Infection Control

May 20, 2020
Guide to Reopening Your Practice During COVID-19
Debbie Kane Hill, MBA, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager
Officials are relaxing some COVID-19 restrictions. As you begin to reopen your practice, use this checklist to ensure you’re keeping patients and staff safe. This guide focuses on administrative, personnel, environment of care, and elective surgery considerations and can be adapted to meet your practice’s individual needs.

May 14, 2020
COVID-19 and Patient Safety in the Medical Office
Debbie K. Hill, MBA, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to spread across multiple continents. This is what healthcare providers should do in the event a patient with suspected COVID-19 seeks care.

May 01, 2020
Resources for Resuming Elective Procedures During COVID-19
Kim Hathaway, MSN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Healthcare Quality and Risk Management Consultant, and Julie Ritzman, MBA, CPHRM, Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
Your patients most likely want to know about the safety of surgery during the pandemic and what occurs if they contract COVID-19 post-procedure. You may have questions about keeping your staff and patients safe, informing patients about new risks the pandemic has created, and potential liability risks you may be facing.

May 01, 2020
Pre-Procedural COVID-19 Screening Assessment
Restarting elective procedures or surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic will require additional assessments to optimize your patients’ health for the best possible outcome. In today’s crisis, doctors must follow the standard of care when known, and customize and innovate when it is not.

May 01, 2020
Elective Surgery Informed Consent and Shared Decision Making During COVID-19
Kim Hathaway, MSN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Healthcare Quality and Risk Management Consultant, and Julie Ritzman, MBA, CPHRM, Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
Restarting elective surgeries and procedures after suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic requires a great deal of planning and consideration of many factors, including those related to patients, locations where you practice, and the larger community.

May 01, 2020
Informed Consent for COVID-19 Risks: Frequently Asked Questions
To support our members and the entire medical profession during this unprecedented time, the following are answers to some frequently asked questions regarding informed consent for COVID-19 risks.

Apr 19, 2019
Rising Number of Measles Cases Creates Numerous Patient Safety Issues
Debbie Hill, MBA, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager
New cases of measles (rubeola) are once again making national headlines. Physicians should implement effective screening protocols, infection control techniques, and patient education to reduce liability risks and promote patient safety.

Apr 24, 2018
Missed Diagnosis of Spinal Epidural Abscess
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director, Board of Governors
This case illustrates the importance of promptly diagnosing and treating spinal epidural abscess.