West Meade Place Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center Becomes First Enhanced Respiratory Care Accredited Facility

West Meade Place Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center Becomes First Enhanced Respiratory Care Accredited Facility

12 years ago, the  Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety was established with the mission of improving patient safety and the quality of patient care. There can perhaps be no better way to celebrate this accomplishment than today’s announcement of the first facility to receive Enhanced Respiratory Care Accreditation. Congratulations, West Meade!

The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS) is pleased to announce that West Meade Place Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Nashville, Tennessee, has met or exceeded the Enhanced Respiratory Care Standards of Care.

West Meade Place Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center has provided nursing services to the Greater Nashville community since 1992.  Said James Wright (Administrator, West Meade Place) about their dedication to quality of care, “At West Meade, we are committed to the care and satisfaction of the customers we serve. Receiving Enhanced Respiratory Care Accreditation demonstrates our continued commitment to ensuring that our customers receive the highest level of care.”
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Has the Patient Safety Needle Moved?

Has the Patient Safety Needle Moved?

This post is in memory of Amanda Abbiehl, whose untimely death due to respiratory compromise sparked the creation of the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety with the mission to improve patient safety and the quality of patient care.

By Michael Wong, JD (Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety)

I am often asked, “Has the patient safety needle moved?” Moreover, for some reason, that question usually comes from mothers who have lost a loved one. However, I must admit that I also ask myself this question from time to time.

This is a great question, particularly as the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety is ranked internationally as a top-100 patient safety organization (Agilience Authority Index, July 2023).

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Alleviating The Burden of Sepsis and the COVID Pandemic

The Burden of Sepsis and the COVID Pandemic

We know that every three seconds, one person shockingly dies of sepsis worldwide. Seventy-five percent of the survivors suffer long-term effects. People experiencing poverty were affected more than anybody else. However, amid the global health emergency of COVID-19, there is now an opportunity to create a platform that strengthens the entire health system to address the burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases. 

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Every Second Counts in Sepsis Care

Every Second Counts in Sepsis Care

In the 2023 annual report, “Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2023,” ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) identify 10 issues that threaten the safety of patients and healthcare workers when processes and systems are not aligned. To develop this report, ECRI and ISMP “analyzed scientific literature, patient safety events, concerns reported to or investigated by either organization, and other various internal and external data to identify the most pressing issues impacting patient safety.”

Of the 10 Patient Safety Concerns, the one where every second counts is Sepsis – “Sepsis is a medical emergency where seconds count.”  According to the Global Sepsis Alliance (“GSA”), sepsis is a global health crisis:

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Physician-Patient Alliance for Health and Safety Accredits 4th World Sepsis Congress for Continuing Medical Education Credits

We are pleased to announce that 12 of the 16 sessions of the 4th World Sepsis Congress hosted by the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA) have been accredited by the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS) for continuing medical education (CME) credits. 

To receive continuing medical education credits for watching the Congress sessions, please click here. Time-limited offer – purchase 1 course by June 30, 2023, and take the other 11 for free in July!

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Enhanced Respiratory Care Accreditation – 11 Applications, 6 States, 2 Countries

Enhanced Respiratory Care Accreditation – 11 Applications, 6 States, 2 Countries

From the desk of the Executive Director of the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety – this article discusses the receipt of 11 applications for Enhanced Respiratory Care across 6 US states and 2 different countries, as well as substantial international interest in ERC courses from Ghana, Kuwait, and Pakistan.

By Michael Wong, JD (Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety)

Enhanced Respiratory Care Pre-Launch Jitters

When we were planning for the launch of the Enhanced Respiratory Care Accreditation program, the pessimist in me said we would not get any applications at all.

However, even before we launched the program on April 20, 2023,  Carl Hinkson, MS, RRT-NPS, ACCS, FAARC (President, American Association for Respiratory Care) had sent us this letter announcing support and endorsement of our Enhanced Respiratory Care program.

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Thank You to All of the Volunteers at the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety!

Thank You to All of the Volunteers at the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety!

By Michael Wong, JD (Founder & Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety)

Recently an Associated Press article’s headline caught my attention – “Nonprofits Scramble for Help Amid Dearth of Volunteers”. According to that article, getting volunteer help at nonprofits has become much more difficult since the COVID pandemic:

As pandemic-related government aid programs end and inflation rises, nonprofits of all kinds are looking everywhere and trying everything to get volunteers. According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps survey, formal volunteer participation was 23.2 percent, dropping 7 percentage points from 2019 to 2021 — the largest decrease the survey has recorded since a version of it started in 2002.

It’s reached the point where the lack of volunteers strains the safety net that nonprofits provide to many of society’s most vulnerable.

“This is a wake-up call for the social sector, which depends on volunteers, especially as needs for services remain high,” said Michael D. Smith, CEO of AmeriCorps, which has opened its yearly grant program to award $8 million to help nonprofits recruit and retain volunteers.

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The Importance of Infection Control in the Healthcare Setting: Tips for Medical Professionals

The Importance of Infection Control in the Healthcare Setting: Tips for Medical Professionals

Editor’s note: This article is an opinion article written by Kelly Koeppel who is an author, editor, and digital marketing specialist. She is also an editor of Aging.com that submitted this article.

By Kelly Koeppel 

Every year, millions of people are affected by hospital-acquired infections. These infections can have serious, sometimes fatal consequences for patients in the healthcare setting. Infection control plays an essential role in reducing the spread of these infections and keeping patients safe. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of infection control in the healthcare setting and discuss tips for medical professionals to prevent the spread of infection. From standard precautions and protective equipment to best practices for handwashing and screening patients, we’ll cover all you need to know about infection control in healthcare facilities. So let’s get started – it could be a matter of life or death!

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New Healthcare Accreditation Sets National Standard for Respiratory Care of Patients

The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS) is pleased to announce the availability of accreditation for healthcare facilities that meet the Enhanced Respiratory Care Standards of Care.

The Enhanced Respiratory Care Standards of Care are supported and endorsed by the American Association for Respiratory Care. Carl Hinkson, MS, RRT-NPS, ACCS, FAARC (President, American Association for Respiratory Care) writes:

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