News and Media

Welcome to Quality Buzz. Quality Buzz is dedicated to bringing you all the latest news and information to help you improve the quality of your health care. We update this section weekly and hope that it will become an important resource for you.

April 15, 2009 — Advance planning… make your wishes known: National Healthcare Decision Day

Today we are releasing our second video, in which Dr. Bob Klugman from UMass Memorial Medical Center gives viewers simple tips for making the most of your time with your doctor. We appreciate Dr. Klugman sharing his thoughts and practical advise. Please watch it and forward to your friends and family members.

The Boston Globe ran multiple articles this week about high rates of MRSA infections at a Boston hospital. While public health experts are still trying to determine if these 'super bug' infections were developed inside or outside of the hospital, it reminds all of us to take precautions, including regular handwashing, to reduce your risk of infections.

Last week, the MA Department of Public Health released its first report on Serious Reportable Events, or so-called "Never Events," that occured in MA hospitals over the past year. While the overall number may seem high (338 incidents last year), it is hard to put this number into context since this is just the first year of the report. For example, some hopsitals may have erred on the side of over-caution in making reports. It will be important to monitor trends as the Department issues reports in the future. Even in this first year of data, it is interesting to note that almost two-thirds of the events were patient falls. Attention to falls has encouraged many hosptials to institute preventative measures to reduce the number of falls.

And finally, this Thursday is National Healthcare Decision Day. The goal of the day is to encourage all adults to prepare advance directives, if they haven't already. Surveys show that fewer than 25% of adults in the U.S. have them. Each of us has the ability to guide our health care providers and our loved ones about what we want for our end-of-life care. I encourage you to use this opportunity to discuss your wishes with your family and complete an advance directive.

Other interesting news/articles this week include:
 

• The Sixth Annual HealthGrades Patient Safety in American Hospitals Study
• Why 'Quality' Care Is Dangerous, Wall Street Journal
• How Quality-of-Care Rules Can Lead Doctors Astray, Wall Street Journal

Back to Top