The PSNet Collection

ERs are swamped with seriously ill patients, although many don’t have Covid.

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Wells K. Health Shots. National Public Radio. October 29, 2021.

Emergency department (ED) crowding stemming from treatment delays and deferrals resulting from COVID concerns is an emerging problem. This article discusses how ED crowding affects patients and clinical teams to reduce safety and effectiveness.

Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World.

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Cleghorn E. New York, NY: Dutton; 2021. ISBN: 9780593182956.

Women have been affected by implicit bias that undermines the safety of their care and trust in the medical system. This book shares the history anchoring the mindsets driving ineffective care for women and a discussion of the author’s long-term lupus misdiagnosis.

How medical jargon can make COVID health disparities even worse.

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Kritz F. Shots. National Public Radio; May 24, 2021.

Health literacy efforts address challenges related to both language and effective communication tactics. This story discussed how lack of language and information clarity reduced patient education effectiveness during the pandemic and highlights several efforts to address them including information product translation services.

Cancer diagnoses delayed among prisoners in Washington state.

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Medscape Medical News. May 12, 2021.

Delays and mistakes in health care for distinct patient populations hold improvement lessons for the broader system. This news story highlights problems in correctional system cancer diagnoses and treatment that may indicate other types of prison care delivery problems.

Deficiencies in Care, Care Coordination, and Facility Response to a Patient Who Died by Suicide, Memphis VA Medical Center in Tennessee.

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Washington, DC: Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; September 3, 2020. Report No 19-09493-249.

Discontinuities in mental health care are a patient safety concern. This report analyzes how documentation gaps, medication reconciliation problems, and poor care coordination contributed to the suicide of a patient who presented at an emergency room, was screened there, and referred to a clinic for further care that was not completed.

Inadequate Emergency Department Care and Physician Misconduct at the Washington DC VA Medical Center.

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Office of the Inspector General. Washington, DC: Department of Veterans Affairs; July 28, 2020. Report Number 19-07507-214.

Patient suicide is a never event. This report analyzes the death of a veteran after presenting at an emergency room with suicidal ideation. The analysis found lack of both suicide prevention policy adherence and appropriate assessment, as well as a lack concern for the patient’s condition contributed to the failure.

Fear of Covid-19 leads other patients to decline critical treatment.

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Hafner K. New York Times. 2020;May 25.

The uncertainties surrounding coronavirus transmission and treatment are causing patients with known conditions to forgo needed medical care. This article outlines how COVID-19 fear and anxiety are primary contributing factors in patient decisions to delay transplants and other necessary treatments.

With Covid-19 delaying routine care, chronic disease startups brace for a slew of complications.

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Brodwin E. Stat News. April 14, 2020.

Patients with cancer and other chronic disorder treatment needs have been negatively affected by the restructuring of services to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. This story discusses company strategies to prepare to virtually support patients with a range of conditions. The author shares communication and support tactics to keep patients safe until they can get their appointments.

As COVID-19 bears down, doctors confront difficult choices on elective surgeries.

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Alesse L, Dukakis A, Tatum S, Mosk M. ABC News. March 20, 2020.

Delays in elective surgery and other procedures have the potential to lessen safe patient care. This news story describes the decision-making dilemma for physicians to limit patient access to care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their concern is that the delays have the potential to result in diagnostic and treatment service deviations that could result in harm.

Patient Safety Improvement Act of 2020.

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SB 3380. 116th Congress (2020).

This bill submits amendments to existing US federal law to strengthen state-organized efforts to improve health care-associated infection control efforts, pediatric safety initiatives, care transitions, reporting systems and antimicrobial stewardship programs.

Broken, fragmented health-care system failed daughter who died by suicide.

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Klowak M. CBC News. March 9, 2020.

System weaknesses are often at the root of never events. This news story discusses the suicide of a concussed woman whose care failed due to gaps in team communication, discharge and transition practices.

A 25-year-old teacher died after waiting hours at the ER. She's not the only one who saw delays.

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Linnane R, Diedrich J. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. February 25, 2020.

Delays in emergency room (ER) triage and assessment contribute to wide range of failures that degrade patient safety. This news story highlights the findings of a government report highlighting overcrowding and production pressures as factors resulting in the death of a patient waiting for care who initially presented at the ER with symptoms of heart attack.

The Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) act.

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Anthony M. Home Healthc Now. 2018;36:69-70.

Home healthcare is an increasingly viable option for patients who requires the complex care skills of caregivers. This commentary discusses the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act as a policy lever to ensure family caregivers have the training they need to provide safe care.

Ambulance crew in Chicago got lost trying to find hospital.

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News Services. Washington Post. October 25, 2007

An emergency crew from a suburb failed to efficiently transport a marathon runner in cardiac arrest to the nearest emergency room in central Chicago.

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