Tag: Treatment Errors

Advance of AI in nursing prompts safety, autonomy concerns

Editor's Note Although hospitals are already integrating artificial intelligence (AI), nurses warn that the technology may undermine their expertise and compromise patient care, The Associated Press (AP) reported March 16. The push for AI in healthcare stems from widespread nursing shortages. More than 100,000 nurses left the workforce during the…

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By: Matt Danford
March 17, 2025
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Analysis: How the new US malpractice standard puts evidence-based ‘reasonable care’ over customary practice

Editor's Note A February 26 letter in JAMA Network reported a revised legal standard for medical negligence in the US, shifting from traditional reliance on customary practice toward a more patient-centered, evidence-based definition of “reasonable care.” The American Law Institute (ALI) updated its framework in 2024, retaining elements of prevailing…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
March 12, 2025
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New legal standard redefines medical negligence

JAMA (healthcare publication) Network logo

Editor's Note A revised legal standard for assessing medical negligence in the US shifts away from customary medical practice and toward a more patient-centered definition of reasonable care, according to a February 26 letter published in Jama Network. Following a 2024 update from the American Law Institute, the new framework…

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By: Matt Danford
March 7, 2025
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Criminalizing anesthesia errors has unintended consequences, experts warn

Editor's Note Treating unintended anesthesia errors as criminal acts could exacerbate workforce shortages, increase malpractice costs, and drive clinicians to defensive medicine, according to experts quoted in a January 15 report from Anesthesiology News. Instead, fostering a culture of safety and learning could more effectively reduce errors and improve patient…

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By: Matt Danford
February 5, 2025
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Study finds high rates of preventable, adverse events in perioperative care

Editor's Note Adverse events (AEs) remain widespread in perioperative care, affecting nearly one in three patients and resulting in substantial and often preventable patient harm, according to a retrospective cohort study published November 13 in The BMJ. The study analyzed 1,009 weighted admissions from a sample of 64,121 surgical patients…

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By: Matt Danford
November 19, 2024
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Hospital safety grades show progress in reducing medical errors, infections

Editor's Note During the past few years, US hospitals have improved significantly in reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), adhering to hand hygiene best practices, and preventing medical errors, according to the fall 2024 Hospital Safety Grades from The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit focused on patient safety. Released November 15, the rankings…

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By: Matt Danford
November 15, 2024
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WHO, Joint Commission mark World Patient Safety Day

Editor's Note In partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), The Joint Commission and The Joint Commission and Joint Commission International (JCI) invite organizations, health professionals, patients, and their advocates to recognize World Patient Safety Day Tuesday, September 17. This year’s theme is “improving diagnosis for patient safety.” This theme…

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By: Matt Danford
September 16, 2024
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Standardized handoff protocol improves OR communication

Editor's Note Findings published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons show how a standardized handoff protocol can improve OR communication and reduce the risk of error, Medical Xpress reported on June 19. The study focused specifically on SHRIMPS, a standardized handoff protocol developed by the quality improvement…

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By: Matt Danford
June 28, 2024
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The Joint Commission releases annual Sentinel Event Data Report

Editor's Note According to the annual Sentinel Event Data Report, The Joint Commission received 1,411 reports of sentinel events—an event not related to the natural course of an illness or condition that causes severe harm, permanent harm or death—in 2023. Of that total, 96% of events were voluntary self-reported by…

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By: Matt Danford
May 15, 2024
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National hospital safety rankings reflect infection prevention, patient experience improvements

Editor's Note Released May 1, the most recent Leapfrog Group hospital patient safety grades reflect declines in preventable healthcare-associated infections and improvements in patient’s hospital experiences since fall 2023. Leapfrog, a nonprofit, releases its Hospital Safety Grades report biannually, assigning traditional letter grades to nearly 3,000 general hospitals based on…

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By: Matt Danford
May 3, 2024
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