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Mitigating Healthcare Related Litigation

Hiring nurses, physicians and other healthcare professionals is often challenging in the best circumstances. Taking a job at a jail or prison can be daunting for many healthcare professionals, and certainly fails to qualify as the best circumstances for many people. 

Meeting the minimum care requirements afforded to inmates by law, via the Supreme Court case Estelle v. Gamble, adds a particular level of complexity to this already daunting situation. Prior to this momentous decision, in 1976, most U.S. jails only provided inmates with first aid. Fortunately, this great country has come a long way since then, both ethically and technologically. 

Originally the Department of Corrections employed healthcare staff directly, now states are contracting with private companies to provide care. While it can be difficult to prove deliberate indifference, there are certainly plenty of those incarcerated willing to try. It is often both expensive and time consuming to battle litigation, and unfortunately contracting healthcare from a private party does little to mitigate this potential risk. Often, the tedious oversight and overall man hours required to ensure that healthcare providers are meeting their contractual obligations defeats the purpose of hiring them in the first place. 

With everything taking place at a prison daily it is unrealistic to expect the corrections department to monitor healthcare staffing, documentation, or to ensure the Medication Administration Record (MAR) is completed properly for example. 

What Medicalistics Can Do for You

Medicalistics seamlessly blends real time data with cutting edge software technology to ensure that you can monitor all these things and many more without leaving the comfort of your desk. Do you know when inmates are receiving medications and medical tests and if they are done by the prescribed deadlines? Are you checking the MAR for errors and or skipped medications? Are you prepared for a major healthcare litigation trial? If the answers to any of these questions is “no,” there is good odds that Medicalistics can help. 

The risk of lawsuits will never be entirely avoided, although following best practices and maintaining NCCHC/ACA compliance certainly mitigates that risk. Medicalistics enables organizations to close gaps they may not even have been aware of, further minimizing the threat of legal action. 

To learn more about how Medicalistics can help you avoid potentially expensive litigation, or to see all the other ways we are using technology to mitigate risk, check out our website.

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Healthcare Worker Appreciation and Discounts

While much of the world continues to work from home, doing so indefinitely, there are the front-line workers who do not have that luxury. Employees in the service industry, servers at restaurants, the clerk at the grocery store, and especially our healthcare professionals continually put themselves at risk every day. 

Covid-19 has reshaped this country and while many of us are still struggling to adjust to the new landscape, many others are still reporting in person for work each day. In honor of these front line workers such as doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals many companies are currently offering great discounts as a small way of showing their appreciation for the tremendous debt the majority of us owe to these brave individuals and their families. Below are some of the more notable brands offering discounts to nurses, verified healthcare professionals, and other frontline workers:

athletics

Adidas, Carhartt, Nike:

 These are just a few of the notable clothing manufacturers who are offering discounts for first responders and other verified medical professionals. 

Ulta logo

Ulta Beauty: 

Beauty and skincare products delivered to frontline workers at a great discount. 

Cumberland Farms logo

Cumberland Farms:

 They are offering one free cup of coffee, any size, for healthcare workers, per visit. 

Purple mattress logo

Purple Mattresses:

Currently offering 10% off for healthcare professionals. 

These are just a few of the incredible discounts offered for healthcare professionals and other frontline workers. While there are some genuinely great discounts being offered currently by these and so many more companies it is just a small token of the appreciation we collectively feel for these frontline heroes. 

As a society we depend on medical professionals to keep us safe, especially in these difficult times, and they have met that challenge head on. Click the links above to find out how to take advantage of these great deals.

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Self-Care and Covid 19

It is easy to get swept away by external events outside of our control, especially these days. Making it understandable why most of us are neglecting the most important thing we have. Ourselves. It is only natural to keep your friends, family, and other responsibilities at the forefront of your mind. All of these are important, but we cannot properly take care of any of these things if we are not properly taking care of ourselves. With new information seemingly available daily and often conflicting information at that, it can be hard to know what the right path is. Stress and anxiety often lead to feeling a loss of control and it is easy to spiral downward from there. Anxiety and stress can lead to depression or may manifest in more physical ways. Headaches, muscle tension, and sleeplessness may ensue, thankfully consistent self-care can alleviate all these problems. Time for yourself each day is crucial for activities such as:

1. Regular exercise

A proven stress reliever and great for you! It takes consistency and effort though; regular exercise needs to be paired with a full night’s sleep and a healthy diet to be most effective.

2. Healthy Eating

Eat a balanced diet of whole foods and vegetables. Avoid going out or ordering in, though it can be very tempting, cooking at home with fresh ingredients is the recipe for being our best selves.

3. Sleep

We ask a lot of our bodies every day and exercise will make us stronger and better equipped to handle our demands. The caveat, is if we do not allow our bodies the proper time and space for recovery, i.e. sleep, we will never take full advantage of all our other hard work. Ideally you will get 7 hours of sleep per night minimum, with 8 hours per night being the optimal number.

While very much physical in nature these things will not only improve physical, but mental health. Though extremely important the physical needs to be paired with mental activities also. Some great activities that do not need screens are:

1. Listening to music, reading a book, or playing board games

All of these are great ways to unwind alone or with company. Focusing the mind of tasks that we can control and especially tasks we enjoy is extremely pleasurable as well as being great for your mental health.

2. Volunteer in your Community

Whether you are giving your time, money, blood, or maybe all the above volunteering is a great way to stay active in your community and build lasting relationships. Volunteering nurtures a sense of control and relieves anxiety allowing to give more of yourself to the things that truly matter.

We all need a little boost occasionally, follow these tips and start living your best life today! Check out the Mayo Clinic  for more great information on how to stay mentally and physically healthy in these difficult times.  

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COVID in Prison; The Impacts of Coronavirus in Corrections and How to Adapt

2020 has been a wild ride so far and we are barely through the halfway point. Covid has infiltrated every crevice of our economy, drastically changing the way we approach the world. Correctional medicine has been no exception. While the deaths in correctional facilities across the nation have been incredibly low so far, jails, prisons, and juvenile, facilities have been forced to completely overhaul their procedures. 

Personal space which has traditionally been a near unachievable luxury in the world of corrections, is quickly becoming a necessity. Inmates are now required to quarantine for 14 days upon intake.l This leaves most counties scrambling to find or make space in already full facilities. Working together to share information will be crucial as we continue to navigate this new landscape. Washington state Sheriffs and Police Chiefs have come together to share some techniques that have been successful for them:

1.     Review of Disaster Plan– Review, update, and use your disaster plans.

2.     Screen Staff– The current CDC guidelines for screening requires a temperature check for fever above 100 degrees. Check for shortness of breath, recent travel to a high-risk country and or exposure to a known carrier. When 2 out of 3 are present staff should be sent home and all results recorded in a log. Guidelines are constantly changing as new information emerges. Be sure to stay up to date with the CDC web site here, as well as checking with your local health department.

3.     Screening Arrestees- The screening criteria remains the same as for the staff except they will not be sent home if they fail the initial screening. Instead they will be required to isolate for at least 14 days. Or until on-site medical professionals deem the individual to no longer be a contagion risk.

4.     Non-contact Visitations- If you do not already have some form of this consider implementing it. Whether via telephone, video conferencing, or in specially designed rooms.

Working together to share what has been successful thus far will be key in successfully combatting this virus.

 If you have not already, please consider implementing some of the things that have been working in Washington. To find out more about what Washington is doing and see their results visit the NCCHC website linked here. 

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To Test or Not to Test

Just to think, a year ago, when we were thinking about “Corona,” we were wondering if we had limes, not the sour lemons that COVID-19 has delivered! When caring for patients in a correctional environment, it is particularly challenging. One of those challenges is when to test our patients for COVID-19. Depending on your local Health Department or jurisdiction, the recommendations vary significantly. Per the CDC, who posted interim considerations on July 20, 2020, there are three scenarios, in which testing should or could be performed. The first scenario is testing those with signs and symptoms, consistent with COVID-19, the second is testing asymptomatic individuals with recent or suspected exposure and the third is testing of asymptomatic individuals, without knowing or expected exposure. In determining which route to take, it is important to note that the CDC guidelines are meant to “supplement, not replace state, local, territorial laws, rules or regulations.” So, what do you do?

  1. Ensure you have the guidance of your local Health Department. They will assist you in determining the strategy, based upon test availability and idiosyncrasies of your community and facility.
  2. Consider what you will do with the results- If you opt for widespread testing, how will it change your practice? What will you do with the information?
  3. Make the decisions as a team- This should be an interdisciplinary process, involving the Health Department, Medical, Mental Health and Security. Have routine meetings, strategize together and document why you decided to take a particular route. (This may be particularly helpful when the press becomes involved)
  4. Ensure that you develop a tracking mechanism for your testing. Knowing who tested when and when they can come off quarantine and where they can safely be housed. This is a Rubik’s cube in the making and can be best handled with a comprehensive tracking tool.
  5. Test using a viral test, so that you are diagnosing current infection. Ensure your tracking tool separates out those who are tested for antibodies versus those who were tested via the viral test.
  6. Plan to change your plan- As testing becomes more readily available or your community situation changes, so will your plan. Keep in ongoing touch with your health department and review any changes in your course, in your interdisciplinary meetings. Communication will be key.

Overall, test with intent to act. Once a test is completed, you must be prepared to isolate, monitor symptoms and have criteria for ending isolation. Partner with your health department. Refer back to the CDC guidelines for correctional facilities and optimistically look forward to the days when “Corona” means a drink on a beach!

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The 7 basic EHR needs of the public health space

The arrival of electronic health records (EHRs) created a new frontier for healthcare, enabling the digital transformation of patient information. The impact of EHRs on care has been transformational, allowing for real-time, patient-centered records that can be accessed securely by providers. Care coordination has improved, while patients now have the information they need to play a more present role in managing their health. But what exactly are the basic EHR needs of the public health space?

The evolution of EHRs

The EHR initiative launched back in the early 1990s, long before the world became virtual and digitized. Since the inception of this type of record-keeping, much has changed. According to the CDC, the adoption of EHRs is now at 85.9% of physicians. The number of hospitals using them is even greater with a 94% usage rate.

Since the majority of the healthcare ecosystem is using EHRs, the question is, how effective and efficient are they? Are EHR needs being fulfilled by the public health space? What are the most substantial benefits of going digital?

EHR needs

EHR needs in the public space include a variety of requirements and different functionality. When choosing a platform, it’s essential to map out your parameters. To do this, you should define your goals, work with users to understand their workflows and document your findings.

The core EHR needs may encompass any or all of these features:

  1. Health information and data storage in an electronic format that is interoperable
  2. Management of test results
  3. Processing of orders and prescriptions digitally
  4. Decision support to provide clinicians with possible risks or other information to improve decision-making
  5. Electronic communication that is HIPAA compliant
  6. Support for administrative processes and reporting
  7. Producing reports on clinical data for population health reporting

Beyond these features, most choose a certified EHR technology. By partnering with a company that is committed to maintaining certifications, you will increase the chances for interoperability of your system with other health care entities such as laboratories, hospitals, and data exchanges.

The value of EHRs

As every industry has gone through a digital transformation, healthcare has embraced technology as well. The advantages of using an EHR are countless, enabling a better quality of care and improving the efficiency of providers.

Here are some of the benefits of using an EHR:

  • Allows access to up-to-date and comprehensive patient information at the point of care.
  • Improves coordination of care because of accessibility.
  • Provides a secure, HIPAA-compliant space to share data.
  • Helps providers more accurately diagnose patients and reduce medical errors.
  • Enhances patient and provider communication.
  • Allows for safer prescribing.
  • Boosts productivity of users who no longer have to use paper records.
  • Reduces costs by eliminating paperwork, improving safety, and reducing duplication of tests.
  • Offers an accurate and streamlined way to code and bill.

EHR needs and fulfillment in the public health space

EHR needs in the public health space can be met when you choose the right platform that has a minimum of the seven basic features described above. To fulfill those needs, you should choose a solution that is easy, efficient, and effective. One of the additional key needs is to know how customizable the EHR is to your specific public health needs and environment.

Taking in the EHR needs and benefits, you’ll be well on your way to finding the ideal solution.

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