Health Watch USA Newsletter
www.healthwatchusa.org July 1, 2010 ***** Conference Announcement ***** US Last in Health Care Rankings: New Seven Year Study Finds the US Last in Healthcare Compared to Six Other Nations: Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom) – The Commonwealth Fund, June 2010. The biggest negative change in the US Healthcare System has been a reduction in access. US Maternal Mortality is on the Rise:
CMS Considers New HAC CMS proposes that Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections and Surgical Site Infections as Healthcare Associated Infection Measures and for possible adoption into the RHQDAPU (Reporting Hospital Quality Data for Annual Payment Update) program.
Consumer Union and Healthcare Advocates Comments on this proposed rule: APIC Comments on this proposed rule:
Poor Infection Control in Surgery Centers A new study in JAMA reports that over two-thirds of surgery centers had at least one lapse in infection control. MRSA Continues to Develop Resistance:
1) An article published in JAMA reports a MRSA strain with resistance to linezolid
2) Multiple articles report developing resistance to Mupirocin (Bactoban)
Some opponents of universal screening of MRSA have stated we should use the same strategies that were used in the HIV epidemic. However, emergence of resistance to Mupirocin, is a testament to why the non-identification of MRSA carriers and the treatment of all patients as if they are carrying MRSA is not an effective long-term strategy. If Mupirocin is placed in all pre-op patient's nostrils it may hasten the development of even stronger resistant strains of MRSA. In addition, covering all surgical patients with preoperative antibiotics may not only increase bacterial resistance but also the patient may not be given an antibiotic which MRSA is susceptible to. Ironically, the CDC now does recommend universal screening for HIV ------------------------------------------------------------ State Plans for Addressing Healthcare Associated Infections are now Available on CDC's Website. Kentucky's plan has phases of development, however, Kentucky does not mandate the reporting of healthcare associated infections, only outbreaks. ------------------------------------------------------------ Veterans Administration MRSA Study Results Obtained by HW USA.
HW USA has obtained the results of the VA MRSA prevention study. Data was collected while patients were treated under VHA Directive 2007-002
Results were excellent using a bundle approach of universal active surveillance/screening of all patients admitted to the VA Hospital (except psychiatric units), contact precautions and hand hygiene. ) Healthcare Acquired Infections, CDC and Public Reporting:
The director of the CDC's HAI prevention program, Dr Srinivasan, recently stated that the “CDC does believe that increased transparency, public reporting of healthcare-associated infections is an important part of a comprehensive effort to prevent healthcare-associated infections and eliminate these infections .”
AHRQ--Prompt Reporting and Investigation of Medical Errors Reduces Average Malpractice Claims Costs Common Formats Version 1.1 AHRQ & NQF – Introduces Standardized Methodology for Reporting Medical Incidents, Near Misses and Unsafe Conditions
Software Now Available to States to Report Hospital Quality and Conditions The software's reporting includes:
• Quality of care for specific hospitals—provides information about patient safety, patient
deaths in the hospital and other quality-related issues to answer questions such as, "Which hospitals have the lowest mortality rates after coronary bypass surgery?"
• Provision of services by hospital for health conditions and procedures—provides
information about the number of patient discharges, charges, costs and length of hospitalizations for specific hospitals to answer questions such as, "Which hospitals perform the largest numbers of hip replacement surgeries? And what is the cost?"
• Potentially avoidable hospitalizations—creates maps of county-by-county rates for
potentially avoidable hospitalizations to answer questions such as, "Which counties have the highest rates of hospitalization for uncontrolled diabetes? And how much could be saved if these rates were reduced?"
• Rates of health conditions and procedures—provides information about the prevalence
of diseases or medical procedures through maps of county-by-county rates for selected conditions and procedures to answer questions such as, "Which counties have the highest rates of lung cancer?"
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Proposed Model Statue for Public Reporting of HAI for Kentucky.
This is posted as a resource to be modified and used as a basis for legislation. This sample has been constructed from prior proposed Kentucky and Federal Legislation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Health Watch USA 2010 Conference 2010 Conference Topic: Value Purchasing and Hospital Acquired Conditions. Date: Nov 19, 2010, Lexington Embassy Suites on Newtown Pike, Lexington, Kentucky. ON-LINE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN Brochure:
1) Richard Wild, MD, JD, Chief Medical Officer, Atlanta Regional Office
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), will present “CMS Perspectives on Value Based Purchasing, P4P, and Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records.”
2) Dr Jim Battles, PhD, Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ -
Presenting Quality and Safety Provisions in the New Health Care Reform Law.
3) Jill Rosenthal, Program Director, National Academy for State Health Policy -- Presenting
on State Medicaid Policy on Hospital Acquired Conditions.
4) Jeannie Cimiotti, DNSc, RN, Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, University
of Pennsylvania – School of Nursing. Co-Author of “Implications of the California Nurse Staffing Mandate for Other States.“
5) Lisa McGiffert, Senior Policy Analyst on Health Issues, Consumer Union. Presenting on
6) Alicia Cole, Patient Advocate, Actress, and Necrotizing Fasciitis Survivor - A Hospital
7) Joycelyn Elders, MD, former US Surgeon General. 8) Marvin Feit, PhD, Editor of the Journal of Health and Social Policy.
Continuing education credits will be applied for RN, MD, JD, OT, PT, Social Work and Human Resource Managers. To register go to: www.healthconference.org To register as an exhibitor go to: The 2009 Conference Presentations Can be Viewed at:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Speakers now available on Healthcare Transparency and Value Purchasing (How to shop for quality and price in our healthcare system) for more information contact
Washington Drugs with a quantity limit Effective July 1, 2012 (Published June 15, 2012) Brand Name Comments Limited to 1 package of 28 tablets per month. Prior authorization required otherwise not covered. Limited to 1 tablet per day. Not available through mail order. Prior authorization required otherwise not covered. Limited to 4 syringes per prescription fil
Patient Information Department of Urology Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: Lifestyle Advice, Bladder Training and Pelvic Floor Exercises Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) include the need to pass water very frequently (frequency) and without much warning (urgency), associated with leakage of urine (urge incontinence); not being able to start to pass urine immediately (hesitancy), and
Health Watch USA Newsletter