In quality improvement circles, Just Culture came to healthcare with strong recommendations from other high-risk professions. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)'s patient safety glossary, a Just Culture is defined as "a culture that recognizes...
H.R. 3402, the "doc fix" legislation that President Barack Obama signed on April 1 to provide additional temporary Medicare Sustained Growth Rate funding--and avert a 24% pay cut for physicians--included a provision to postpone the deadline for ICD-10 implementation to at least...
Citing feedback that required further research, The Joint Commission last week announced it will postpone implementation of its revised diagnostic imaging requirements for hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulatory care organizations. The changes were intended to take effect July 1...
"What if the federal government told you that pharmacists were not healthcare providers even though they have been providing healthcare since the birth of our nation?” wrote pharmacist Greg L. Alston in a recent MultiBriefs post. Section 1861 of the Social Security Act recognizes...
As part of the changes in its recent final rule, CMS has eliminated the requirement that ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) have radiologists on their medical staffs. Instead, ASCs using radiologic services will be required to “appoint an individual qualified in accordance with State law and...
Despite dire predictions, the nation’s primary care system is handling the increased number of insured patients without major problems so far, according to interviews with community health centers, large physician practices, and insurers nationwide. Five months in, with about 13...
