The Latest Healthcare Industry News

As hospitals delve deeper into the realm of information technology (IT), research continues to demonstrate the positive impact of electronic advancements on many aspects of health care. The latest link: increased patient satisfaction.

The American Hospital Association and Health Forum held the 16th annual Leadership Summit in San Diego, California, in July 2008, bringing together more than 1,500 senior leadership executives, trustees and clinical leaders looking to improve quality, safety and performance within their organizations.

Setting the standards for quality care and positive outcomes, The Joint Commission only awards their coveted Gold Seal of Approval™ to the best companies and facilities in the healthcare field. Placing each of the prospective seal recipients through a rigorous review of their clinical standards, service delivery and information management, the reward for this arduous process is the ability to offer patients the comfort of knowing they are in the hands of the highest quality healthcare professionals.

Patients receiving care for a heart attack or pneumonia in hospitals performing well on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey are more likely to survive than patients in other hospitals, according to a new study from The Leapfrog Group, an organization comprised of employer healthcare purchasers dedicated to improving healthcare safety and value.   

As the field of medicine becomes more consumer oriented, hospitals have been instituting new measures to improve patient care and their bottom line. One such measure is the use of "secret shoppers" or "mystery shoppers," a practice which some doctors see as unethical.