BACKGROUND In response to the rapid aging of the population in Japan, many care systems have been created in quick succession. Establishment of discharge planning departments (DPDs) in hospitals is one of them. In this study, we compared the distribution and characteristics of DPDs and the characteristics of the hospitals that have DPDs between 2001 and 2010 in Japan. METHODS We mailed a ques...

some glaring examples of breakdown in sterilization (Savage, 1944; Walter, 1948; Howie and Timbury, 1956; Bowie 1955, 1957). More recently, stimulated by the original observations, administrators and hospital authorities are becoming increasingly conscious that the whole machinery of sterilization in hospitals needs a drastic overhaul (Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust, 1958; Medical Research...

introduction: medical tourism marketing is currently known as a competitive and profitable industry throughout the world. it is considered as a modern field of developed tourism. appropriate provision of information would increase the awareness of medical tourists about the capabilities of health services. this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of information mechanisms on attracting ...

In 2008, Medicare implemented a policy limiting reimbursement to hospitals for treating avoidable hospital-acquired conditions (HACs). Although the policy will expand nationally to Medicaid programs in 2011, little is known about the impact on safety net hospitals. The authors conducted interviews with 60 chief quality officers and 55 chief financial officers from safety net hospitals to explor...

OBJECTIVE To determine the preparedness level of hospitals against natural disasters in Bandar Abbas, Iran. METHODS The cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in all the 9 hospitals in Bandar Abbas, Iran, during 2012. The required data was collected using a standard checklist comprising 220 items in 10 areas. It was completed for each hospital using observations and interviews. SPSS...

In 2003, Hamilton Health Sciences embarked on an initiative to improve and standardize nursing schedules and scheduling practices. The scheduling project was one of several initiatives undertaken by a corporate-wide Nursing Resource Group established to enhance the work environment and patient care and to ensure appropriate utilization of nursing resources across the organization's five hospita...

OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of nurse staffing and organizational support for nursing care on nurses' dissatisfaction with their jobs, nurse burnout, and nurse reports of quality of patient care in an international sample of hospitals. DESIGN Multisite cross-sectional survey SETTING Adult acute-care hospitals in the U.S. (Pennsylvania), Canada (Ontario and British Columbia), England and...

AIM This study examines the relationship between nurse/physician collaboration and patient length of stay (LOS). BACKGROUND The quality of nurse/physician relationships has been shown to have an impact on patient outcomes. As the acuity level of patients admitted to hospitals continue to rise, the need for collaboratively determined care is essential for avoiding errors and promoting quality....

OBJECTIVE To determine whether, following implementation of California's minimum nurse staffing legislation, changes in acuity-adjusted nurse staffing and quality of care in California hospitals outpaced similar changes in hospitals in comparison states without such regulations. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING Data from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey of Hospitals, the California O...