Study: Response to complaints top patient concerns

A new study has concluded that patient perceptions of a hospital are most influenced by the staff’s ability to address their concerns and complaints, an area for which researchers said there is definitely room for improvement. The study, by healthcare satisfaction measurement consultant Press Ganey, surveyed 2.2 million hospital patients nationwide. It identified several factors that have an impact on how patients feel about their hospital visit, including the staff’s effort to include them in medical decision-making, nurses’ skills and attitudes toward patient requests, amount of attention paid to a patient’s special needs, and the friendliness and courtesy of nurses. But staff response to concerns and complaints topped the list. Hospitals are doing well in this area, but for the second year in a row, patients named this the area most in need of improvement. These results just make sense: When people are sick and scared, good communication makes all of the difference in the world. But unfortunately, institutionalizing sensitivity and warmth isn’t easy. Clearly, hospitals still have some work to do in this area. Press Ganey Press Release

Editors Note: The study from Press Graney is an important tool that nurses and case managers can use in all settings as part of quality improvement projects. Take the time to read it and discuss it among your colleagues where you work. Let me know what your thoughts are regarding the report.

Survey: Flu myths discourage some from getting vaccine

It’s that time of year again: Time to make sure those at risk get their flu shots! A new survey of 1,014 U.S. adults indicates that less than half of respondents plan to receive flu shots, partly because of misconceptions about the flu and the vaccines used against it. Although flu vaccine is made from dead flu virus, 46 percent of respondents thought the vaccine could cause flu, while 43 percent did not believe the illness was serious enough to warrant vaccination. CNN

Women physicians bring big changes to medicine

The number of women physicians has risen dramatically over the past quarter-century, and experts say that increase has caused some significant changes to the practice of medicine. As many as half of all medical school students nationwide are now female and, with their friendlier approach, they are less likely to get sued when they begin clinical practice than are male physicians. The Boston Globe

NIH gives $100M to speed research-to-care process

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced this week that it has given a dozen academic medical centers a total of $100 million in an initiative aimed at helping these institutions move discoveries more quickly from the lab to the bedside. The twelve universities receiving the grants are now part of a consortium; members are expected to help scientists work together, rather than compete aggressively for dollars, intellectual leadership and prestige, a common phenomenon in research circles. “We’re talking about creating a new breed of scientist,” Dr. David Kessler, Dean of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and former head of the FDA, told the Associated Press. “Right now there are not enough people who are pursuing research that connects the dots between what is done in our basic science labs and what can directly benefit patients.” By 2012, NIH expects to provide $500 million per year to 60 academic medical centers. NIH Press Release

Companies offer free diabetes products as market soars

Medical companies are moving in to claim their share of the growing diabetes market, as major player Becton, Dickinson and Co. has dropped out of the diabetes monitor and glucose test markets. Abbott Laboratories is now offering free blood glucose meters and starter test trips for patients using Becton products. Johnson & Johnson’s LifeScan subsidiary is also providing glucose monitors and strips for free to Becton customers. Chicago Tribune (free registration)

Older schizophrenia drugs are as good as newer ones

A team of researchers has concluded that older anti-schizophrenia medications are just as effective as newer ones that have hit the market. In a study involving 227 schizophrenia patients, the researchers concluded that a comparison of patients using older and newer drugs failed to show any significant differences in either their quality of life or their use of health resources. New anti-psychotics have been marketed by touting their ability to reduce side effects associated with the older drugs, but the team concluded that the claim is not backed up by hard scientific data. Researchers want better meds to come through the pipeline. Medical Breakthroughs Reported by Ivanhoe

Study: Basic medical errors hurt patients

A review of medical malpractice claims, many involving cancer, shows that healthcare provider delays in ordering tests and a lack of plans for follow-up care often create preventable errors. An oncologist responded to the study, saying, “It seemed like the bottom line was that the problems were problems that would occur less if a person was just very compulsive or very diligent.” Suggestions to reduce errors include use of electronic records, better diagnostic algorithms and using nurse practitioners to aid in follow-up care. The Boston Globe/Associated Press

Program keeps older nurses in workforce

As the number of nursing vacancies continues to mushroom nationwide, keeping seasoned nurses on the job has become more important than ever. In Michigan, they’re addressing the problem by training nurses to transition into less-taxing work rather than completely retire from the workforce. Next year, the Michigan State University (MSU) College of Nursing and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation plan to launch a program which will train hospital nurses to work in alternate settings such as long-term, hospice and ambulatory care. The program is supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Northwest Health Foundation. As things stand, about 40,000 Michigan nurses are expected to retire by 2012, leaving a shortage of 7,000 to 8,000 nurses statewide, according to MSU College of Nursing Associate Dean Teresa Wehrwein. The RWJF is funding similar initiatives in Colorado, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, Hawaii, Mississippi, Montana, California and Alaska. Lansing State Journal or Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Press Release

Nurses stage rally to protest NLRB ruling

Today, nurses and other caregivers represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) plan to take to the streets of downtown Los Angeles to protest a recent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling which they say unfairly brands many in their ranks as supervisors. The NLRB recently handed down a ruling which held that, among other things, some charge nurses can legally be treated as supervisors, making them ineligible to join a union. While the American Hospital Association and U.S. Chamber of Commerce have argued in favor of broadening the legal definition of “supervisor,” nursing unions oppose it vigorously, contending that it’s merely a union-busting tactic. The California Nurses Association and National Nurses Organizing Committee says it will call a strike at any facility that attempts to implement the decision. Fierce Healthcare