2 Stories You Need: When Healthcare Warranties Work, Improving Communication in the OR

We know you’re busy, but we don’t want you to miss important healthcare quality and patient safety news. Here are a couple of  stories you may want to take a look at before calling it a week. (Subscribe today if you’d like these news alerts delivered to you.)

1. Your Plumber Offers A Money-Back Guarantee. Should Your Doctor?
   Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania pioneered the money-back guarantee for failed healthcare services with its ProvenCare program, launched in 2006 with a 90-day warranty for coronary artery bypass graft surgery. While the model program has seen success in improving care quality and has even added procedures including hip and knee replacement, hospitals nationwide are slow to follow their lead, but some may be considering it. Kaiser Health News
2. Miscommunication in the OR Leads to Anticoagulation Mishap
   Communication errors happen a lot in surgical departments, and research shows that one third of such errors that happen within team exchanges actually threaten patient safety. Here’s a case that illustrates how easily an error can happen within such a meticulous but complex environment. Patient Safety Network