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| Lawsuit Cites HCA for RN Understaffing
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It's not uncommon for nurses at HCA hospitals to care for 12 patients at a time, says a federal class action lawsuit claiming that the nation's leading healthcare services provider deliberately understaffs RNs at its hospitals in order to maximize profits.
The lawsuit, filed last week on behalf of all patients at HCA's nearly 200 hospitals since 1996, seeks $12.25 billion in damages to compensate the victims of insufficient care as a result of what the lawsuit alleges is the company's cost-cutting strategy to build a $50 billion company. The company, which operates 182 hospitals and 94 outpatient surgery centers in 22 states, England and Switzerland, reported revenues of $24.5 billion in 2005.
The lead plaintiff is the widow of a man who died at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kans., after an April 2004 operation. The woman claims her husband died because the hospital didn't employ enough nurses to properly care for him during his hospitalization. The lawsuit describes studies that indicate higher patient-to-nurse ratios lead to higher mortality rates, but doesn't provide citations for the studies.
HCA spokesman Ed Fishbough says the company will vigorously defend itself against the lawsuit's allegations.
"Bringing a class action suit like this is an obvious attempt to sensationalize and garner media attention," says Mr. Fishbough, who declined to discuss the lawsuit in detail. "Unfortunately, what these types of suits do is raise medical costs for everyone." HCA has 20 days to respond to the lawsuit in writing.
In recent years, many state legislatures have avoided introducing legislation mandating specific nurse-to-patient ratios. These states instead have sought to address staffing needs and overtime by requiring healthcare facilities to develop an acuity system. Proponents of this type of legislation cite the flexibility that it offers healthcare facilities to meet changing needs.
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| TASS Outbreak in North America
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Ophthalmology practices across North America are reporting incidents of toxic anterior segment syndrome, or TASS, among their cataract surgery patients, according to an alert issued last week by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators.
The organizations' alert notes that the recent increase in the number of reported cases bears a resemblance to an outbreak that occurred last fall when endotoxins contaminated certain lots of balanced salt solution manufactured by Cytosol Ophthalmics. That outbreak appeared to subside by early 2006 following a federal recall of the product, the alert adds.
The current outbreak of TASS, which is not related to the BSS contamination, appears to have originated last month, the alert says. Its etiology is as yet unclear. Most of the currently reported cases have been categorized as moderate toxic inflammation.
TASS is an acute, sterile anterior segment inflammation that follows otherwise uneventful cataract and anterior segment surgery. Its rapid onset differentiates it from infectious endophthalmitis, with most patients developing symptoms within 12 to 24 hours after surgery. Patients with TASS will often respond quite rapidly to treatment with topical corticosteroids.
Physicians should watch for increased postoperative inflammation after cataract and anterior segment surgery, the alert warns. You can report suspicious cases to Nick Mamalis, MD, of the University of Utah's Intermountain Ocular Research Center at nick.mamalis@hsc.utah.edu or (801) 581-6586, or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Health Care Quality Promotion at (800) 893-0485.
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| FDA Aims to Prevent Medical Gas Errors
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Ophthalmology practices across North America are reporting incidents of toxic anterior segment syndrome, or TASS, among their cataract surgery patients, according to an alert issued last week by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators.
The organizations' alert notes that the recent increase in the number of reported cases bears a resemblance to an outbreak that occurred last fall when endotoxins contaminated certain lots of balanced salt solution manufactured by Cytosol Ophthalmics. That outbreak appeared to subside by early 2006 following a federal recall of the product, the alert adds.
The current outbreak of TASS, which is not related to the BSS contamination, appears to have originated last month, the alert says. Its etiology is as yet unclear. Most of the currently reported cases have been categorized as moderate toxic inflammation.
TASS is an acute, sterile anterior segment inflammation that follows otherwise uneventful cataract and anterior segment surgery. Its rapid onset differentiates it from infectious endophthalmitis, with most patients developing symptoms within 12 to 24 hours after surgery. Patients with TASS will often respond quite rapidly to treatment with topical corticosteroids.
Physicians should watch for increased postoperative inflammation after cataract and anterior segment surgery, the alert warns. You can report suspicious cases to Nick Mamalis, MD, of the University of Utah's Intermountain Ocular Research Center at nick.mamalis@hsc.utah.edu or (801) 581-6586, or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Health Care Quality Promotion at (800) 893-0485.
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| News and Notes
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Ophthalmology practices across North America are reporting incidents of toxic anterior segment syndrome, or TASS, among their cataract surgery patients, according to an alert issued last week by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators.
The organizations' alert notes that the recent increase in the number of reported cases bears a resemblance to an outbreak that occurred last fall when endotoxins contaminated certain lots of balanced salt solution manufactured by Cytosol Ophthalmics. That outbreak appeared to subside by early 2006 following a federal recall of the product, the alert adds.
The current outbreak of TASS, which is not related to the BSS contamination, appears to have originated last month, the alert says. Its etiology is as yet unclear. Most of the currently reported cases have been categorized as moderate toxic inflammation.
TASS is an acute, sterile anterior segment inflammation that follows otherwise uneventful cataract and anterior segment surgery. Its rapid onset differentiates it from infectious endophthalmitis, with most patients developing symptoms within 12 to 24 hours after surgery. Patients with TASS will often respond quite rapidly to treatment with topical corticosteroids.
Physicians should watch for increased postoperative inflammation after cataract and anterior segment surgery, the alert warns. You can report suspicious cases to Nick Mamalis, MD, of the University of Utah's Intermountain Ocular Research Center at nick.mamalis@hsc.utah.edu or (801) 581-6586, or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Health Care Quality Promotion at (800) 893-0485.
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