Hospitals
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Quality in emergency medicine is not a new concept. But applying quality principles to emergency department operations is another thing altogether. While the JCAHO and the American College of Emergency Physicians are examining quality issues in emergency medicine, individual hospitals are looking for solutions to the quality question. And they are accepting the reality that hiring and retaining high-quality physicians remains a key element.
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Is patient-monitoring technology becoming overused? Five years ago, no one would even have posed the question. Now, almost any patient, whether under heavy sedation or a local anesthetic, is a candidate for monitoring under today's standards of care. ⋯ Monitors of all kinds are being used to track the vital signs of patients in virtually every hospital department--from operating and recovery rooms to critical care units. And because existing guidelines are vague about where and when monitors are required, hospitals may need more monitors simply to avoid liability.
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A recent study of consumer attitudes shows that the public's perception of hospitals is hazy at best, and experts are warning hospitals to take steps to improve hospitals' image. In the following three articles, we examine the challenges facing hospitals in different arenas. First, we take a look at the consumer survey, which identifies the public's misperceptions about hospitals; then we focus on state hospital associations' ongoing efforts to enhance the image of hospitals by educating local lawmakers and consumers. Finally, we look at the American Hospital Association's ambitious new advocacy program to improve the health care community's ability to get its story across to the public and to policy-makers.
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Hospitals face a loaded issue: Should their security officers carry guns? Hospitals in high-crime areas say armed guards are needed to curb increasing violence within their walls. Unfortunately, gun-toting guards are expensive and may expose a hospital to liability.