Delaware Healthcare Association

1280 S Governors Avenue
Dover, DE 19904
(302) 674-2853
 		  
 

Healthcare Professional Resources

Guidelines, Operational Issues & Fact Sheets

Table of Contents:

 

Alcohol-Based Hand-Rub:

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards Council has amended its Life Safety Code to permit hospitals and other healthcare facilities to install alcohol-based hand-rub dispensers in their corridors.  The revisions were approved following a fire-modeling study commissioned by the American Hospital Association's (AHA) American Society of Healthcare Engineers (ASHE).  For more information go to http://www.hospitalconnect.com/ashe/currentvent/abhi.html.

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Biological & Chemical Terrorism:

Biological & Chemical Chart approved by the Delaware Division of Public Health 01/15/2004.  Click here to view the chart.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guide to all biological weapons - http://www.bt.cdc.gov/EMContact/Protocols.asp.

More bioterrorism/disaster information can be found in our Disaster Preparedness section of the web site.

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Drugs & Vaccines:

The Mayo Clinic's health information web site has a new section devoted to drugs and supplements.  They have a search engine which can look-up prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, and dietary supplements.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has a planning guide to help communities ensure all Americans have needed drugs and vaccines in the event of a natural epidemic or bioterrorist attack.  The guide, funded by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) can be found at http://www.ahrq.gov/research/cbmprophyl/cbmpro.htm.

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Emergency Departments & Physicians:

Urgent Matters - an initiative to improve hospital patient flow and reduce emergency department crowding.  A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services national initiative.

American College of Emergency Physicians - http://www.acep.org/.

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Flu Immunization:

We have compiled a page dedicated to Flu immunization information and resources.  Please click here to view the page.

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Geriatric Nursing & Long Term Care:

We have compiled a page dedicated to long term care information and resources.  Please click here to view the page.

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Guidelines:

National Guidelines Clearinghouse - a public resource for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.  The complete summary for each guideline in the database can be downloaded and viewed on all computer that use Microsoft Word.  They may also be downloaded to personal digital assistants that can read Microsoft Word documents.  For more information, go to http://www.guideline.gov/.

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Hospital Flow:

Institute for Healthcare Improvement Hospital Flow Measurement Guide - a resource to measure hospital flow in five key areas: patient and community; hospital throughout; hospital activity; hospital performance; and unit performance.  Included are change concepts, measures, resources, improvement stories, and downloadable tools.  Click here to access the guide.

Urgent Matters - an initiative to improve hospital patient flow and reduce emergency department crowding.  A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services national initiative.

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Infection and Epidemiology:

Association for Professionals in Infection and Epidemiology - http://www.apic.org

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Language and Literacy Barriers to Health Care:

Limited English Proficient Patients:

Delaware Medicaid Patients - Unison and Delaware Physician Care, Inc. (DPCI) both provide interpretation services for their members at no cost to physicians.  For more information call:

Unison's Special Needs Unit at (877) 844-8844; or
DPCI's Members Services at (866) 543-2167.

In New Castle County DE:

The Wilmington Branch of the American Association of University Women has compiled a list of volunteers who are willing to provide interpreting services in New Castle County.  The list includes speakers of 30 different languages.  Please contact Donna Barton at the Medical Society of Delaware via e-mail or telephone at
(302) 224-5198 to receive a copy of the list.

Hearing Impaired Patients:

For hearing impaired patients accessing health care, the following are resources for interpreters:

  • Delaware Medicaid Patients - Unison and Delaware Physician Care, Inc. (DPCI) both provide interpretation services for their members at no cost to physicians.  For more information call:

Unison's Special Needs Unit at (877) 844-8844; or
DPCI's Members Services at (866) 543-2167.

  • Telephone Relay Services (Provided free of charge) - These services act as a facilitator for two-way conversations.  An operator relays spoken messages in text to the deaf person, and relays the written response back to the listener verbally.  Call Def Contact at (302) 761-9700 or dial 711 for Delaware Relay Services.

  • Interpreter Services (Fee charged for services):

  • Deaf Communication Services (302) 266-6877;

  • DEAFinitions & Interpreting (302) 563-7714;

  • DEAFInitely Accessable (302) 529-7088;

  • Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Delaware Division of Rehab (302) 761-8275.

    • The Joint Commission has several resources regarding language, literacy, and cultural issues that impact the quality and safety of patient care.

The Joint Commission and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights have released a free video, "Improving Patient-Provider Communication," that supports language access in healthcare organization.  Many patients of varying circumstances require alternative communication methods, and this video helps health care organizations determine the best methods for meeting these communication needs.  The video:

  • Identifies tools that health care organizations can use to build effective language access programs.

  • Explains why particular attention should be paid to Federal civil rights standards and Joint Commission standards for effective communication and language access.

  • Addresses the obligations of health care organizations with respect to the translation of written documents.

The video is available on the Joint Commission's Hospitals, Language, and Culture Web site.

  • National Council of La Raza - Health and Family Support section of their web site addresses Latinos risk factors, disease, and disparity.

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Mass Trauma Preparedness and Response:

CDC Mass Trauma Preparedness and Response - http://www.bt.cdc.gov/masscasualties/

More bioterrorism/disaster information can be found in our Disaster Preparedness section of the web site.

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Patient Quality & Safety:

Access Patient Safety indicators benchmarks - National benchmarks for the Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) of potentially avoidable complications and adverse events are now available on the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) web site.  The description and definition of each of the PSIs are included.

ICU Toolkit Improves Safety & Quality of Care - a toolkit designed to help hospitals improve safety and quality of care in ICUs is now available from the Michigan Health & Safety Coalition.  The kit is a series of recommendations based on current research and best practices.  It was developed by a nine-member volunteer workgroup of health professionals experienced in leading ICUs and improving patient safety and quality of care.

Hospital Quality Measures - The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Quality Measures.

 Institute of Medicine (IOM) Health Care Quality Initiative

American Hospital Association (AHA) Quality and Patient Safety

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Radiology:

American College of Radiology - http://www.acr.org/

Delaware Office of Radiation Control - http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsp/orc.html

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Risk Management:

American Society of Healthcare Risk Management - http://www.ashrm.org/

Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI) - http://www.riskinstitute.org/peri/

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Workplace Safety:

The U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) released a report on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) voluntary workplace safety and health strategies.  The GAO assessed the types of strategies used, the extent of their use, and their effectiveness.  The GAO also obtained suggestions from specialists for additional voluntary compliance strategies.  The report titled, "Workplace Safety and Health: OSHA's Voluntary Compliance Strategies", is available online.

 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Web site.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Web site.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Workplace Safety.

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If there are any resources you would like to see added to this web page, please send them to Christine Pauley at christinep@deha.org.  Thank you.

  
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