Marcy A. Metzgar
All healthcare organizations need robust systems and processes that help them provide quality care as part of their commitment to patient safety. When a system or process is being purchased, developed, reviewed, or reconstructed, healthcare organizations can be proactive about risk control and explore what may go wrong with a system or process by applying the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) method. After examining possible failures, a healthcare team can generate measures to prevent their occurrence.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Speaking up about risks, concerns, and errors in patient care is crucial for patient safety. Although voicing concerns may seem like a reflexive response for healthcare providers and staff, barriers can prevent it from happening. Fear, intimidation, lack of confidence, power differentials, and other factors can thwart individuals’ efforts to assert concerns. These issues can permeate healthcare organizations that permit or do not constructively address disruptive behavior, bullying, workplace incivility, retaliation, and blame.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Maintaining professional boundaries is essential in healthcare. When boundaries are crossed —or the patient perceives they are crossed — the provider–patient relationship can quickly deteriorate. As a result, the provider may face allegations of misconduct and/or malpractice.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Workplace culture is a complex weaving of values, beliefs, behaviors, standards, goals, priorities, perceptions, and more. In healthcare, the importance of organizational culture is heightened because of the serious nature of the work and the esteemed role of medicine in society. A toxic culture can have widespread consequences, including staff burnout, turnover, and absenteeism; suboptimal care and patient harm; loss of reputation; and liability exposure.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
“Medical gaslighting” is a relatively new term, but not necessarily a new problem. It refers to situations in which healthcare providers ignore or dismiss patients’ or caregivers’ concerns without appropriate evaluation.1 Although this issue can affect any patient, certain groups are at increased risk, such as people of color, women, people who are overweight or obese, individuals who identify as LGBTQ+, and people who have physical and cognitive disabilities.2
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Maintaining the privacy of patients’ protected health information (PHI) is one of the most significant concerns related to social media use in healthcare. At the federal level, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services governs the privacy and security of PHI under HIPAA regulations. States also may have laws related to the privacy and security of PHI, which might be more stringent than federal laws.
Read more Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
In an ideal world, implementing proactive security measures would guarantee the safety of protected health information (PHI) and other confidential data. But experience has shown that even well-guarded networks and systems can be infiltrated, resulting in compromised infrastructure, privacy and security violations, and data losses (e.g., in cases of ransomware).
Read more The sale of nonprescription health products — such as dietary supplements, vitamins, essential oils, skin care products, and nutraceuticals — is big business in the United States and abroad. In fact, the global market for dietary supplements was valued at $192.65 billion in 2024, and it is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 8.9 percent from 2025 to 2033.1
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