspecified site ("other infections"). Differences in the costs of hospitalization were estimated using propensity score adjusted mortality outcomes for 2010 through 2014. In 2014, estimated costs were highest for pneumonia and sepsis-related hospitalizations. Propensity score-adjusted costs were significantly higher for MSSA-related pneumonia ($40,725 vs $38,561; p=0.045) and other hospitalizations ($15,578 vs $14,792; p<0.001) than for MRSA-related hospitalizations. Similar patterns were observed from 2010 to 2013, though crude cost differences between MSSA- and MRSA-related pneumonia hospitalizations rose from 25.8% in 2010 to 31.0% in 2014. MRSA-related hospitalizations had a higher adjusted mortality rate than MSSA-related hospitalizations. Though MRSA infections had been previously associated with higher hospitalization costs, our results suggest that in recent years, costs associated with MSSA-related infections have converged with and may surpass costs of similar MRSA-related hospitalizations.

  14. Accountable Care Organizations and Population Health Organizations.

    PubMed

    Casalino, Lawrence P; Erb, Natalie; Joshi, Maulik S; Shortell, Stephen M

    2015-08-01

    Accountable care organizations (ACOs) and hospitals are investing in improving "population health," by which they nearly always mean the health of the "population" of patients "attributed" by Medicare, Medicaid, or private health insurers to their organizations. But population health can and should also mean "the health of the entire population in a geographic area." We present arguments for and against ACOs and hospitals investing in affecting the socioeconomic determinants of health to improve the health of the population in their geographic area, and we provide examples of ACOs and hospitals that are doing so in a limited way. These examples suggest that ACOs and hospitals can work with other organizations in their community to improve population health. We briefly present recent proposals for such coalitions and for how they could be financed to be sustainable. Copyright © 2015 by Duke University Press.

  15. Physical Disabilities: National Organizations and Resources. Reference Circular No. 94-01.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nussbaum, Ruth, Comp.

    This reference document lists national organizations that serve as information clearinghouses, referral agencies, or legislative advocates for children, youths, and adults with physical disabilities. Many provide services directly to the individual and include peer and family support, education, and counseling. Some also support research on the…

  16. Preventing device-associated infections in US hospitals: national surveys from 2005 to 2013.

    PubMed

    Krein, Sarah L; Fowler, Karen E; Ratz, David; Meddings, Jennifer; Saint, Sanjay

    2015-06-01

    Numerous initiatives have focused on reducing device-associated infections, contributing to an overall decrease in infections nationwide. To better understand factors associated with this decline, we assessed the use of key practices to prevent device-associated infections by US acute care hospitals from 2005 to 2013. We mailed surveys to infection preventionists at a national random sample of ∼600 US acute care hospitals in 2005, 2009 and 2013. Our survey asked about the use of practices to prevent the 3 most common device-associated infections: central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). Using sample weights, we estimated the per cent of hospitals reporting regular use (a score of 4 or 5 on a scale from 1 (never use) to 5 (always use)) of prevention practices from 2005 to 2013. The response rate was about 70% in all 3 periods. Use of most recommended prevention practices increased significantly over time. Among those showing the greatest increase were use of an antimicrobial dressing for preventing CLABSI (25-78%, p<0.001), use of an antimicrobial mouth rinse for preventing VAP (41-79%, p<0.001) and use of catheter removal prompts for preventing CAUTI (9-53%, p<0.001). Likewise, a significant increase in facility-wide surveillance was found for all three infections. Practices for which little change was observed included use of antimicrobial catheters to prevent either CLABSI or CAUTI. US hospitals have responded to the call to reduce infection by increasing use of key recommended practices. Vigilance is needed to ensure sustained improvement and additional strategies may still be required, given an apparent continuing lag in CAUTI prevention efforts. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  17. A study of the information seeking behaviour of hospital pharmacists: empirical evidence from Greece.

    PubMed

    Kostagiolas, Petros A; Aggelopoulou, Vasiliki A; Niakas, Dimitris

    2011-12-01

    Hospital pharmacists need access to high-quality information in order to constantly update their knowledge and improve their skills. In their modern role, they are expected to address three types of challenges: scientific, organizational and administrative, thus having an increased need for adequate information and library services. This study investigates the information-seeking behaviour of public hospital pharmacists providing evidence from Greece that could be used to encourage the development of effective information hospital services and study the links between the information seeking behaviour of hospital pharmacists and their modern scientific and professional role. An empirical research was conducted between January and February 2010 with the development and distribution of a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was filled in and returned by 88 public hospital pharmacists from a total of 286 working in all Greek public hospitals, providing a response rate of 31%. The hospital pharmacists in Greece are in search of scientific information and, more particularly, pharmaceutical information (e.g., drug indications, storage, dosage and prices). The Internet and the National Organization of Medicines are their main information sources, while the lack of time and organized information are the main obstacles they have to face when seeking information. The modern professional role of hospital pharmacists as invaluable contributors to efficient and safer healthcare services may be further supported through the development of specialized libraries and information services within Greek public hospitals. © 2011 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2011 Health Libraries Group.

  18. 75 FR 54681 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-08

    ...-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change The...-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend Rules Relating to Authority To Suspend or Waive NSCC Rules and...

  19. 78 FR 79028 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-27

    ... finding or (ii) as to which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will: (A) By order... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-71156; File No. SR-NSCC-2013-13] Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change...

  20. Hospital Workers Disaster Management and Hospital Nonstructural: A Study in Bandar Abbas, Iran

    PubMed Central

    Lakbala, Parvin

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: A devastating earthquake is inevitable in the long term and likely in the near future in Iran. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge of hospital staff to disaster management system in hospital and to determine nonstructural safety assessment in Shahid Mohammadi hospital in Bandar Abbas city of Iran. This hospital is the main referral hospital in Hormozgan province with a capacity of about 450 beds and the highest patient admissions. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 on 200 healthcare workers at Shahid Mohammadi hospital, in the city of Bandar Abbas, Iran. This hospital is the main referral hospital in Hormozgan province and has a capacity of about 450 beds with highest numbers of patient admissions. Questionnaire and checklist used for assessing health workers knowledge and awareness towards disaster management and nonstructural safety this hospital. Results: This study found that knowledge, awareness, and disaster preparedness of hospital staff need continual reinforcement to improve self efficacy for disaster management. Equipping health care facilities at the time of natural disasters, especially earthquakes are of great importance all over the world, especially in Iran. This requires the national strategies and planning for all health facilities. Conclusion: It seems due to limitations of hospital beds, insufficient of personnel, and medical equipment, health care providers paid greater attention to this issue. Since this hospital is the only educational public hospital in the province, it is essential to pay much attention to the risk management not only to this hospital but at the national level to health facilities. PMID:26573039

  1. Hospital pharmacy workforce in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Santos, Thiago R; Penm, Jonathan; Baldoni, André O; Ayres, Lorena Rocha; Moles, Rebekah; Sanches, Cristina

    2018-01-04

    This study aims to describe the distribution of the hospital pharmacy workforce in Brazil. Data were acquired, during 2016, through the Brazilian National Database of Healthcare Facilities (CNES). The following variables were extracted: hospital name, registry number, telephone, e-mail, state, type of institution, subtype, management nature, ownership, presence of research/teaching activities, complexity level, number of hospital beds, presence of pharmacists, number of pharmacists, pharmacist specialization. All statistical analyses were performed by IBM SPSS v.19. The number of hospitals with a complete registry in the national database was 4790. The majority were general hospitals (77.9%), managed by municipalities (66.1%), under public administration (44.0%), had no research/teaching activities (90.5%), classified as medium complexity (71.6%), and had no pharmacist in their team (50.6%). Furthermore, almost 60.0% of hospitals did not comply with the minimum recommendations of having a pharmacist per 50 hospital beds. The Southeast region had the highest prevalence of pharmacists, with 64.4% of hospitals having a pharmaceutical professional. This may have occurred as this region had the highest population to hospital ratio. Non-profit hospitals were more likely to have pharmacists compared to those under public administration and private hospitals. This study mapped the hospital pharmacy workforce in Brazil, showing a higher prevalence of hospital pharmacists in the Southeast region, and in non-profit specialized hospitals.

  2. Variation in Organization of Transient Ischemic Attack Care in The Netherlands. A Nationwide Survey Study.

    PubMed

    Muller, Fenna Floortje; de Beer, Frank; Visser, Marieke Christine

    2017-09-01

    Previous research has shown the importance of urgent initiation of antiplatelet therapy after transient ischemic attack (TIA) to reduce the risk of stroke. Many hospitals in the Netherlands have therefore implemented rapid pathways for assessment of patients with TIA. Dutch stroke guidelines lack clear directives for organization of TIA assessment and thus allow for variation. The aim of this study was to investigate variation in organization of TIA assessment in Dutch hospitals. One neurologist per hospital (of 88 Dutch hospitals) with special interest in stroke was invited to participate in a web-based survey addressing the organization, content, and timing of TIA assessment. Seventy (80%) neurologists completed the survey, all of whom reported performing TIA assessment in their hospital. There was considerable variation in the method of application and the location of assessment. In 10% of the hospitals, patients with TIA are always admitted to the ward. The content of diagnostics is fairly similar, but hospitals vary in the extent of cardiological workup. Almost all hospitals aim for a swift start of assessment as directed by guidelines, but access time differs. Eighty-six percent of respondents reported that antiplatelet therapy is usually initiated before assessment, based on history. This study showed variation in organization of TIA assessment in Dutch hospitals, especially regarding location within the hospital, time to assessment after announcement, and cardiological workup. Further research is needed to investigate implications of this variation for quality of care. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Effective and organ doses from common CT examinations in one general hospital in Tehran, Iran

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khoramian, Daryoush; Hashemi, Bijan

    2017-09-01

    Purpose: It is well known that the main portion of artificial sources of ionizing radiation to human results from X-ray imaging techniques. However, reports carried out in various countries have indicated that most of their cumulative doses from artificial sources are due to CT examinations. Hence assessing doses resulted from CT examinations is highly recommended by national and international radiation protection agencies. The aim of this research has been to estimate the effective and organ doses in an average human according to 103 and 60 ICRP tissue weighting factor for six common protocols of Multi-Detector CT (MDCT) machine in a comprehensive training general hospital in Tehran/Iran. Methods: To calculate the patients' effective dose, the CT-Expo2.2 software was used. Organs/tissues and effective doses were determined for about 20 patients (totally 122 patients) for every one of six typical CT protocols of the head, neck, chest, abdomen-pelvis, pelvis and spine exams. In addition, the CT dosimetry index (CTDI) was measured in the standard 16 and 32 cm phantoms by using a calibrated pencil ionization chamber for the six protocols and by taking the average value of CT scan parameters used in the hospital compared with the CTDI values displayed on the console device of the machine. Results: The values of the effective dose based on the ICRP 103 tissue weighting factor were: 0.6, 2.0, 3.2, 4.2, 2.8, and 3.9 mSv and based on the ICRP 60 tissue weighting factor were: 0.9, 1.4, 3, 7.9, 4.8 and 5.1 mSv for the head, neck, chest, abdomen-pelvis, pelvis, spine CT exams respectively. Relative differences between those values were -22, 21, 23, -6, -31 and 16 percent for the head, neck, chest, abdomen-pelvis, pelvis, spine CT exams, respectively. The average value of CTDIv calculated for each protocol was: 27.32 ± 0.9, 18.08 ± 2.0, 7.36 ± 2.6, 8.84 ± 1.7, 9.13 ± 1.5, 10.42 ± 0.8 mGy for the head, neck, chest, abdomen-pelvis and spine CT exams, respectively

  4. Using National Inpatient Death Rates as a Benchmark to Identify Hospitals with Inaccurate Cause of Death Reporting - Missouri, 2009-2012.

    PubMed

    Lloyd, Jennifer; Jahanpour, Ehsan; Angell, Brian; Ward, Craig; Hunter, Andy; Baysinger, Cherri; Turabelidze, George

    2017-01-13

    Reporting causes of death accurately is essential to public health and hospital-based programs; however, some U.S. studies have identified substantial inaccuracies in cause of death reporting. Using CDC's national inpatient hospital death rates as a benchmark, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) analyzed inpatient death rates reported by hospitals with high inpatient death rates in St. Louis and Kansas City metro areas. Among the selected hospitals with high inpatient death rates, 45.8% of death certificates indicated an underlying cause of death that was inconsistent with CDC's Guidelines for Death Certificate completion. Selected hospitals with high inpatient death rates were more likely to overreport heart disease and renal disease, and underreport cancer as an underlying cause of death. Based on these findings, the Missouri DHSS initiated a new web-based training module for death certificate completion based on the CDC guidelines in an effort to improve accuracy in cause of death reporting.

  5. Hospital prices and market structure in the hospital and insurance industries.

    PubMed

    Moriya, Asako S; Vogt, William B; Gaynor, Martin

    2010-10-01

    There has been substantial consolidation among health insurers and hospitals, recently, raising questions about the effects of this consolidation on the exercise of market power. We analyze the relationship between insurer and hospital market concentration and the prices of hospital services. We use a national US dataset containing transaction prices for health care services for over 11 million privately insured Americans. Using three years of panel data, we estimate how insurer and hospital market concentration are related to hospital prices, while controlling for unobserved market effects. We find that increases in insurance market concentration are significantly associated with decreases in hospital prices, whereas increases in hospital concentration are non-significantly associated with increases in prices. A hypothetical merger between two of five equally sized insurers is estimated to decrease hospital prices by 6.7%.

  6. Baldrige Award cites two hospitals. Baptist, Saint Luke's hospitals honored for quality, performance.

    PubMed

    Rees, Tom

    2004-01-01

    Baptist Hospital Inc., Pensacola, Fla.; and Saint Luke's Hospital, Kansas City, Mo., have received the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in the category of healthcare. Named for a former secretary of commerce, the award recognizes efficiency, effectiveness and excellence. The two hospitals are among only seven companies in the U.S. to be so recognized this year.

  7. An international survey of physicians regarding clinical trials: a comparison between Kyoto University Hospital and Seoul National University Hospital

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background International clinical trials are now rapidly expanding into Asia. However, the proportion of global trials is higher in South Korea compared to Japan despite implementation of similar governmental support in both countries. The difference in clinical trial environment might influence the respective physicians’ attitudes and experience towards clinical trials. Therefore, we designed a questionnaire to explore how physicians conceive the issues surrounding clinical trials in both countries. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted at Kyoto University Hospital (KUHP) and Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) in 2008. The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions and 2 open-ended questions on broad key issues relating to clinical trials. Results The number of responders was 301 at KUHP and 398 at SNUH. Doctors with trial experience were 196 at KUHP and 150 at SNUH. Among them, 12% (24/196) at KUHP and 41% (61/150) at SUNH had global trial experience. Most respondents at both institutions viewed clinical trials favorably and thought that conducting clinical trials contributed to medical advances, which would ultimately lead to new and better treatments. The main reason raised as a hindrance to conducting clinical trials was the lack of personnel support and time. Doctors at both university hospitals thought that more clinical research coordinators were required to conduct clinical trials more efficiently. KUHP doctors were driven mainly by pure academic interest or for their desire to find new treatments, while obtaining credits for board certification and co-authorship on manuscripts also served as motivation factors for doctors at SNUH. Conclusions Our results revealed that there might be two different approaches to increase clinical trial activity. One is a social level approach to establish clinical trial infrastructure providing sufficient clinical research professionals. The other is an individual level approach that would provide incentives to

  8. Organizational culture in cardiovascular care in Chinese hospitals: a descriptive cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Yin, Emily S; Downing, Nicholas S; Li, Xi; Singer, Sara J; Curry, Leslie A; Li, Jing; Krumholz, Harlan M; Jiang, Lixin

    2015-12-21

    Organizational learning, the process by which a group changes its behavior in response to newly acquired knowledge, is critical to outstanding organizational performance. In hospitals, strong organizational learning culture is linked with improved health outcomes for patients. This study characterizes the organizational learning culture of hospitals in China from the perspective of a cardiology service. Using a modified Abbreviated Learning Organization Survey (27 questions), we characterized organizational learning culture in a nationally representative sample of 162 Chinese hospitals, selecting 2 individuals involved with cardiovascular care at each hospital. Responses were analyzed at the hospital level by calculating the average of the two responses to each question. Responses were categorized as positive if they were 5+ on a 7-point scale or 4+ on a 5-point scale. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between selected hospital characteristics and perceptions of organizational learning culture. Of the 324 participants invited to take the survey, 316 responded (98 % response rate). Perceptions of organizational learning culture varied among items, among domains, and both among and within hospitals. Overall, the median proportion of positive responses was 82 % (interquartile range = 59 % to 93 %). "Training," "Performance Monitoring," and "Leadership that Reinforces Learning" were characterized as the most favorable domains, while "Time for Reflection" was the least favorable. Multiple regression analyses showed that region was the only factor significantly correlated with overall positive response rate. This nationally representative survey demonstrated variation in hospital organizational learning culture among hospitals in China. The variation was not substantially explained by hospital characteristics. Organizational learning culture domains with lower positive response rates reveal important areas for

  9. Spanish-Latin American multicenter study of attitudes toward organ donation among personnel from hospital healthcare centers.

    PubMed

    Ríos, Antonio; López-Navas, Ana; Ayala-García, Marco Antonio; Sebastián, María José; Abdo-Cuza, Anselmo; Alán, Jeannina; Martínez-Alarcón, Laura; Ramírez, Ector Jaime; Muñoz, Gerardo; Suárez-López, Juliette; Castellanos, Roberto; Ramírez, Ricardo; González, Beatriz; Martínez, Miguel Angel; Díaz, Ernesto; Ramírez, Pablo; Parrilla, Pascual

    2014-01-01

    Hospital personnel are a group which has an influence on the opinion of the rest of the population about healthcare matters. Any unfavorable attitude of this group would be an obstacle to an increase in organ donation. To analyze the attitude of hospital workers toward the donation of one's own organs in Spanish and Latin American hospitals and to determine the factors affecting this attitude. Eleven hospitals from the "International Collaborative Donor Project" were selected, 3 in Spain, 5 in Mexico, 2 in Cuba and one in Costa Rica. A random sample was stratified by the type of service and job category. Attitude toward donation and transplantation was assessed using a validated survey. The questionnaire was completed anonymously and was self-administered. Student's t-test, the χ2 test and logistic regression analysis. Of the 2,785 workers surveyed, 822 were from Spain, 1,595 from Mexico, 202 from Cuba and 166 from Costa Rica and 79% (n=2,191) were in favor of deceased organ donation. According to country, 94% (n=189) of Cubans were in favor, compared to 82% (n=1,313) of the Mexicans, 73% (n=121) of the Costa Ricans and 69% (n=568) of the Spanish (P<.001). In the multivariate analysis, the following variables had the most specific weight: 1) originating from Cuba (odds ratio=8.196; P<.001); 2) being a physician (OR= 2.544; P<.001); 3) performing a job related to transplantation (OR = 1.610; P=.005); 4) having discussed the subject of donation and transplantation within the family (OR= 3.690; P<.001); 5) having a partner with a favorable attitude toward donation and transplantation (OR= 3.289; P<.001); 6) a respondent's belief that his or her religion is in favor of donation and transplantation (OR= 3.021; P=.001); 7) not being concerned about the possible mutilation of the body after donation (OR= 2.994; P<.001); 8) the preference for other options apart from burial for treating the body after death (OR= 2.770; P<.001); and 9) acceptance of carrying out an autopsy

  10. Notes from the Field: Probable Mucormycosis Among Adult Solid Organ Transplant Recipients at an Acute Care Hospital - Pennsylvania, 2014-2015.

    PubMed

    Novosad, Shannon A; Vasquez, Amber M; Nambiar, Atmaram; Arduino, Matthew J; Christensen, Erick; Moulton-Meissner, Heather; Keckler, M Shannon; Miller, Jeffrey; Perz, Joseph F; Lockhart, Shawn R; Chiller, Tom; Gould, Carolyn; Sehulster, Lynne; Brandt, Mary E; Weber, J Todd; Halpin, Alison Laufer; Mody, Rajal K

    2016-05-13

    On September 17, 2015, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) notified CDC of a cluster of three potentially health care-associated mucormycete infections that occurred among solid organ transplant recipients during a 12-month period at hospital A. On September 18, hospital B reported that it had identified an additional transplant recipient with mucormycosis. Hospitals A and B are part of the same health care system and are connected by a pedestrian bridge. PADOH requested CDC's assistance with an on-site investigation, which started on September 22, to identify possible sources of infection and prevent additional infections.

  11. Epidemiology of multidrug resistant bacterial organisms and Clostridium difficile in German hospitals in 2014: Results from a nationwide one-day point prevalence of 329 German hospitals.

    PubMed

    Huebner, Nils-Olaf; Dittmann, Kathleen; Henck, Vivien; Wegner, Christian; Kramer, Axel

    2016-09-02

    One important aspect in combatting resistance to antibiotics is to increase the awareness and knowledge by epidemiological studies. We therefore conducted a German-wide point-prevalence survey for multidrug resistant bacterial organisms (MDROs) and Clostridium difficile (CD) to assess the epidemiology and structure quality of infection control in German hospitals. 1550 hospitals were asked to participate and to report surveillance data on the prevalence of Methicillin-resistant and Vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, VRSA/GRSA), Vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis/faecium (VRE), multiresistant strains of Escherichia coli (EC), Klebsiella spp. (KS), Enterobacter spp. (ES), Acinetobacter spp. (AB) and Pseudomonas spp. (PS). as well as CD infections. Surveys from 73,983 patients from 329 hospitals were eligible for analysis. MRSA was the most often reported pathogen (prevalence: 1.64 % [CI95: 1.46-1.82]), followed by 3 multidrug resistant EC (3MRGN-EC) (0.75 % [CI95: 0.60-0.89]), CD (0.74 % [CI95: 0.60-0.88]), VRE (0.25 % [CI95: 0.13-0.37]) und 3MRGN-KS (0.22 % [CI95: [0.15-0.29]). The majority of hospitals met the German recommendations for staffing with infection control personnel. The continuing increase in participating hospitals in this third survey in a row indicates a growing awareness to MDROs and our pragmatic approach. Our results confirm that MRSA, 3MRGN-EC, VRE and 3MRGN-KS remain the most prevalent MDROs in German hospitals.

  12. Higher perinatal mortality in National Public Health System hospitals in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 1999: a compositional or contextual effect?

    PubMed

    Lansky, S; Subramanian, S V; França, E; Kawachi, I

    2007-10-01

    In Brazil, it was previously reported that in hospital perinatal, neonatal and infant mortality rates are higher for hospitals contracted to the National Public Health System (SUS) compared with non-SUS hospitals. We analyse whether this reflects a compositional effect (selection of patients) or a contextual effect. Population-based cohort study. Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 1999. A total of 36,469 births in 24 hospitals. A multilevel analysis was carried out using information gathered at the individual level on maternal education (used as an indicator of socio-economic status), maternal age, type of pregnancy and delivery, birthweight and sex of the fetus. Perinatal death. Risk factors for perinatal death included male sex (OR = 1.25; 95% CI 1.01-1.55), birthweight of 1500-2500 g (OR = 7.65; 95% CI 5.74-10.20), birthweight of 500-1500 g (OR = 187.54; 95% CI 141.31-248.39), less than 4 years of maternal education (OR = 2.93; 95% CI 1.68-5.10), as well as birth at private-SUS (OR = 2.92; 95% CI 1.87-4.54) or philanthropic-SUS hospitals (OR = 1.81; 95% CI 1.12-2.92). After controlling for individual characteristics, there was still a significant variation in perinatal deaths between hospitals categories. Independent of compositional (or individual) characteristics, hospital factors exert an influence on the risk of perinatal death, primarily hospital category related to SUS. Considering the highest proportion of births in SUS hospitals in Brazil, especially private-SUS hospitals, improving hospital quality of care is an urgent priority for reducing the toll of perinatal and infant mortality, as well as inequalities in these outcomes.

  13. Author! author!: creating a digital archive of publications in a hospital library setting.

    PubMed

    Rourke, Diane; Samsundar, Devica Ramjit; Shalini, Channapatna

    2005-01-01

    Baptist Hospital of Miami has been honoring its staff authors annually during National Library Week since 1979, at the time the library was relocated. Upon "doing the math" and realizing that twenty-five years had passed, a special event was planned to celebrate the occasion in 2004. A merger of four hospitals in 1995 to form Baptist Health South Florida, and an addition of a fifth hospital in 2003 added into the complexity of these publications. Organizing the event led to the conclusion that there had to be a "better way" to manage the publication archive. This paper will include a look back at the event's past, present efforts to develop an archival database, and future plans to make articles available electronically to users, copyright permitting.

  14. Implementation of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV programme through private hospitals of Delhi--policy implications.

    PubMed

    Gupta, A K; Garg, C R; Joshi, B C; Rawat, N; Dabla, V; Gupta, A

    2015-01-01

    hospitals in management of HIV in pregnant women must be recognized and mainstreamed in HIV control efforts. There is an urgent need for capacity building of private health care providers to improve standards of practice. National AIDS Control Organization may consider establishing linkages or adopting model developed by some countries with generalized epidemic for delivering PMTCT services in private health sector.

  15. A study of national physician organizations' efforts to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities in the United States.

    PubMed

    Peek, Monica E; Wilson, Shannon C; Bussey-Jones, Jada; Lypson, Monica; Cordasco, Kristina; Jacobs, Elizabeth A; Bright, Cedric; Brown, Arleen F

    2012-06-01

    To characterize national physician organizations' efforts to reduce health disparities and identify organizational characteristics associated with such efforts. This cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2009 and June 2010. The authors used two-sample t tests and chi-square tests to compare the proportion of organizations with disparity-reducing activities between different organizational types (e.g., primary care versus subspecialty organizations, small [<1,000 members] versus large [>5,000 members]). Inclusion criteria required physician organizations to be (1) focused on physicians, (2) national in scope, and (3) membership based. The number of activities per organization ranged from 0 to 22. Approximately half (53%) of organizations had 0 or 1 disparity-reducing activities. Organizational characteristics associated with having at least 1 disparity-reducing effort included membership size (88% of large groups versus 58% of small groups had at least 1 activity; P = .004) and the presence of a health disparities committee (95% versus 59%; P < .001). Primary care (versus subspecialty) organizations and racial/ethnic minority physician organizations were more likely to have disparity-reducing efforts, although findings were not statistically significant. Common themes addressed by activities were health care access, health care disparities, workforce diversity, and language barriers. Common strategies included education of physicians/trainees and patients/general public, position statements, and advocacy. Despite the national priority to eliminate health disparities, more than half of national physician organizations are doing little to address this problem. Primary care and minority physician organizations, and those with disparities committees, may provide leadership to extend the scope of disparity-reduction efforts.

  16. Severe Maternal Morbidity and Hospital Cost among Hospitalized Deliveries in the United States.

    PubMed

    Chen, Han-Yang; Chauhan, Suneet P; Blackwell, Sean C

    2018-05-03

     The objective of this study was to estimate the contemporary national rate of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) and its associated hospital cost during delivery hospitalization.  We conducted a retrospective study identifying all delivery hospitalizations in the United States between 2011 and 2012. We used data from the National (Nationwide) Inpatient sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. The delivery hospitalizations with SMM were identified by having at least one of the 25 previously established list of diagnosis and procedure codes. Aggregate and mean hospital costs were estimated. A generalized linear regression model was used to examine the association between SMM and hospital costs.  Of 7,438,946 delivery hospitalizations identified, the rate of SMM was 154 per 10,000 delivery hospitalizations. Without any SMM, the mean hospital cost was $4,300 and with any SMM, the mean hospital cost was $11,000. After adjustment, comparing to those without any SMM, the mean cost of delivery hospitalizations with any SMM was 2.1 (95% confidence interval: 2.1-2.2) times higher, and this ratio increases from 1.7-fold in those with only one SMM to 10.3-fold in those with five or more concurrent SMM.  The hospital cost with any SMM was 2.1 times higher than those without any SMM. Our findings highlight the need to identify interventions and guide research efforts to mitigate the rate of SMM and its economic burden. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  17. Kenneth W. Kizer on a national quality strategy. Interview by Lori Blades and Patricia A. Cholewka.

    PubMed

    Kizer, K W

    2000-01-01

    Kenneth W. Kizer, MD MPH, is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Forum for Health Care Quality Measurement and Reporting (National Quality Forum [NQF]), a not-for-profit membership organization created to develop and implement a national strategy for measuring and reporting healthcare quality. Dr. Kizer previously served as Under Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and is widely credited as being the chief architect of and driving force behind the greatest transformation of VA healthcare since its creation in 1946. NQF is a public-private partnership designed to involve all segments of the nation's healthcare system. The organization was proposed as part of the findings of the President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry (1998). Since the release of those findings, leaders from consumer, purchaser, provider, health plan, and health services research organizations, as well as from government, have met to define the mission, structure, and financing of NQF, and staff support has been provided by the United Hospital Fund of New York. NQF is primarily a membership dues- and grant-financed organization and has received significant public and private funding from foundation and corporate grants, including a $2.5-million founding grant from the Robert-Wood Johnson Foundation and a $1-million founding grant from the California Healthcare Foundation. NQF also received initial financial support from The Commonwealth Fund and United Hospital Fund.

  18. [Knowledge and attitudes toward organ donation among health professionals in a third level hospital].

    PubMed

    Montero Salinas, Alejandro; Martínez-Isasi, Santiago; Fieira Costa, Eva; Fernández García, Antón; Castro Dios, Diana Josefa; Fernández García, Daniel

    2018-04-18

    The Spanish model is the model adopted by many countries to increase their donation rate, being the implication of the healthcare professionals one of the keys to this success. The attitude of these before the donation is crucial for the hour of influence on the population. Organ transplantation has been established as an effective treatment that has been improving over the years. The objective was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of health professionals before the donation of organs. Cross-sectional descriptive study. An ad hoc questionnaire was conducted and distributed among the health professionals (medical staff, nurses and nursing assistants) of a tertiary hospital during February 2015. A total of 615 potential participants were estimated in the different areas of the hospital. A total of 342 completed questionnaires were collected (55%). The statistical analysis with SPSS® Statistics for Windows. Version 20.0. A level of significance P lower than 0.05 was used in all the analyses. The average age of the respondents was 43.34 (SD = 10.37) years, being 86.6% women and 60% nurses. 35.5% showed good knowledge about the donation process, being higher in men (51.1% Vs 33.1%, p lower than 0.05), medical personnel (55% vs 34.3% vs 31.9%). %; p lower than 0.05) and lower in those services with a direct relationship with the donation process (36.8% vs 31.9%, p lower than 0.05). 71% of the professionals expressed their willingness to donate their organs, with special sensitivity towards donation those services in direct relation with the donation program (82.2% vs 65.9%, OR: 1.24, p lower than 0.001 ). 50% of the professionals would donate the organs of a family member; the medical group had the highest percentage (70% vs 50.7% vs 40.4%, OR: 3.8, p lower than 0.05). 74.5% knew some Spanish legal document about donation and transplants. Health professionals as a whole have a low level of knowledge; but a good attitude towards donation.

  19. [Surgical technique for the treatment of the serious acute necrotic pancreatitis in the National Hospital Edgardo Rebagliati Martins].

    PubMed

    Barreda Cevasco, Luis Alberto; Targarona Modena, Javier; Rodriguez Alegría, César

    2002-01-01

    A surgical technique for the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis with necrosis is presented as an alternative in the surgical treatment of this pathology; 60 patients underwent a surgery by the author et al. between October 1997 and January 2002, at the National Hospital Edgardo Rebagliati Martins, Lima, Peru. The mortality rate was 25%.

  20. Impact of tobacco control policies in hospitals: Evaluation of a national smoke-free campus ban in Spain.

    PubMed

    Sureda, Xisca; Ballbè, Montse; Martínez, Cristina; Fu, Marcela; Carabasa, Esther; Saltó, Esteve; Martínez-Sánchez, Jose M; Fernández, Esteve

    2014-01-01

    On January 2, 2011, the Spanish government passed a new smoking law that banned smoking in hospital campuses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of smoke-free campuses in the hospitals of Catalonia based on both airborne particulate matter and observational data. This cross-sectional study included the hospitals registered in the Catalan Network of Smoke-free Hospitals. We measured the concentration of particulate matter < 2.5 µm in μg/m(3) at different locations, both indoors and outdoors before (2009) and after (2011) the implementation of the tobacco law. During 2011, we also assessed smoke-free zone signage and indications of smoking in the outdoor areas of hospital campuses. The overall median particulate matter < 2.5 µm concentration fell from 12.22 μg/m(3) (7.80-19.76 μg/m(3)) in 2009 to 7.80 μg/m(3) (4.68-11.96 μg/m(3)) in 2011. The smoke-free zone signage within the campus was moderately implemented after the legislation in most hospitals, and 55% of hospitals exhibited no indications of tobacco consumption around the grounds. After the law, particulate matter < 2.5 µm concentrations were much below the values obtained before the law and below the annual guideline value recommended by the World Health Organization for outdoor settings (10 μg/m(3)). Our data showed the feasibility of implementing a smoke-free campus ban and its positive effects.