Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/903742
29 QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT 8 Tips for High- Quality Hand-Offs From The Joint Commission By Mackenzie Bean P roper communication between healthcare providers is crucial for effective patient hand-offs. Here are eight tips to ensure high-quality handoffs, ac- cording to an infographic from e Joint Commission. 1. Determine critical information that must be commu- nicated face-to-face and in writing. 2. Standardize the tools and methods used to com- municate with receivers, including forms, checklists, protocols and patient summaries. 3. Don't rely on electronic or paper communications for hand-offs. If face-to-face communication is not pos- sible, clinicians should discuss the hand-off by phone or video conference. 4. If patient information is coming from various sources, combine the materials and communicate the information to the receiver all at once. 5. Provide the following information to the receiver: • Sender contact information • An illness assessment, including severity • A summary of events including occurrences leading up to the patient's illness or admission, hospital course through discharge, an ongoing assessment and a plan of care • To-do action list • Contingency plans • Allergy list • Code status • Medication list • Dated laboratory tests • Dated vital signs 6. Conduct the hand-off or sign-out through a face- to-face interaction in a designated location free from interruptions. 7. Involve all team members during the hand-off, in- cluding the patient and family, if appropriate. 8. Use EHR records, patient portals, medical apps and telehealth services to enhance the hand-off process. n 10 Most Overused Medical Tests, Treatments By Alyssa Rege P hysicians and healthcare practitioners continue to overuse and overprescribe various medical tests and treatments, according to an Oct. 2 study published in JAMA. For the study, researchers analyzed original research articles published in 2016 that sought to understand and curb medical overuse. The re- search team collected 2,252 papers, 1,224 of which directly addressed the overuse of medicine in instances where "potential harms outweigh potential benefits." Researchers collectively narrowed the number of significant papers to 10, according to Scientific Alert. Here are the 10 most overused medical tests and treatments. 1. Transesophageal echocardiography 2. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography 3. Computed tomography in patients with respiratory symptoms 4. Carotid artery ultrasonography and stenting 5. Aggressive management of prostate cancer 6. Supplemental oxygen for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 7. Surgery for meniscal cartilage tears 8. Nutritional support in medical inpatients 9. Use of antibiotics 10. Use of cardiac imaging n Ohio Hospitals Achieve 13% Reduction in Sepsis Mortality By Mackenzie Bean O hio hospitals reduced the statewide sepsis mortality rate by 13.4 percent since 2015, according to a report from the Ohio Hospital Foundation. The reduction, which translates to an estimated 1,486 lives saved, stems from a statewide sepsis initiative OHA launched in June 2015. The association aims to decrease sepsis mortality by 30 percent and achieve a 14.9 percent sepsis mortality rate by the end of 2018. The state's sepsis mortality rate sits at 18.4 percent as of December 2016. The statewide initiative focuses on two main goals: improving early recognition of sepsis and applying early, appropriate interventions. The OHA advocates numerous sepsis strategies for hospitals, including implementation of an early warning system process, sepsis order sets for different departments and regular reports to audit sepsis cases. More than 120 Ohio hospitals participate in the initiative. Through their involvement, hospitals receive quarterly sepsis progress reports and access to monthly evidence-based educational and coaching calls at no cost, among other resources. n