Editor's Picks “We are concerned about reports of patients not being informed that they may be sharing their surgeon with another patient, and we are especially concerned by reports that, in some cases, steps have been taken to actively conceal this practice from patients.’’
- Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) discusses his concern about the practice of concurrent surgeries in a letter sent to hospital systems asking them to provide details on the practice.
 The practice of concurrent surgery is common and has been accepted for so long that it might be happening in a hospital without anyone other than the surgical team taking note. Herein lies a very important point: What are the responsibilities of healthcare leaders to know such a practice is taking place at their facility, and who establishes and approves the parameters for concurrent surgery?
Since, according to The Joint Commission, the medical executive committee (MEC) has primary authority for self-governance of the medical staff and the governing body carries the ultimate responsibility for safety and quality of care, treatment, and services, both the MEC and the governing body should review and approve any and all policies related to concurrent surgery. Further, we highly recommend that quality improvement activities related to concurrent surgery be regularly reported to both the MEC and governing body and that this requirement be noted in a policy statement. After all, in the event of a negative outcome to a concurrent surgery procedure, the MEC and governing body would still be held accountable regardless of whether it had any insight to the concurrent surgery program. This also holds true for those facilities that allow concurrent surgery unbeknownst to risk management, their insurance carrier, and the governing body.
Source: Medical Staff Briefing
Later this month, New York will become the first state to require that all prescriptions be written electronically and to penalize physicians who fail to comply. The move is part of a 2012 state law, I-Stop, designed to help fight prescription opioid abuse.
“Paper prescriptions had become a form of criminal currency that could be traded even more easily than the drugs themselves,” said Eric T. Schneiderman, the state’s attorney general, who helped write the legislation. “By moving to a system of e-prescribing, we can curb the incidence of these criminal acts and also reduce errors resulting from misinterpretation of handwriting on good-faith prescriptions.”
Minnesota has a law requiring electronic prescribing but does not penalize doctors who still use paper prescriptions.
Source:The New York Times
A patient who accused a nurse of sexually assaulting her is suing the hospital that hired the nurse. The female patient claims that Humble (Texas) Surgical Hospital did not perform adequate background checks on Kelly Joe Bunyard. She also claims the hospital did offer proper sexual misconduct prevention training to its staff. The hospital asked a county court to dismiss the case, but that request was denied. The hospital appealed that decision, which was upheld by a Texas appellate court. The case will head to trial later this month.
Source: Outpatient Surgery
Marketing Spotlight Why attend the 2016 Credentialing Resource Center Symposium? - Access to the top names in the industry. Hugh Greeley; Todd Sagin, MD, JD; Carol S. Cairns, CPMSM, CPCS; and Sally Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS; will be available to answer your most pressing questions.
- Two full days of networking opportunities. Plus, access to an attendees-only section on Credentialing Resource Center where you can download materials, and pre-submit questions for the speakers. Visit www.credentialingresourcecenter.com/network for more information.
- Increased focus on FPPE and OPPE educational sessions. Four sessions focusing on what to do with the data and strategies for utilizing members of the quality department, medical staff services department, and medical staff leaders to improve OPPE and FPPE.
- Interactive session on conducting an effective credentials committee. The speakers will act out some of the most common issues that arise during a credentials committee; from orientation (or a lack thereof) to their role as a credentials committee member, to policy and procedure development, to reviewing practitioner applications.
- Strategies for dealing with pressure from your colleagues to offer temporary privileges to physicians and understanding when and how to say no.
- Guidance on understanding the risks associated with bringing on a disruptive physician and how to avoid a negligent credentialing lawsuit.
- Understand the difference between verifying practice history and obtaining a professional reference. Take away a sample professional reference questionnaire to implement upon your return.
- Obtain answers to your top industry concerns, including revisions to the National Practitioner Data Bank Guidebook, the current state of Maintenance of Certification requirements, physician self-queries, and much more!
Join us in Orlando for two full days of education, best practices, and networking. Click here for more information.
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