Dr. John Noseworthy, Mayo Clinic's national CEO, fired two employees who violated privacy policies. As required by government regulations and Mayo policy, Mayo reports violations to both the federal government and the patient when a privacy violation occurs.
Editor’s Note: Privacy is essential in gaining patient trust. To make sure you and your team are up to date on the latest HIPAA laws, gather your team and view the online seminar HITECH: How It Impacts Case Management. (Note: 1.5 continuing education credits are available for nurses and case managers.)
How the world compares on health care To be ready when Congress comes back to work to finish their work on reforming the national health care system, take a few minutes to view this interactive site to see how the U.S. compares to other countries in three categories: life expectancy, infant mortality and healthcare expenditures.
The American Diabetes Association issued new clinical guidelines calling for the use of the hemoglobin A1C blood test in diagnosing type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, saying it is easier and more convenient than other testing. The guidelines say A1C levels between 5.7% and 6.4% indicate prediabetes, while levels of 6.5% or higher warrant a diabetes diagnosis.
Israeli scientists say a 13-year study revealed patients who quit smoking following a heart attack were 37% less likely to die during the study than those who continued to smoke. The study, which included more than 1,500 heart attack patients, also found that those who quit prior to their attacks were half as likely to die as those who continued to smoke.
Information technology could have a positive effect on older adults' medication adherence, according to a report by the Center for Technology and Aging, which found that 40% of the 3 billion annual prescriptions issued in the U.S. are not taken properly and patients do not even pick up 12%. "More widespread use of technologies that reduce the cost and burden of medication-related illness among older adults is urgently needed," said David Lindeman, director of the Oakland, Calif.-based center.
Electronic health records aren't helping to improve care coordination between patients and clinicians in some areas, particularly in enabling data exchange across different care settings, according to research sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund. The results show that "improving care coordination will not happen with technology alone," said Commonwealth Fund Vice President Anne-Marie Audet, adding, "What is needed is a redesign of care processes and work flow; clinicians will also need to adopt new ways of working and communicating within practices and across organizations."
Experts say hospitals that offer chronic wound care are profiting from steady demand and high reimbursements from insurers. Wound healing centers also are seen as a good investment because the number of wound care patients is expected to increase due to an aging population and increasing diabetes and obesity rates.
Despite joblessness, economic woes and political divisions, polls show that about 80% Americans continue to describe themselves as "happy"—and that signals an enduring optimism that will serve the country well, Kevin Huffman writes. "If happiness is the point, four in five Americans already are on the right track, and that should make all of us more optimistic about the decade to come.
Leaders must possess a broad range of skills, or they end up costing a company money, Maureen Metcalf writes. To make better hires for leadership positions, look for someone who is not only intelligent and can deal with complex problems, but also is flexible, instills confidence in others and is emotionally able to deal with complexity. "A significant deficiency in any of these areas can have an incredibly adverse impact on the company," Metcalf writes.
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