Take Action to Prevent Tubing Misconnections—Part II

Problem: Tubing misconnections, or inappropriate connections between devices with different intended uses, have resulted in serious harm or death.1,2 In Part I, published in our October 31, 2024 ne...

New Water Quality Standards for Medical Device Processing

In 2023, healthcare facilities saw a shift from advisory best practices in water quality for medical device processing to enforceable standards with the release of AAMI ST108:2023. This new standar...

Hazard Vulnerability Assessment: An Expanded Approach Using Systems Thinking

Learn how to identify hazards and risks that are most likely to have an impact on your facility with a comprehensive methodology Per the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, healthcare orga...

Fluid shortage update—Safeguard imported products

Baxter announced it plans to restart manufacturing intravenous (IV) solutions at its North Cove, North Carolina facility this week. In the interim, as most readers are aware, the US Food and Drug A...

Survey Results Reveal Tubing Misconnections Are Common and Underreported—Part I

Problem: Tubing misconnections refer to what happens when a tube, syringe, or medical device from one delivery system is inappropriately connected to a system that serves a completely different fun...

At-Home Cardiac Rehabilitation Just as Effective as Center-Based Programs

Reimbursement Enacted during Pandemic Set to Expire At-home or hybrid cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs are safe and work as well as or better than center-based programs for reducing risk and im...

Palliative Care Access for Indigenous Populations: Removing Barriers and Reducing Disparities

Palliative care is a type of specialized medical care for patients living with terminal medical conditions. The goal of palliative care is to alleviate patients’ suffering and to improve their qual...

The Four Greatest Weaknesses in the American Healthcare System Fueling Preventable Harm

Every clinician swore an oath to “do no harm,” and yet, while unintentional, preventable harm is inflicted on patients every day in healthcare.   For decades, valiant efforts have been underway to ...

Balancing Disinfection and Manufacturer Recommendations in Ultrasound Technologies

Introduction As the use of ultrasound technology continues to expand across various medical disciplines—from radiology and cardiology to point-of-care applications—ensuring appropriate and effectiv...