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Health Updates on the Web
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The Patient Safety Group has compiled the latest in health, quality, and safety, news and reports.
AHRQ Innovations Exchange
Alliance Working for Antibiotic Resistance Education (AWARE) Clinical Resources
Sep-01-2010
This site offers various tools to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics.
Clinicians in Tertiary Hospital Monitor Critical Care Patients in Rural Facilities via Telemedicine, Leading to Reductions in Mortality, Length of Stay, Patient Transfers, and Costs
Sep-01-2010
Clinicians in a tertiary hospital continuously monitor and intervene as necessary with critical care patients in rural facilities via telemedicine, leading to reductions in mortality, length of stay, number of patient transfers, and costs.
Culturally Appropriate Education and Social Support Helps Chinese Immigrants With Diabetes Improve Knowledge, Self-Management Confidence, and Blood Glucose Control
Sep-01-2010
Culturally and linguistically appropriate education and emotional support to low-income monolingual Chinese immigrants leads to improved knowledge and better blood glucose control in a pilot test of diabetes patients. Based on the success of this pilot, the program has been expanded to serve those with coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure as well.
Electronic Health Record Selection Toolkit for Community Health Centers
Sep-01-2010
This toolkit describes the differences between commercial and community health centers and identifies the electronic health record system requirements that are unique to community health centers.
Health Information Technology Toolkit for Critical Access and Small Hospitals
Sep-01-2010
The Health Information Technology Toolkit for Critical Access and Small Hospitals helps these health care organizations assess their readiness and plan, select, implement, make effective use of, and exchange important information about the clients they serve.
Internet-Based Interactive Program Helps Time-Pressed, Geographically Constrained Military Personnel Control Weight
Sep-01-2010
An Internet-based support program featured ongoing monitoring of weight and weight-related behaviors, personalized feedback from counselors, interactive educational lessons, and motivational interviewing, allowing many time-constrained military personnel to avoid weight gain or lose a moderate amount of weight.
Low-Overhead Medical Home Leverages Information Technology to Attract Both Providers and Patients in Underserved Rural Areas
Sep-01-2010
A low-overhead medical home leverages information technology to produce a financially viable, high-quality primary care experience that proves to be attractive to both physicians and patients in an underserved rural area.
Making Your Printed Health Materials Senior Friendly
Sep-01-2010
This tip sheet offers ideas for how to tailor health information so that it fits the needs of older readers.

AHRQ WEBMM
SPOTLIGHT CASE AND COMMENTARY: Weighing In on Surgical Safety
August 2010
Placed in a supine position for induction of general anesthesia, an obese patient experienced loss of oxygen, blood pressure, and pulse, and died.
CASE AND COMMENTARY: Missed Patient Assignment: Is Anyone There?
August 2010
A computerized tool for assigning patients used in conjunction with tape-recorded signouts leads to a nurse completely missing a patient.
CASE AND COMMENTARY: Emergent Triage Miss
August 2010
A patient with face and tongue swelling (triaged as "urgent") waited several hours before a provider saw her, by which time she was having difficulty breathing. The patient was intubated and admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of angioedema.
PERSPECTIVES ON SAFETY: In Conversation with...
August 2010
Richard P. Shannon, MD, is the Frank Wister Thomas Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Chairman of the Department of Medicine. Although he was trained as a traditional academic cardiologist, Dr. Shannon is now best known for his pioneering work in reducing health care–associated infections, first at Allegheny General Hospital and now at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Since he is one of the first chairs of a major academic department whose career has focused on quality and safety improvement, we asked him to speak with us about safety in academic medical centers.
Operationalizing Patient Safety at Academic Medical Centers
August 2010
Academic medical centers (AMCs) are complex organizations that deliver health care to the most severely ill and many uninsured patients. They are also the site of most clinical education, significant amounts of research, and substantial innovations in both technology and delivery systems. Like all health care institutions, they have been challenged by the considerable data indicating large numbers of medical errors and quality defects in American medicine. Recently, leaders of AMCs have taken up the mantle: a survey of medical center deans demonstrated that quality and patient safety are high priorities for their institutions. In this report, we highlight the issues relevant to patient safety initiatives at AMCs.

BLOG
“If There’s a Doctor on Board, Please Ring Your Call Button”
Aug-22-2010
Well, it happened again. Last Thursday evening, I was somewhere over Saskatchewan, returning from a lovely Mediterranean cruise, in that uncomfortable semi-conscious state that passes for sleep when you’re flying coach, when the airplane’s PA system rang...(read more)
Atul Gawande and the Art of Medical Writing
Aug-13-2010
Don’t read this. That is, if you have a limited amount of time for reading today, I’d rather you read Atul Gawande’s essay on end-of-life care in this month’s New Yorker than this blog.But if you can spare a little time, I’ll be focusing on some of the...(read more)
“I Like (Political) Science and I Want to Help People”
Aug-02-2010
I thought I was an oddball in college. I've only recently learned that I was avant-garde.Right before beginning college in 1975, I decided I wanted to be a doctor. Being the first-born son – with decent SATs – of an upwardly mobile Long Island Jewish...(read more)
Berwick, Pronovost, and the Non-Scalability of Charisma
Jul-23-2010
Early on, many social movements depend on a charismatic leader to focus attention, build a burning platform, and inspire people to action. You know when the movement has made it when it no longer needs such a leader for fuel.The safety and quality movements...(read more)

MEDICAL NEWS
Medical data breaches most often caused by theft
An analysis of HHS information finds the biggest security leaks come from stolen laptops and removable memory technology. The take-home message: Keep devices locked up.
Child obesity gap widens among minorities
A study advises physicians to measure patients' BMI regularly and take a more active approach to eliminating disparities.
Specialty societies seek to enter "red flags" lawsuit against FTC
The CMSS contends that formal policies for detecting and preventing identity theft would impose a significant burden on physicians.
Primary care physicians reluctant to prescribe prostate cancer prevention drug
A new survey says they don't know that finasteride is used for chemoprevention. Urologists fear the drug could raise the risk of tumors.
Discount health plans under fire from FTC and states
Lawsuits against three companies say customers pay for worthless memberships, leaving them poorer and still without coverage.
Medicare drug premiums to remain stable in 2011
CMS says a slight rate increase for Part D insurance, combined with discounts required by the health reform law, will make medications more affordable.

RECENT HEALTH NEWS
Q. & A. With a Child Psychiatrist
Sep-03-2010 12:44 PM
Employers Push Costs for Health on Workers
Sep-03-2010 07:48 AM
Doctor and Patient: Tending to Patients During a Hurricane
Sep-03-2010 07:10 AM
The Bay Citizen: I.R.S. Looks at Finances of Planned Parenthood
Sep-03-2010 06:30 AM
Srinagar Journal: A Kashmir Hospital Is Witness to Conflict
Sep-03-2010 06:20 AM
Public Hospitals Look to Overhaul Affiliations With Medical Schools
Sep-03-2010 05:50 AM
Recipes for Health: Grilled Leeks With Romesco Sauce
Sep-03-2010 02:20 AM
Child’s Ordeal Shows Risks of Psychosis Drugs for Young
Sep-03-2010 01:37 AM

AHRQ 411
Healthcare 411 podcasts from AHRQ
Radio Series - Back to School
Sep-01-2010 - Duration: 01:00 (mm:ss)
Radio Series - New Guides for Spanish-speaking Patients
Aug-25-2010 - Duration: 01:01 (mm:ss)
Radio Series - Treating High Cholesterol
Aug-18-2010 - Duration: 01:01 (mm:ss)
Radio Series - Family Health Care
Aug-11-2010 - Duration: 01:00 (mm:ss)