Clinical & Quality

The coronavirus public health emergency will have a long-lasting impact on the finances and care delivery processes of hospitals across the United States. The pandemic has also emphasized the significance of clinical quality, and patient and staff safety, as well as adherence to best practices.

On March 27, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted exceptions and extensions for certain deadlines to help healthcare providers care for and protect their patients and staff. This decision is important to hospitals because of the financial implications associated with the...

The impact of the insidious COVID-19 virus will have a long-lasting impact on the financial status and care delivery processes in hospitals across the United States. The pandemic has also underscored and emphasized the significance of clinical quality, patient and staff safety, as well as adherence to best practices for all hospitals.

On March 27, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted exceptions and extensions for certain deadlines to assist health care providers direct their resources toward caring for their patients and ensuring the health and safety...

GUEST BLOG

By Jennifer Franklin, Chief Clinical Officer, Yoakum Community Hospital

Like many hospitals, Yoakum Community Hospital sees an uptick in patients receiving geropsychiatric services in winter. The holiday season is, therefore, a good time to talk about the mental health needs of this population. With the New Year approaching, it’s also a good time for hospitals to resolve to better address those needs, not just during the holidays but all throughout the year. Yoakum—a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital in rural South Central Texas—accomplishes this through integrated care, which...

A recent blog post by Community Hospital Corporation details the nonclinical aspects that are a part of health outcomes and the scientific research supporting those aspects.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on Community Hospital Corporation’s website.

It’s been said that patients’ ZIP codes matter more than their genetic codes when it comes to health status. That’s because certain conditions in the places where people live, work, learn and play can pose greater health risks and poorer outcomes. In public health terms, these conditions are called social determinants of health...

Smaller hospitals may use overall nursing councils, but unit-based shared governance councils are a newer concept. Also known as unit practice councils, or UPCs, these formal groups representing each nursing unit are designed to involve frontline clinical staff in decision making. UPCs uphold the belief that no one understands staff and patient-care challenges better than the staff members themselves; hence, no one is better positioned to offer solutions.

At the organizational level, the benefits of UPCs include:

Plano, Texas (August 1, 2019) – Community Hospital Corporation (CHC) is proud to announce Jodi Harris as winner of the 2019 Dan Wilford Award for Compassion and Community Service. Harris is Director of Rehab Services for Southwest Health System (SHS), Cortez, Colorado, a hospital managed by CHC. Nominated by SHS colleagues Meghan Higman, Education/Staff Development Director, and Travis Parker, Chief Human Resources Officer, Harris is described as “passionate about helping others and delivering evidence-based, patient-centered care.” Early on in her 18 years at SHS, patients needing physical therapy began requesting...

ContinueCARE Hospital at Baptist Health Corbin, a Long Term Acute Care Hospital (LTACH) located in Corbin, Kentucky, is proud to earn designation as a Respiratory Center of Excellence by the Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality (CIHQ)—the first facility in the country to receive this specific CIHQ designation for respiratory therapy.

Read the full report in Becker’s Hospital Review, June 7,...

Plano, TX (June 5, 2019) – ContinueCARE Hospital at Baptist Health Corbin, a Long Term Acute Care Hospital (LTACH) located in Corbin, Kentucky, is proud to earn designation as a Respiratory Center of Excellence by the Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality (CIHQ)—the first facility in the country to receive this specific CIHQ designation for respiratory therapy.

“We are proud that our commitment to quality patient care has led to excellence and fulfillment of the highest CIHQ standards,” said Tommy Le, CEO, ContinueCARE Hospital at Baptist Health Corbin. Le’s leadership...

DALLAS, April 23, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — North Texas Medical Center (NTMC) is working to improve the experience of all patients. A major step is NTMC’s selection of Simple Interact and its complete suite of Front Office Automation services which are designated to enhance several aspects of a patient’s experience.

Read the full PR Newswire article, Apr. 23,...

When an effective hospital risk management program is in place, the most critical element—maintaining a culture focused on patient safety—is intangible. Safety culture is a shared belief among the entire hospital staff that safety is important, and a shared responsibility.

By definition, safety culture is part of organizational culture and is upheld by staff at all levels and in every department. Risk management is not just a clinical concern. Everyone contributes. Maintenance workers identify and remove trip hazards in and around the facility. Housekeeping plays a vital role in infection...