Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1311160
30 QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT Study: Neurological symptoms common in hospitalized COVID-19 patients By Mackenzie Bean M ore than 80 percent of COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Chica- go-based Northwestern Medicine this spring had neurological symptoms, according to a study published in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. Researchers analyzed the neurological symptoms of 509 consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to 10 Northwestern hospitals between March 5 and April 6. Five study findings: 1. Overall, 82.3 percent of patients had neurolog- ical symptoms. 2. About 42 percent of patients had neurologic symptoms at COVID-19 onset, and 62 percent had symptoms during their hospitalization. 3. e most frequent neurological symptoms were: • myalgias (muscle aches): 44.8 percent • headaches: 37.7 percent • encephalopathy (a general term describ- ing damage or disease to the brain): 31.8 percent • dizziness: 29.7 percent • impaired taste: 15.9 percent • loss of smell: 11.4 percent 4. While younger patients and those with severe COVID-19 were more likely to develop neuro- logical symptoms overall, older patients were more likely to develop encephalopathy. 5. Encephalopathy also was linked to a three times longer hospital stay for COVID-19 patients and a roughly seven times higher risk of death within 30 days of hospitalization. n How 3 hospitals maintained a 62% drop in pressure injuries through the pandemic By Mackenzie Bean T hree hospitals achieved a more than 60 percent reduction in pressure injuries this year through a collaborative project with the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare. The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento (Calif.) Hospital and Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospi- tal in Houston participated in the initiative. The organizations used a robust process improvement strategy — a combination of Lean, Six Sigma and formal change management tac- tics — to identify and address root causes of pressure injuries. The hospitals reported an average 55 percent relative reduction in intensive care unit pressure injuries between May 2018 and December 2019. This figure jumped to 62 percent from January to April of this year when the U.S. began grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. The improvements translated into total cost savings of $15.3 million over the length of the project, the hospitals said. n 10 best states for healthcare access during pandemic By Morgan Haefner M assachusetts leads states in improving healthcare access for residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an Oct. 6 analysis by QuoteWizard, an insurance comparison website. For the analysis, QuoteWizard analyzed data from the Kaiser Family Foun- dation on actions states have taken to address the COVID-19 pandemic. QuoteWizard developed its state rankings by looking at whether states implemented seven specific policy measures. The policy actions are: waiving cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatment, free vaccine when available, early prescription refill, premium payment grace period, expanded access to telehealth services, special enrollment period for insurance coverage and paid sick leave. Here are the 10 states that topped QuoteWizard's list: 1. Massachusetts 2. Maryland 3. New York 4. Rhode Island 5. California 6. Washington 7. Colorado 8. Kentucky 9. Louisiana 10. Oregon n