Quality

The focus of quality improvement in healthcare is to bolster performance and processes related to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Leaders in this space also ensure the proper selection of imaging exams and procedures, and monitor the safety of services, among other duties. Reimbursement programs such as the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) utilize financial incentives to improve quality. This also includes setting and maintaining care quality initiatives, such as the requirements set by the Joint Commission.

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Second death linked to vaping reported in Oregon

A second death, this time in Oregon, has been linked e-cigarette use after a patient was diagnosed with a severe respiratory illness.

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Illinois ties one death to vaping

A death in Illinois from pulmonary illness has been linked to the use of e-cigarettes, or vaping, according to the CDC. The Illinois patient is the first death reported amid an outbreak of lung illness that is somewhat mysterious but tied to vaping.

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Hospital readmissions high for heart patients hastily sent home from skilled nursing

Nearly a quarter of heart failure patients discharged after rehabbing in skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs) are bound to get readmitted to hospitals within 30 days of going home. And those whose stay at the SNF two days or fewer are up to four times more likely to be readmitted than those who stay longer.

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Johns Hopkins All Children’s on brink of losing Medicare funding

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, could lose its Medicare funding if it doesn’t shape up after a recent inspection found serious problems at the institution, The Tampa Bay Times reported.

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Executives shuffle at Baylor St. Luke’s following ProPublica investigation

Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center appointed a new president and restructured other staff after an investigation from the Houston Chronicle and ProPublica found mistakes at the Houston-based hospital’s heart transplant center led to patient deaths.

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Targeting Unnecessary Practice Variation: A Conversation About Quality, Cost & Becoming a High-reliability Organization

Is practice variation a real problem or a passing trend? Which metrics matter? Are there practical approaches healthcare leaders should use to tackle variation and, if so, how can they get their teams on board? Cardiologists and administrators weigh in.

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IVC filters improve in-hospital mortality rates for patients with congestive heart failure, pulmonary embolism

Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement is associated with improved in-hospital mortality rates for patients admitted with congestive heart failure (CHF) and pulmonary embolism (PE), according to a new study published by the American Journal of Roentgenology.

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Non-hospital-based facilities offering cardiac imaging services a rarity in Massachusetts

In 2017, Anthem implemented a new policy that requires outpatient MR and CT scans not considered medically necessary to be completed at a freestanding imaging facility to receive coverage. This went into effect in several states, sparking its fair share of controversy along the way, and a team of Boston-based researchers wanted to know how such a policy could impact patient care in Massachusetts.

Around the web

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

Kate Hanneman, MD, explains why many vendors and hospitals want to lower radiology's impact on the environment. "Taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare isn’t just an opportunity," she said. "It’s also a responsibility."

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