Although the goals of competency assessment are the same for advanced practice professionals (APP) and physicians, the way in which the medical staff goes about it may differ. The medical staff should work with APPs to develop the process, which may include defining specific quality indicators and deciding how to collect data on an ongoing basis.

New scores in the Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Grades report show hospitals are making are reducing avoidable deaths from errors and infections. The biannual report, which assigns A-F letter grades to approximately 2,500 general acute-care hospitals, showed that 46 hospitals have achieved an “A” for the first time.

The Joint Commission has identified the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s core competencies as a potential framework for evaluating practitioners who are credentialed and privileged through the medical staff. The competency domains provide the foundation for identifying and developing indicators for OPPE and, ultimately, FPPE. This free resource defines and provides sample indicators for each competency area.

This week’s quick tip comes from an exchange adapted from HCPro’s webinar, “OPPE and FPPE Case Study: Award-Winning Professional Practice Evaluation Transformation,” now available on demand. Raechel Rowland, RN, BSN, LSSBB, lean practitioner at Ascension Borgess Health in Kalamazoo, Michigan, discusses evaluating low- and no-volume providers.

Published 4/25/18

Also, the leading causes of health data breaches, a hospital and cardiology group pays millions to settle kickback allegations, and a CMS initiative aims to allow patients to control their medical records data

Find out what’s happening in the world of federal healthcare regulations by reviewing some recent headlines from across the country.

Published 4/23/18

Phishing emails and their viruses are used to obtain credit card numbers, usernames, passwords, and (in the case of hospitals) patient records and data. The spread of WannaCry ransomware in 2017 (which hobbled one-fifth of the United Kingdom’s National Health Service) was largely attributed to phishing emails.

Consider testing how well staff practice safe email infection control by having your IT staff send a fake message to track who opens an attachment or clicks on a suspicious link.

Writing books/columns and speaking on webinars and at seminars are great ways to share your industry knowledge with peers. With the guidance of a solid publishing company, you’ll see your thoughts and tips become beacons to others in your field. We’re always looking for new authors, speakers, and reviewers. For more than 20 years, HCPro has been a leading provider of integrated healthcare information, education, training, and consulting products. Among HCPro’s need-to-know information products are a vast array of books, newsletters, websites, annual webinars, and annual live events.