Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control

32 PATIENT SAFETY AND OUTCOMES 10 top patient safety concerns for 2021, ranked by ECRI By Mackenzie Bean R acial disparities in health- care earned the No. 1 spot on ECRI's list of the top 10 patient safety concerns for 2021. ECRI compiled the list based on an analysis of more than 4 million patient safety events collected in the ECRI Institute Patient Safe- ty Organization database since 2009, along with expert opinions from a panel of internal and ex- ternal patient safety leaders. Eight of the 10 patient safety concerns relate to or have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization said. ECRI suggested healthcare pro- viders use this list as a starting point for launching patient safe- ty discussions and setting priori- ties at their facilities. Here are the 10 top patient safety issues for 2021, as listed by ECRI: 1. Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare 2. Emergency preparedness and response in aging services 3. Pandemic preparedness across the health system 4. Supply chain interruptions 5. Drug shortages 6. Telehealth workflow challenges 7. Improvised use of medical devices 8. Methotrexate therapy 9. Peripheral vascular harm 10. Infection risk from aero- sol-generating procedures n Viewpoint: Physician exodus from North Carolina system is a win for patients By Ayla Ellison D ozens of physicians have decided to part ways with Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Health, but the Association of Independent Doctors says the change could be good for physicians and patients, according to WLOS. WLOS on March 17 reported that 79 physicians plan to leave or have left Mis- sion Health since it was acquired by Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare in February 2019. Though concerns about care quality have been raised over the physician departures, the Association of Independent Doctors said these moves could be a win for patients. "It's a good thing. It's a good thing for patients when doctors are independent," Asso- ciation of Independent Doctors Executive Director Marni Jameson Carey told WLOS. "If a hospital comes in and is giving a doctor a contract that he or she does not want to sign on to and a doctor decides to go on his or her own way, that's a good thing. That will be higher quality for the patient, more independence for the doctor, better care all around," Ms. Carey said. "The same visit is half the price or less at an inde- pendent doctor's office than it is in the hospital." In April, 13 physicians who used to work at Mission Health started working at two new clinics opened by Hendersonville, N.C.-based Pardee UNC Health Care, ac- cording to WLOS. Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth has hired physicians who used to work at Mission Health as well, according to the report. n Prior authorizations lead to serious patient adverse events, 30% of physicians say By Katie Adams T hirty percent of physicians said that prior authorizations have led to a seri- ous adverse event for a patient in their care, according to research released April 7 by the American Medical Association. e American Medical Association surveyed 1,000 practicing physicians in December 2020. Below are seven of the survey's notable findings: 1. Ninety-four percent of physicians said the prior authorization process delays patients' access to necessary care. irty-nine percent said the prior authorization process oen de- lays access to necessary care, and 15 percent said it always does. 2. Ninety percent of physicians said prior au- thorizations have a negative effect on patients' clinical outcomes. 3. Eighty-five percent of physicians said the burden associated with prior authorization is high or extremely high. 4. Seventy-nine percent of physicians said the prior authorization process at least some- times leads to treatment abandonment. 5. Forty percent of physicians have staff who work exclusively on prior authorizations. 6. irty percent of physicians said that prior authorizations have led to a serious adverse event for a patient in their care. 7. Twenty-one percent of physicians said prior authorizations have led to a patient's hospitalization, 18 percent said they led to a life-threatening event or required interven- tion to prevent permanent damage, and 9 percent said they led to a disability or perma- nent bodily damage. n

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