Checklists Cut In-Hospital Deaths Cut in Half, and Other Links

Hospital checklists work. Study: they reduced complications by one-third and in-hospital deaths were cut in half.

One-third of rheumatoid arthritis patients on Medicare do not receive any drug therapy. It gives a whole new meaning to the concept of self help.

Inconsistent data on bloodstream infections may compromise public report cards that rank hospital quality of care. One writer rants about it.

Comments (7)

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  1. Nancy says:

    I don’t doubt that checklists work. I use them all the time. They work for me and I am no where near a hospital.

  2. artk says:

    Checklists, bah humbug, what’s more important, better outcomes or physician independence?

  3. Devon Herrick says:

    I would think doctors would support check lists based on best practices. They could be a safe harbor in malpractice cases and remove some of the tedium during surgery. I don’t feel any less competent using a map or a GPS when traveling (although I hate to stop and ask for directions).

  4. Ken says:

    The more I learn about hospital report cards, the less confidence I have in them.

  5. Juan O. says:

    Pilots, mechanics, and many professions have successfully used check lists over the years.

    The first check lists were developed by pirates plundering the Scottish coast. First you pillage, THEN you burn. In that order. Otherwise, pirating isn’t as profitable.

  6. Bruce says:

    The parentage of Obama Care is a not-so-well-kept secret in conservative circles, but has been completely ignored by the mainstream media.

    It didn’t start with the Heritage Foundation. The first visible exponent was Alain Enthoven, who convinced Hillary Clinton. In those days it was called managed competition. Still, Romney Care did largely come from Heritage and Obama Care largely came from Romney Care.

  7. Tom H. says:

    @ Bruce

    I believe that Gov Romney has acknowekedged that his plan comes from Heritage but in their public pronouncements, Heritage spokesmen always seem to act like they had nothing to do with any of this.