Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
The healthcare community has long considered infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies critical to patient safety, worker safety, and overall public health. The significance of these measures is even more pronounced following the COVID-19 pandemic and in preparation for future infectious disease outbreaks.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Medical aesthetics is a growing and lucrative industry, and the global medi-spa market is projected to reach $41.21 billion by 2030.1
Various types of healthcare providers are offering spa and cosmetic services at dedicated medi-spas or as ancillary services in healthcare practices. Offerings are extensive and include botulinum toxin injections, chemical peels, laser hair removal, microdermabrasion, liposuction, dermal fillers, skin rejuvenation, microblading, body contouring, and more.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
Accurate and thorough documentation is a crucial element of high-quality patient care, and it’s a critical component of a sound risk management approach. Documentation provides essential patient information, historical details about the course of care, and a record of services. It also facilitates communication among caregivers, forms the basis for coding and billing, provides data pertinent to quality improvement, and may provide information that is critical to the defense of a legal action.
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Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM
A significant hurdle in patient-centered care is effective communication throughout the care process. If patients do not understand their diagnoses, test results, recommended treatment plans, and follow-up instructions, they cannot fully participate in their care.
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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.
Read more 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.
Read more 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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