Difficult patients represent one of the most challenging situations that doctors and other healthcare professionals encounter. Dealing with these patients can be emotionally and mentally draining — as well as increasingly frustrating — for practitioners and their staff members.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Sepsis is a debilitating, life-threatening, and costly condition that poses a significant burden on patients and healthcare organizations. Although sepsis affects 1.7 million adults in the United States each year and is the leading cause of death in hospitalized patients,1 knowledge about the condition, early recognition, and management are a persistent challenge in healthcare.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Patient portals are part of the digital enhancements in healthcare designed to streamline the exchange of information and task efficiency. Well-implemented portals offer a convenient way for patients to view their health information, follow up on their test results and care plans, schedule appointments, contact their providers with questions, request forms and paperwork, and more. By facilitating these interactions, portals also can engage patients in their care and improve their overall healthcare experience.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
The question of how to communicate effectively has persisted in healthcare for years. Communication has long been recognized as a complex process that is prone to errors, oversights, and misunderstandings. In terms of patient safety and malpractice risk, the implications of inadequate or poor communication are substantial.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Providing coordinated and competent patient care involves precision at many points in the clinical process, particularly when sending and receiving information. Although information transfer seems like a straightforward process, the complex and dynamic nature of healthcare presents numerous communication obstacles. As a result, ineffective communication among healthcare professionals is one of the leading causes of medical errors and patient harm.1 Further, analysis of malpractice cases shows that communication is a common contributing factor in claims across various specialties.2
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Malnutrition and dehydration are long-standing resident safety issues in senior care facilities, even though regulations and standards are in place to address these problems. Definitions of malnutrition vary, as do statistics related to prevalence; however, estimates suggest that about 50 percent of nursing home residents are malnourished or at risk of becoming malnourished.1
Read more Disclosing an unanticipated outcome to a patient and/or their family members can be daunting and stressful. Healthcare providers may worry about the possibility of litigation, reputational damage, workplace consequences, or even just upsetting patients/families.
Read more Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Bias and discrimination are unfortunate realities that affect many social institutions, including healthcare. Information about bias in healthcare often focuses on how it impacts patients, such as how systemic bias and individual bias can perpetuate health inequities and disparities, lead to poor diagnostic and treatment decisions, and negatively influence patient outcomes.
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