Articles
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Assessing Competencies Helps Ensure Quality and Safety of Patient Care
Competencies are not just requirements in health care. They are crucial aspects. Competencies play pivotal roles in ensuring patient safety, quality and continuity of care, and operational efficiency. As a healthcare professional, your role in identifying and addressing competence-related issues is paramount.

Heads Up, Laboratories! Dengue Virus, Novel Influenza, and More
On June 25, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) message about an increased risk of dengue virus (DENV) infections in the United States in 2024.

Verifying Personnel Credentials Is a Crucial Task for Hospitals
Your latest hire might not be the healthcare professional you think you hired for your acute care hospital. Did you check? A multi-state scheme to sell fake nursing diplomas should serve as a crucial reminder about the importance of verifying credentials for all licensed personnel.

Why Documenting Feedback Matters for DMEPOS Services
DMEPOS suppliers often are cited during a survey for failing to meet performance management requirements established by DMEPOS Quality Standards of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Have a Plan for When You Must Write a Plan of Correction
Nobody is perfectly perfect. Nearly all organizations surveyed for accreditation are cited for deficiencies. To get back on the right track, the organization must develop an effective Plan of Correction (POC) for each deficiency and promptly submit it for approval before a final accreditation status can be determined. It’s a process.

New Year, New Updates for DMEPOS Providers
The new year brings several changes for DMEPOS providers from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In addition, ACHC has revised one DMEPOS Accreditation Standard to align with CMS changes.

Got Safety Plans? Waterborne Pathogens Can Spread Infection
As essential as water is to any hospital, this crucial element also can be a threat to patient safety. Waterborne pathogens – including multidrug-resistant organisms – can spread in seemingly innocuous ways. Having safety plans is essential.

Acute Care Hospital: Unraveling the Mysteries of Informed Consent
In the healthcare industry, informed consent has been a hot topic for decades. When is consent required? Who can obtain it? When should it be obtained? What needs to be addressed in the discussion? What elements should be in an acute care hospital’s informed consent policy? Who is legally allowed to sign the form?

DMEPOS: Include All Personnel in Survey Preparation
Proper preparation will enable your organization to recognize potential shortfalls and make adjustments before your survey.

Plan Ahead for Potential Drug Recalls
As drug recalls become more common, pharmacies should ensure they are prepared to effectively manage them and minimize risk for patients and their business.