Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly trailblazing a path in healthcare with applications addressing administrative and logistical support, disease detection, precision medicine, predictive analytics, patient engagement, and more. AI is perhaps the most consequential advancement in modern medicine, and it offers hope to accelerate research, propel the discovery of new drugs and therapies, and vastly improve patient care. Yet, to deliver on these promises, the potential pitfalls of AI must be addressed.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Inadequate health literacy is a well-known issue facing many patients. Their inability to properly receive, process, understand, and act on health information can result in a host of problems, including uninformed decision-making, nonadherence to treatment plans, poor outcomes, and lack of trust in the healthcare community. Inadequate health literacy also can lead to misunderstandings and mismanagement of patient expectations, which can increase liability risk for healthcare providers.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
In Season 2 of HBO’s hit show The PITT, doctors and nurses at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center’s emergency department (ED) must take on an increased patient load due to a Code Black at a neighboring hospital. Several episodes after learning of the Code Black, staff at the Pitt learn the reason behind it — a widespread cybersecurity attack. They become aware only moments before their own systems are deliberately taken offline to prevent infiltration.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Humans have an intrinsic need for dignity as a basic element of well-being. Yet, the concept of dignity can be somewhat nebulous, and its defining features can vary across societies, cultures, and individuals.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
The impact of both written and verbal language can be profound. Words create meaning, which can shape individuals’ understanding, feelings, interactions, decisions, and so forth. In healthcare, written and verbal communication are the crux of the provider–patient relationship, and they are paramount to patient outcomes and experience.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Burnout in healthcare is rampant, and it is not limited to one clinical setting or a particular type of provider. Rather, feelings of exhaustion, cynicism, pessimism, detachment, and ineffectiveness can take a grip on healthcare providers of various ages, backgrounds, and specialties — and they can have far-reaching consequences.
Read more Violence in healthcare is a significant concern and an unfortunate reality. The health sector accounts for about a quarter of all workplace violence, and healthcare and social service workers are five times more likely to be injured than other workers.1 Violence can occur in any geographic location and any type of facility, and it can come from a variety of sources, including patients, visitors, healthcare providers, and staff members.
Read more Susan Lucot, MSN, RN, MLT (ASCP), CPHRM
Analysis of senior care medical malpractice cases shows that the majority involve resident falls, pressure injuries, elopements, assaults, and other safety incidents and mishaps. A closer look at these cases reveals the multitude of factors that contribute to these situations.
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