by Keri McDermott | Feb 3, 2021 | Covid-19, Featured, Nursing Home Quality
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is real among healthcare workers: in a January Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll, about one in three health care workers planned to wait to see how the vaccine is working or would get it only if required to. The American Health Care...
by Keri McDermott | Feb 2, 2021 | Featured, Great Plains QIN, Medication Safety
Medications can be lifesaving treatments that change the world. Unfortunately, if not used properly medications can also lead to adverse events. In fact adverse drug events (ADEs) account for over 1 million emergency department visits a year and 1/3 of all hospital...
by Keri McDermott | Feb 2, 2021 | Cardiac Care, Featured
Heart disease is a leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Most middle-aged and young adults have one or more risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or being a smoker or overweight. Having...
by Keri McDermott | Feb 1, 2021 | Covid-19, Featured, Healthcare-Associated Infections
The focus on combating coronavirus during the pandemic has made it easier for other healthcare associated infections (HAIs) to spread. Many of the interventions to prevent, test and monitor for HAI were deprioritized to have additional resources available to address...
by Keri McDermott | Feb 1, 2021 | CMS News, Covid-19, Featured
CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and...
by Keri McDermott | Jan 27, 2021 | Covid-19, Featured
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created a COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkit for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to help build confidence in this important new vaccine. Access the COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkit for...
by Keri McDermott | Jan 25, 2021 | Featured, Medication Safety
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it would publish Practice Guidelines for the Administration of Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder*, to expand access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) by exempting physicians from certain...
by Keri McDermott | Jan 25, 2021 | Cardiac Care, Chronic Disease Self-Management, Featured, Public Observances
Chronic disease prevention and self-management are keys to reducing the prevalence and impact of heart disease. The National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute (NHBLI) celebrates American Heart Month in February to motivate Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles to...
by Keri McDermott | Jan 22, 2021 | Featured, Medication Safety, Opioids
Communities throughout the nation continue to be impacted by the opioid epidemic, which has worsened the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) can affect women in particular ways at all stages of life, including adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy,...
by Keri McDermott | Jan 19, 2021 | Featured, Patient Safety
Dakota Geriatrics, in partnership with Service Providers for Seniors, recently announced the launch of Age Friendly Health Care: Webinar Series. A series of 5 one-hour long tele mentoring sessions to be held every second Monday of the month at 4 p.m. CT, starting...