The American Medical Association’s recent pledge to “work vigorously to stop implementation of ICD-10” may be a case of standing in front of a moving freight train in an attempt to stop it. Why, one might ask, are physicians vehemently opposing the change from ICD-9 to ICD-10 at his late juncture?
On November 9, 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics released data showing that the 2010 incidence of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work was 2 ½ times higher in health care support workers than in the population as a whole. And the rate is increasing: musculoskeletal disorder […]
We knew it was coming: OSHA has announced an initiative to crack down on healthcare industries by initiating special emphasis programs to address alarming injury stats in healthcare environments. Newly released data from The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms that the incident rate for nonfatal occupational injuries is increasing among healthcare […]
When he delivered the keynote address at PureSafety’s 2011 User Conference in Nashville, former Tennessee Governor Philip Bredesen presented a well-reasoned critique of President Obama’s health care reform plan contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Because he is a Democrat and has extensive health care experience in both the public […]
We had a great turnout for the webinar I hosted today, sponsored by PureSafety. That’s not surprising given the importance of the topic – OSHA in Healthcare: Out of Sight, Out of Mind. Healthcare has eleven million employees across thousands of sites, incident rates far higher than general industry norms, complaints driving half of hospital […]
While flu activity usually peaks in January or February, the flu itself is unpredictable. Although there are many different flu viruses, the yearly flu vaccine protects against the three viruses that research suggests will be most common that flu season.
Attending the ASSE national conference this week opened my eyes to new and innovative ideas coming out in the fields of safety and health. Walking and looking around the expo floor showed a plethora of new safety equipment and techniques to help employees work in safer environments.
What better time to discuss workplace wellness programs than during May, National Employee Health and Fitness Month? The goal of health and fitness month is to promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle through worksite health promotion activities.