In busy healthcare practices, the number of tests and consultations that healthcare providers order can be staggering. From a risk management perspective, it is essential that ordering providers review the results of tests, examinations, and consultations and act on them — even if that only involves assuring patients that their results came back negative.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
In the regular course of patient care and treatment, podiatrists will encounter wounds on patients’ feet, ankles, and legs (e.g., ingrown toenails, lesions, cuts, blisters, and ulcers). Some wounds may heal on their own or with minimal treatment, but other wounds might progress and cause serious complications, including sepsis.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Data show that the majority of hospitals outsource some or all of their compounded sterile preparations (CSPs), and most rely on more than one vendor to meet their needs.1 The reasons for outsourcing are numerous. For example, healthcare organizations might outsource compounding services if they:
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Research shows that people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, or another gender minority (LGBTQ+) are at increased risk for preventable injuries and illnesses because of health inequities.1 Transgender people are a unique population within the LGBTQ+ community and face unique health disparities and barriers to care.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Workplace incivility and nurse bullying are pervasive issues in healthcare, and they often are considered intrinsic in the nursing profession. Yet, researchers and experts who study and write about these issues stress the need for organizations to confront incivility and bullying in the pursuit of creating highly reliable and psychologically safe environments.
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Obesity is a well-known health concern in the United States. In 2023, obesity rates for adults were at or higher than 35 percent in 23 states; fewer than 5 states had similar rates in 2013.1 Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment option for many individuals who suffer from obesity. Although the introduction of newer weight-loss medications has resulted in less demand for bariatric surgery, these medicines likely won’t replace surgery — particularly for patients who experience medication-related barriers (e.g., side effects, lack of insurance coverage, etc.).2
Read more Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
The medication process represents an area of high risk across the healthcare spectrum. Despite a diverse range of interventions over the years, issues related to medication safety still prove challenging for healthcare organizations. For home healthcare organizations and providers, these issues are particularly complex for numerous reasons, including the care setting and the patient population.
Read more Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Child abuse is an abhorrent, but not uncommon, problem in society. Stories abound in the media about children who have suffered maltreatment at the hands of parents, family members, caregivers, and strangers. Maltreatment might involve physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional/psychological abuse, or neglect — and children often are victims of more than one type of abuse.
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