A post-operative warming blanket or device offers comfort and helps maintain a stable body temperature which reduces discomfort and speeds healing.  Yet used incorrectly, these devices deliver heat that can cause a serious thermal burn. An iatrogenic injury is a wound to tissue or an organ that is caused by medical treatments unrelated to the … Continued

Taking a break before and during a surgical procedure can reduce the risk of surgical error and adverse medical events. The Joint Commission, an accrediting agency for hospitals across the United States, includes a time-out as a part of the universal procedure to prevent wrong site, wrong person, or wrong surgery “never events.”  The protocol … Continued

A simple sniff of a pleasant or rotten odor may help guide decision making by physicians and families of patients who have suffered traumatic brain injury. Brain injury can occur as a result of a heart attack, trauma, stroke, or surgical accident.  When a patient slips into a nonresponsive state, difficult decisions are sometimes made … Continued

Handoffs occur as a patient moves through medical triage or treatment.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently discussed the need to improve handoffs to reduce patient risk—and the risk of medical malpractice lawsuits. According to The Joint Commission, an accrediting agency for healthcare facilities, a “hand-off is a transfer and acceptance of patient care … Continued

New research from Mount Sinai suggests newly developed tests could help assess traumatic brain injury (TBI) in injured patients on and off the battlefield. As we discussed earlier, TBI occurs when the brain is subjected to a hit or event that causes torsion, shearing, or bruising within delicate brain tissue. Nerve cells are damaged and … Continued

A recently released annual report creates a top ten list of patient safety concerns for the practice of medicine in the US.  The list focuses on some of the most serious problems in the delivery of healthcare in this country. The independent non-profit organization, ECRI, has a long history of working to improve medical technology, … Continued

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated their guidelines for prevention of infectious disease in patients and among healthcare workers. According to the CDC, on any day in the US, one in 31 hospitalized patients across the country has “at least” one infection caused by their hospitalization alone.  As we have discussed … Continued

As electronic apps and records become primary medical tools, a new study finds the number of malpractice claims involving electronic records is on the rise. The digital age is upon us and there is no turning back.  Yet, it is clear that the medical field has not found stability in the use of electronic health … Continued