Patient Safety news and information

A traveling hospital technician accused of infecting dozens of patients with hepatitis C through needles tainted with his own blood reached an agreement with prosecutors that would give him a sentence of as little as 30 years instead of the nearly 100 he could have faced if convicted in a trial.
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Over the last decade, the maker of the potent painkiller OxyContin has compiled a database of hundreds of doctors suspected of recklessly prescribing its pills to addicts and drug dealers, but has done little to alert law enforcement or medical authorities.
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Federal health officials have launched a probe into the use of antipsychotic drugs on children in the Medicaid system, amid concern that the medications are being prescribed too often to treat behavioral problems in the very young.
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The Food and Drug Administration on Sunday announced a recall of all products produced and distributed for sterile use by Specialty Compounding because of concerns about bacterial infections
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A new analysis of New York hospital data showed a reduction in surgical death rates and improvements in treating serious illnesses over a decade despite higher post-surgical infections and deaths from operations where part of the skull is removed.
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Federal prosecutors in Milwaukee sued a Kentucky-based pharmaceuticals services firm on Friday, accusing PharMerica Corp. of illegally dispensing addictive narcotics without proper oversight.
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The American Hospital Association wrote to Modern Healthcare last week, “Leapfrog tool 'seriously flawed', unhappy with Leapfrog Group's calculator that helps purchasers identify the millions of dollars in...
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Facing rising penalties under the healthcare law for high readmission rates, some hospitals are turning to tech entrepreneurs like Chris Corio of San Francisco for help.
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A federally chartered special work group with representatives from three federal agencies has submitted its draft recommendations on establishing a regulatory framework for health IT.
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Former President George W. Bush's decision to allow doctors to use a stent to clear a blocked heart artery is reviving a debate on the best way to treat early cardiac concerns.
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