QA # 9

The AHRQ tools I read for this week is “TB information for International travelers.” I think it was interesting to know that TB can spread by touching somebody’s bed lines, or touching toilet seats, or shaking hands. Some of the international countries are on more risk for TB than other, since there is risk of acquiring TB even on the airplane. Some countries provide BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guérin) shot, but it is not being offered to everybody in US. I thought that was kind of surprising to see that common disease like TB does not have a preventative solution in US.

This week, I read an article about Six Sigma. Six sigma describes quantitatively that how a particular process is performing to benefits Company. The interesting part of this article is that six sigma has two parts of a process; DMAIC and DMADV. DMAIC process (defines, measure, analyze, improve, control) is an improvement system for existing processes falling below specification and looking for incremental improvement. The DMADV process (define, measure, analyze, design, verify) is an improvement system used to develop new processes or products at Six Sigma quality levels. Motorola and GE are some of the companies, who are becoming successful everyday by following Six Sigma quality initiatives.
http://www.isixsigma.com/sixsigma/six_sigma.asp

I read Nettie’s blog about “older women taking antidepressant” I think it amazing that how depression is increasing in our society every day. There are many people on depression medications. I think depression medications are causing many more problems than just solving depression problem.

QA # 8

I read an article about “Emerging intranet technology.” Since we are living in technology world, we expect everything to be easy and simple. I think Intranet had made life easier for us, as employer, employees or even student. Before intranet came to existence, most of the employers were spending $50-$100 per year on each employee for communicate. Now Intranet is being used for communication in many organizations, I think it was very interesting that technology is not helping us improving quality, but also helping us to save money as well :)
AHRQ tool for this week is “The digital divide: what physician can do to bridge the gap.” This tool basically tell us about how poor and illiterate people are getting left out from the benefits of new technology in healthcare. According to this tool, most healthcare consumers, who are educated, using Net and becoming knowledgeable about their health. Since ‘technology savvy’ people can find anything on the Net regarding to health issues and concerns, so it is unfair to those people who cannot take the advantage of technology world. This tool suggested that healthcare provider should educate those people who cannot take advantage of technology, so they also can have medical knowledge and be able to get better health care.
I read Amanda’s comment on ‘MSDS’ sheet. I think it very knowledgeable site. Users can find some scary truth about many daily used products. I used same household products over and over because I thought I was these were safe products. But what kind of harm it can do, I did not know before using this site. Articles can be found @ http://www.mylibnet.org/nissat/vol16/internet.htm http://www.bigshouldersdubs.com/clients/ama/09_DigitalDivide.htm

QA # 7

This week’s AHRQ’s tool is “Rural area health.” Since Telemedicine has been a very hot topic these days.Before I read this tool I was also curious about the reason why telemedicine is so successful in US than any other country. Telemedicine is being used in many other countries, but not as successful as in US. Well the answer of my question was “Medicaid.” According to this tool, there more than 40 million people are on Medicaid and 40% are women. Since the Medicaid system is available to many Americans, so it is helping Telemedicine to become very popular in US. In many Asian countries, there is no such thing called “Medicaid or Medicare.”

The article I read for this week is “Medical equipment Program.” The most interesting thing I found in this article was about “blood pressure cuffs.” Many times we go to doctor’s office and get our blood pressure checked without realizing that the cuff can be full of bacteria, or it may not have been inspected. I never thought about it before reading this article that the little blood pressure cuff can be harmful to patients, if it was not maintained properly.

I read Charlene’s blog and her comments about “Speak Up” program launched by CMS and Joint commission. I think it very important to speak up and ask questions to caregiver about the medical treatment is being provided. Not only It will keep us updated about our health, also It will keep caregivers aware as well, and the result will be less medical error…It is that simple :)

http://www.wnmu.edu/plans/policies/VPSCA/Student%20Health/EquiptMgmtPgrm.htm

Peer's blog review

I read Allison’s comments on “Reducing medical mistakes” I am completely agreed with the idea of patients questioning physicians about their practices. I think if every patient asks question about his or her treatment and diagnosis, it will make physicians and clinicians to pay more attention to their practices, and it will surely reduce medical errors.

QA#6

The AHRQ tool for this week is “30 safe practices for better healthcare.” Even this tool really talk about many new ideas for improving practices, but I think “standardized abbreviations” is the most important idea they discussed. After my experience with cardiovascular clinic’s paper charts (during my directed practice), I had realized the importance of standardized abbreviations. When I was trying to abstract charts for them, I was so confused with some of the abbreviations. Many times I could not find the answer anywhere (not even on Google). The amazing thing about this experience was, the people who worked in clinic even did not knew the answer; so they had to call doctor couple of time to find out the answers, it was a quite bit surprising experience. I think, standardized abbreviations is a must tool, not only for abstracting charts, but also for saving lives.
The article I read for this week, addressed “JCAHO’s national safety goals.” I chose this article because it discusses the importance of five W’s in healthcare field. I really like their idea of how to avoid wrong site errors. Since most of the “wrong site" errors occurs in the surgical area, so surgery staff can help organization to reduce errors by following some simple steps. Placing posters or a reminder signs in surgical units with “five things must be done” during the prepping of patient can help reduce errors. First step is asking patient’s his or her name, then asking them date of birth, and third asking the site of surgery. Fourth step is repeating all the information back to the patient, and confirming their wrist band. Final step is ‘time out’ marking the surgery site. The study showed significant changes in “site error reduction”. I think it was interesting that just confirming patient’s information and site of surgery can reduce medical errors to 75%.

Review of Peer's blog

I read Nettie’s blog and comments regarding 'alcoholic spectrum disorder'. I always wondered, why people become so irresponsible when it comes for their health, and especially pregnant women. It is sad but very true, these women just think about their pleasure and not about their babies. I have a friend and while she was pregnant; She drank, smoked, and did everything which will harm the baby. Well, when she had her daughter, she found out her baby does not have spine and she won’t be able to sit or move around like a normal person for rest of her life. Well, the silly friend of mine did not realize what she did, but she went and sued her doctor. Finally all I wanted to say, people do some weird stuff. Thanks Nettie for bringing up this topic.

QA # 5

This week I read an article about reducing “look alike and sound alike” error. Since drug errors had affected several people, it has become a common quality issue in healthcare field. Almost every healthcare organization is trying to improve this issue by adopting many different tools. According to the article, USP is offering “Drug Error Finder” database to healthcare organization. It will help reduce organizations to reduce error and clinicians will be able to provide better healthcare to patients. This database includes more than 1500 commonly used “sound alike or look alike” drugs. This database is updated by USP and available for free to organizations. I think it is good idea to adopt this database to improve quality of organization. It is good encouragement for healthcare organizations to improve patient care and quality.
The Quality tool for this week is “buying prescription medication online” I think it is very common trend these days. Most of the online medications do not required physician’s order. It made me think that how people are sure that they are getting is a right dose of the medications; because there is difference of “UNIT” in US and rest of the world. Then medication might not be authentic because these companies are not approved by FDA. It really concerns me that on one hand we are trying improve medical error, but on other hand people are risking their lives by getting medications, without making sure about the source.

Article can be found at : http://www.psqh.com/enews/0908f.html