Mary Chris Jaklevic

Will a ‘National Patient Safety Board,’ Modeled After the NTSB, Actually Fly?

KFF Health News Original

A push is underway to create a National Patient Safety Board modeled after the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent federal agency that investigates plane crashes and other transportation disasters. But unlike the NTSB, some patient safety advocates say, the current proposal is toothless and wouldn’t provide transparency about the nation’s hospitals.

Lost on the Frontline

KFF Health News Original

“Lost on the Frontline” is an ongoing project by Kaiser Health News and The Guardian that aims to document the lives of health care workers in the U.S. who died from COVID 19, and to investigate why so many are victims of the disease.

No Shield From X-Rays: How Science Is Rethinking Lead Aprons

KFF Health News Original

A number of radiology organizations are trying to end the decades-old practice of shielding patients from radiation with lead aprons. They say it provides no benefit and might even inadvertently expose people to higher radiation levels. But the policy about-face is moving slowly.

Promising Greater Safety, A Tiny Widget Creates Chaos For Tube Feeders

KFF Health News Original

A standard connector for feeding tubes was supposed to improve patient safety by preventing accidental misconnections to equipment used for IVs or other purposes. But critics say the design instead could keep patients from real food and inadvertently creates a host of new risks, including for vulnerable premature infants.

Robotic Surgical Tool, Not Medical Evidence, Drives Free Hernia Screenings

KFF Health News Original

Hospitals around the country are promoting free hernia screenings that tout their robotic surgery tools. But some experts warn such screenings could lead people to get potentially harmful operations that they don’t need.

Popular Charity Heart Screenings For Teens May Cause More Problems Than They Solve

KFF Health News Original

The screenings with an electrocardiogram are often set up after a tragic death of a local athlete, but researchers say there is no evidence that they prevent deaths and may lead to false alarms and further unnecessary testing.