Public and private sector healthcare-associated infection prevention partners discussed ways to enhance the HAI data supply chain — collecting, reporting and analyzing HAI data — at HHS' 2012 HAI Data Summit May 30-31 in Kansas City, Mo.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists is recognizing annual Patient Safety Awareness Week from March 3 to 9 to educate patients on the importance of physician-led care.

The American Medical Association says the following 10 questions can help physicians, practice staff and other medical group administrators assess and improve patient experience at their practices.

Physicians at Allied Anesthesia in Orange, Calif., have been working for the past year to perfect a "Patient Ready Protocol" to improve pre-op coordination, eliminate unnecessary tests and reduce the number of surgical delays and cancellations.

While the majority of clinicians believe improving patient satisfaction in hospitals is possible, less than 10 percent said their department had a structured plan to achieve this improvement, according to a study in BMJ Quality and Safety.

The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority announced it has begun an "I am Patient Safety" campaign to support National Patient Safety Awareness Week March 3-9.

Yesterday, CMS said President Barack Obama's 2010 healthcare law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has contributed to a significant drop in hospital readmissions for Medicare patients.

Yesterday, CMS said President Barack Obama's 2010 healthcare law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, has already made a sizable impact on the country's healthcare system through reduced spending and increased health outcomes.

The concept of accountable care organizations — of payors and care providers working together to achieve the triple aim of lowering healthcare costs while improving the quality of care and patient outcomes — has mainly been focused on primary care…

Nurse practitioner practice opportunities are limited not only by scope-of-care laws but also by payor policies, according to a new study conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change for the National Institute for Health Care Reform.