The Agency for Healthcare Research ...

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released just discovered evidence about practices that could improve patient safety, according to a July 17 2001 recents release from the agency. Researchers reviewed evidence upon 79 patient safety practices, identifying 73 that are likely to improve patient safety and 11 that are considered highly proven to improve safety unless that are not performed routinely in US hospitals and nursing homes

The report, Making Health Care Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, is the originate of a comprehensive review of the literature from medicine, aviation, and other relevant fields. Researchers focused in succession issues relevant to care delivered in hospitals and in succession prevalent diseases and procedures rather than forward specific diagnoses.

Among the 11 highly proven practices identified are giving patients antibiotics immediately before surgery to debar infections; using ultrasound to help guide the insertion of central IV lines and interrupt punctured arteries and other complications; and administering beta blocker to patients to thwart heart attacks during or after surgical deeds Some practices, such as the use of computerized order record systems, improved handwashing compliance, and changes in supply with nourishment staffing ratios, are not included in the 11 because they have not been studied sufficiently. According to the release, more research is be in want ofed in these areas. Other practices are not included in the top 11 because they carry potential risks. united such practice is increasing the use of antibiotics to stop infections, which has the potential to create antibiotic resistance.

The report is being provided to the National Forum for Health Care Quality Measurement and Reporting, which will use this information to bring to maturity a list of measures that patients can use to determine the actions that health care facilities have taken to improve safety. The report is available onward the AHRQ's web site at http://www.ahrq.gov.

AHRQ Releases modern Evidence on Proven Patient Safety Practices (new release, Rockville, Md: Agency for Healthcare Research last Quality, July 17, 2001) 1-2

COPYRIGHT 2001 Association of Operating field Nurses, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group