> Data shows acute care hospitals received lower patient experience ratings than critical access hospitals when compared across all patient experience metrics, according to an HCAHPS survey, Business 2 Community reported Wednesday. The HCAHPS results concluded that acute care hospitals could improve patient experience and loyalty by focusing on improved pain management, responsiveness and medical staff explaining medications to patients better. Article
> Hillcrest Medical Center became the first hospital in Oklahoma and the 12th in the country to be certified in palliative care by The Joint Commission, The Tulsa World reported Thursday. The facility will have teams working with seriously ill patients to manage symptoms and pain, which have shown to decrease patient pain and lower readmission rates. Article
> New Hampshire's Exeter Hospital is facing five more lawsuits following a hepatitis C outbreak allegedly caused by a hospital employee contaminating needles or syringes after stealing injectable drugs, Foster's Daily Democrat reported Thursday. As of June 20, 47 people had signed onto the class action lawsuit, and 12 others now have filed additional individual suits. Article
> The rates of both community-onset and hospital-onset methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia declined from 2005 to 2010, according to a study in yesterday's issue of JAMA. The study included 9 million active and non-active members of the Department of Defense and concluded that although MRSA rates were decreasing, MRSA still is a substantial concern with the military. Announcement
And Finally… Assault with a deadly … peanut butter sandwich? Article