Sepsis is a debilitating, life-threatening, and costly condition that poses a significant burden on patients and healthcare organizations. Although sepsis is a leading cause of death in the United States,1 knowledge about the condition, early recognition, and management are a persistent challenge in healthcare.
Various factors may contribute to lack of sepsis awareness and delays in diagnosis. First, the terms and definitions associated with sepsis have changed over the years, and lack of standardization has led to multiple definitions in use at the same time. Additionally, identification criteria associated with the terminology and definitions also have varied.2
Read more Difficult patients represent one of the most challenging situations that doctors and other healthcare professionals encounter. Dealing with these patients can be emotionally and mentally draining — as well as increasingly frustrating — for practitioners and their staff members.
Inappropriate patient behaviors also can compromise the provider–patient relationship, and patients who exhibit these behaviors might be at higher risk for misdiagnosis and poor outcomes.1 Difficult patients also might be more likely to file lawsuits as a result of perceived unsatisfactory encounters.
Read more Malnutrition and dehydration are long-standing resident safety issues in senior care facilities, even though regulations and standards are in place to address these problems. Definitions of malnutrition vary, as do statistics related to prevalence; however, estimates suggest that about 20 percent of nursing home residents are malnourished, and even more are at risk.1
Numerous and complex factors contribute to malnutrition and dehydration in senior care residents, which is likely why these issues persist. Additionally, these conditions can cascade into a host of other problems, including infections, pressure injuries, falls, depression, weakness, confusion, prolonged hospital stays, and mortality.2
Read more Providing coordinated and competent patient care involves precision at many points in the clinical process, particularly when sending and receiving information. Although information transfer seems like a fairly straightforward process, the complex and dynamic nature of healthcare presents numerous communication obstacles.
As a result of these obstacles, ineffective communication among healthcare professionals is one of the leading causes of medical errors and patient harm.1 Further, analysis of malpractice claims shows that communication is a common contributing factor in claims across various specialties.2
Read more Disclosing an unanticipated outcome to a patient and/or their family members can be daunting and stressful. Healthcare providers may worry about the possibility of litigation, damage to their reputations, workplace consequences, or even just upsetting patients/families.
In recent years, however, many professional associations and organizations have endorsed the concept of disclosure as part of patient-centered care, and studies show that communication-and-response techniques that include early disclosure may reduce malpractice suits and litigation costs.1
Read more The question of how to communicate effectively has persisted in healthcare for years. Communication has long been recognized as a complex process that is prone to errors, oversights, and misunderstandings. In terms of patient safety and malpractice risk, the implications of inadequate or poor communication are substantial.
An analysis of almost 124,000 medical professional liability cases filed over a 10-year period shows that communication issues, which were found in all care settings, were one of the top contributing factors in malpractice claims.1 Another analysis found that 37 percent of all high-severity cases involved a communication failure.2
Read more Effective verbal communication is the bedrock of high-quality, patient-centered care. Healthcare providers undoubtedly are aware of the continued emphasis and importance placed on verbal communication through various quality measures and standards. However, much of daily communication is nonverbal and may encompass facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, posture, and tone of voice.
The ability to understand and use nonverbal communication, or body language, is a powerful tool that can help healthcare professionals connect with patients in a positive way and reinforce mutual understanding and respect.1
Read more Technology advances over the past decades have taken telehealth from a novel concept to a widespread reality. In the years leading up to 2020, the adoption of telehealth was growing steadily — but not staggeringly — in healthcare practices and hospitals.1
Beginning in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic magnified the importance of telehealth as a vital component of patient care when many healthcare practices and facilities closed their doors to nonemergency treatment. Although the use of telehealth has receded from its peak during the pandemic, it almost certainly will remain a critical tool in healthcare delivery — particularly since access to care remains a top concern.
Read more
MedPro 
