MX Blog

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	Poll Results: Healthcare Resolutions for 2013 by: The EXchange Edit... At MX our goal is to provide you, our readers, with the healthcare information and discussions you want most. With that in mind, our last poll question asked what your hospital will be focusing on in 2013. January, 16 2013
	3 Million American Women Suffering in Silence by: Sherrie_Palm Over three million women in the U.S. and millions more in countries around the world suffer in silence with pelvic organ prolapse; few women are familiar with this common, cryptic condition prior to their diagnosis. Thirty years ago, no one wanted to talk about breast cancer; fifteen years ago no one wanted to talk about ED; POP is without a doubt the biggest secret in women’s health. It’s time we bring this common, cryptic women’s health concern out into the open. I’m hopeful you’ll want to join the campaign to shift awareness. January, 16 2013
	Patient Safety and Team Training by: lburgoyne Most medical professionals know that in 1999 the Institute of Medicine released the following statistic: Each year between 44,000 and 98,000 patient deaths can be attributed to medical errors. This startling report started the shift towards patient safety awareness. The focus of that movement changed in 2008, when the Joint Commission reported that miscommunication is the underlying cause to 70% of sentinel events. Much of the continuing research on the subject noted that poor outcomes were often related to a breakdown in teamwork, not a failure of the individual. December, 19 2012
	When Your New Best Friend Could Also Save Your Life by: kcarew Service dogs are best known for guiding the visually impaired, search and rescue missions, sniffing out drugs and bombs, or providing mobility assistance for people with severe disabilities. But a new class of ‘alert dogs’ are gaining recognition. Diabetes, or hypoglycemic, ‘alert dogs’ are high on Holiday Wish Lists this year. December, 18 2012
	With Cuts Looming, Hospitals Target the Pharmacy by: lburgoyne Hospital pharmacies are a critical component to patient care. Unfortunately, the pharmacy department typically represents one of the hospital’s highest cost centers and unlike other hospital departments, only twenty percent of the budget is staff. Most of the pharmacy’s operating costs are a direct result of drug expenditures. December, 13 2012
	Innovator Spotlight: HeartCaring by: The EXchange Edit... The Women's Heart Foundation reports that heart attacks strike more than 430,000 women annually and kill more than 260,000. To put that in perspective, that is six times the amount of women who die from breast cancer each year. December, 13 2012
	Using Social Media to Build Your Hospital's Brand by: kcarew To keep up with emerging trends and actively engage patients and their families, hospitals are adding social media to their arsenal of marketing tactics at record speeds. They are just as quickly discovering that when not used effectively, social media can drain staff resources and expose weaknesses. November, 28 2012
	MX in the News: 5 Surprising Benefits Health Insurance Exchanges May Have on Health Systems by: jdavis _{By: Joe Davis, PhD} _{Article originally appeared on Becker's Hospital Review} In August, MX.com surveyed approximately 1,000 health system executives and found that nearly two-thirds — 62 percent — were either uncertain or held a negative view about health insurance exchanges (often abbreviated as HIXs) and their impact on health systems. In the haze of health reform legislation, it is clear that a majority of senior executives have yet to see the promise that HIXs may offer to health systems. November, 15 2012
	Saving Lives through Pay for Performance by: kcarew As 2013 looms, many industry leaders and health policy experts are questioning the value and success of hospital pay for performance based care. The reason behind the movement is sound -- reduce the $750 billion spent every year on unnecessary treatment. November, 14 2012
	Patient Safety? Look to the Skies! by: kcarew An article published in the April issue Journal of Patient Safety, reports that the losses associated with medical errors that lead to patient harm and waste of healthcare resources are equivalent to twenty Boeing 757 airliners crashing each week, with $10 million in each cargo hold. November, 7 2012