From Healthcare Purchasing News: Massachusetts hospitals' mistakes list widens

Massachusetts acute-care hospitals reported 753 serious medical errors and other patient injuries last year, a 70% annual jump that health officials attributed mostly to expanded definitions of what constitutes medical harm… "
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XL Prep Resistant Ink surgical markers are the gold standard for the Joint Commission’s Universal Protocol for correct site marking: “The mark is sufficiently permanent to be visible after skin preparation and draping”. Viscot Medical’s XL Ink skin markers are visible up to 10x longer... Read the full story here

From Outpatient Surgery News: Hospitals Aren't Getting Safer, Experts Tell Congress

Are patients in U.S. hospitals safer than they were 15 years ago…? ‘The unfortunate answer is no,’ Ashish Jha, MD, MPH, told a U.S. Senate subcommittee last week.” … “Recent reports have suggested that the..." Read more here!

Patient Safety Tool: 9 Tools From the Patient Safety Movement

Viscot Medical offers additional patient safety tools to help you achieve your goals. Our Prep Resistant XL skin marker remains visible up to 10x longer even after prep, making it the gold standard in correct site marking... Read the full story here.

Vismark™ Medication Labels and Kits

Free customization and color coding on Vismark™ Medication Labels - eliminates medication errors caused by smearing, smudging, and hard to read handwriting.
Vismark™ Medication Labels are waterproof, residue-free, tear-free and smudge free... Read more here.

Zero Preventable Deaths by 2020

This weekend I had the pleasure to attend to the Patient Safety Movement's Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit. The Patient Safety Movement is a grassroots movement that seeks to get to zero preventable deaths... Read more here.

From Outpatient Surgery News: Error Reporting Works

“It's been a decade since the Minnesota Department of Health began requiring the state's hospitals and surgery centers to report serious but preventable medical errors such as wrong-site surgery... Read more here

Viscot Medical the Standard in Correct Site Marking

The Joint Commission isn’t the only one that has a Protocol for Correct Site Marking. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist prompts at least nurses and anesthetist involved to make sure the site is marked. The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and... read the full story here!

From The Guardian: Mistakes That Should Never Happen Harm 150 NHS Patients in Six Months

“Almost 150 NHS patients have been harmed by incidents that should never happen..." read more here!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year!

We promise to continue to provide support to your patient safety programs in the coming year.

From Outpatient Surgery News: 10 Common Slip-Ups That Can Get You Sued

“In my experience and in my review of recent malpractice cases..." read more here!

From Outpatient Surgery News: Joint Commission Issues Sentinel Event Alert on Retained Objects

“The Joint Commission has issued a Sentinel Event Alert, warning hospitals and surgery centers about the prevalence and dangers of retained objects... Read more here.

Medication Labels: The Power of Customization

You can’t always have something custom tailored to you, but with Viscot Medical’s Medication Labels you can.

Viscot has the most comprehensive custom Medication Label Program. How exactly does that benefit you and your facility?

• Your labels are as unique as you are. – Viscot Medical can fulfill nearly any medication, solution and color combination. Let us know your unique needs and we will tailor a label set just for you... read more on www.viscot.com

Single Patient Use: Why it matters.

In April of 2006 Wilson J, Tate D. had found that MRSA survived up to 3 weeks on the surgical marking pens(1). As Recently as April 2012 the Health Care Infection Society altered their guidelines on “the facilities required for minor surgical procedures and minimal access interventions(2)” to emphasize single patient use even with skin markers. Even the barrel of a marker can contain harmful organisms(3)! 

“A range of strategies and approaches have been developed... read the full story here at www.viscot.com!

Viscot Medical Celebrates National Time Out Day!

Today is National Time Out Day, marking the importance of surgical time outs and checklists.  The AORN introduced the day as “a powerful tool that supports surgical nurses’ ability to speak up for safe practices in the operating room” and the Joint Commission has recognized its significance in the battle against... Read more here at www.viscot.com!

Infection Prevention: The Steady Decline

East Hanover, NJ – [February 21], 2013 – Viscot Medical and Infection Prevention

CDC has released data showing the decline in specific Hospital Acquired Infections. Such as central line-associated bloodstream infections- especially in intensive care units and neonatal intensive care units- which dropped 41 percent between 2008 and 2011, beating out the previously recorded 32 percent in 2010. Surgical site infections (SSIs) saw a 17 percent reduction since 2008, up from the 7 percent reduction in 2010 [www.fiercehealthcare.com].

This is only the beginning, as suggested by... read the rest on www.viscot.com!

Is it really that simple? Standard Written Checklists Can Improve Patient Safety.

East Hanover, NJ – [February 5], 2013 –  Is it really that simple? Standard Written Checklists Can Improve Patient Safety.

Checklists have the power to help keep us organized, but do they also have the power to save lives?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has found that in a crisis situation such as when a patient experiences cardiac arrest or other crisis during surgery doctors, nurses, and other OR staff are nearly 75% less likely to miss a critical clinical step when provided a written safety checklist [AHRQ Press Release]. 


Another checklist created by the Joint Commission was designed to help... Read more on www.viscot.com!

Viscot Medical – AllSkin™ Plus+: Maximum Visibility, Maximum Prep Resistance

East Hanover, NJ – [November 26], 2012 – Introducing the AllSkin™ Plus+ with Prep Resistant Ink

Viscot Medical’s new AllSkin™ Plus+ is the first prep resistant ink marker that offers maximum visibility and prep resistance on all skin tones. Our specially formulated VIXL brilliant blue ink provides enhanced visibility even after prepping with common alcohol-based antiseptics such as ChloraPrep® or Duraprep™.

AllSkin™ Plus+ remains visible up to 10X longer... To finish and find out more about our exciting new product please click here!

Viscot Medical – Helping to Eliminate Medication Labeling Errors!

East Hanover, NJ – [September 10], 2012 –  Viscot supports medication label safety solutions.

Viscot Medical, a 40 year old global leader in surgical markers, is known for just that: surgical markers. But that’s not the only Safety Solution we proudly create.

Viscot Medical is home to one of the most competitive Medication Label Programs in the industry, not only in price but in quality and service. Vismark™ Medication Labels and Kits are waterproof, residue-free, tear-free, and (if you use one of our waterproof permanent ink markers) smudge free... (read the rest here on www.viscot.com)

Hospital Errors: When will they end?!

It seems like every day there's a new story in my inbox about a hospital being fined for safety violations or being cited for endangering patients. The sad thing is many of these mistakes and occurrences are completely 100% preventable. The Joint Commission has ongoing education available, this information can be accessed by absolutely anyone. Facilities doesn't have to be Joint Commission accredited to be safer, they just have to be willing and open to the tools that can make them safer.

Viscot Medical is committed to safety. Not only do we offer safety solutions such as correct site marking tools and our medication label safety program, we like to offer a constant stream of information through our Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and even right here on BlogSpot. Viscot Medical isn't just your one stop shop for markers, it's your one stop shop for the knowledge patients and health care professionals should arm themselves with to make the world- at least inside the OR- a safer place.

Viscot Medical

A proud Veteran Owned Small Business

www.viscot.com