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The ProblemMedication reconciliation—comparing a patient's medication orders to all medications the patient has been taking—helps to avoid medication errors such as omissions, duplications, dosing errors and drug interactions. The Institute for Safe Medication Practice estimates…
The Problem The results of blood tests are crucial to physician decision making. At St. Luke's, physicians expect to have lab test results available for morning rounds as early as 6 am. However, the phlebotomy team was regularly challenged to complete the early morning collection of blood…
The Problem St. Francis struggled getting non-emergent patients from the door to an ED bed in a timely manner. From December 2008 through February 2009, the average time from ED arrival to ED bed for ESI 3, 4 and 5 patients was 43 minutes. The Solution Under the Urgent Matters Collaborative, St.…
The Problem Almost 20 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Each older adult readmission costs the hospital an average of $7,400. In addition, patients may have unmet biological, psychological and social factors that impede their ability to…
Illness from C. diff commonly affects older adults in hospitals or long-term care facilities and typically occurs after the use of antibiotics. Since most patients at Regency arrive from other hospitals, C. diff infections can be common. In 2005, the number of C. diff cases per patient days times…
The Problem Standard care for a patient in cardiac arrest has been cardiopulmonary resuscitation, followed by cardiac defibrillation if available, and transport to the nearest hospital where the patient is stabilized. A patient in cardiac arrest arriving at Queen of Peace Hospital is stabilized and…
The Problem The Pitt Country Memorial Hospital leadership team decided to reduce surgical complications and infections, with a special desire to decrease MRSA infections.The Solution