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The Problem Standard care for a patient in cardiac arrest has been cardiopulmonary resuscitation, followed by cardiac defibrillation if available, and transport to the nearest hospital where the patient is stabilized. A patient in cardiac arrest arriving at Queen of Peace Hospital is stabilized and…
The Problem The Pitt Country Memorial Hospital leadership team decided to reduce surgical complications and infections, with a special desire to decrease MRSA infections.The Solution
The ProblemMedication errors in the health care delivery system are the most common type of error, according to the Institute of Medicine. At least 1.5 million people are harmed each year and drug-related injuries occurring in hospitals amount to $3.5 billion a year. The staff at Parkview Medical…
The ProblemMajor abdominal surgery, such as elective colon surgery or major hernia repair, is high risk. After surgery, patients typically have long stays in the hospital, which increases the risk for occurrence of deep vein thrombosis—a blood clot in the legs or-and hospital-acquired…
The ProblemUrinary tract infections are the most common infections in hospitals. The majority are caused by instrumentation with a urinary catheter. Catheter-associated urinary tract infections increase cost and morbidity. A performance improvement team was formed to reduce CAUTI by 30 percent in…
The Problem MRSA accounts for more than 18,000 deaths annually nationwide, according to the CDC. The proportion of health care-associated staph infections due to MRSA has been increasing. In 1974, two percent of S. Aureus infections in U.S. intensive care units were MRSA. By 2004, that figure…
The Problem Medication errors are among the most common medical errors, harming at least 1.5 million people every year, according to the Institute of Medicine. The extra medical costs of treating drug-related injuries occurring in hospitals alone amount to approximately $3.5 billion a year, without…
The Problem Adverse drug events occur in as many as 10 percent of hospitalized patients, with thousands of patients dying each year from drug-related injuries, according to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. A single ADE can cost as much as $7,000. Narcotics, anticoagulants and insulin are…