Never Events
Never Event
Oluwatosin Eleyinafe
HSA 268
Professor Garcia
November 22, 2012
Healthcare facilities are very active institutions. Each part must be functioning correctly, from delivery systems and issues of Managed Care and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to the National Quality Forum (NQF). These different parts of healthcare facilities are constantly dealing with many different situations that arise. Sometimes circumstances that should not take place occur. These types of circumstances are known as Never Events. As these events rise in number, the safety of patients is decreased; this forces the healthcare facility to find new and improved ways to ensure the safety of patients and reduce medical errors.
Never events are dangerous and should never be allowed to occur. The issue of never events has become such a huge event that starting October 1, 2008 Medicare refuses to reimburse hospitals in the case of patients that have suffered these events. Patients are also not allowed to be billed for these incidents; it is the responsibility of the hospitals to pay for harm and damages. By doing this Medicare has made sure to improve the safety and value of patients’ lives (Lippmann, 2008).
An example of a never event is the following: someone suffering from a spinal injury in an ambulance is being rushed to the emergency room. When the patient reaches the hospital, they are placed on a gurney. Suddenly, the gurney is spotted rolling down the hallway of the hospital by itself without anyone to direct it to where it needs to go. The unfortunate patient crashes into a wall and is permanently paralyzed. This type of situation could and should have been avoided.
While the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services states that it would never pay for the charges of never events that occur in a healthcare facility, it will pay for the treatment of a patient who is suffering from the consequences of a never event. In 2008, the Center for Medicaid
Oluwatosin Eleyinafe
HSA 268
Professor Garcia
November 22, 2012
Healthcare facilities are very active institutions. Each part must be functioning correctly, from delivery systems and issues of Managed Care and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to the National Quality Forum (NQF). These different parts of healthcare facilities are constantly dealing with many different situations that arise. Sometimes circumstances that should not take place occur. These types of circumstances are known as Never Events. As these events rise in number, the safety of patients is decreased; this forces the healthcare facility to find new and improved ways to ensure the safety of patients and reduce medical errors.
Never events are dangerous and should never be allowed to occur. The issue of never events has become such a huge event that starting October 1, 2008 Medicare refuses to reimburse hospitals in the case of patients that have suffered these events. Patients are also not allowed to be billed for these incidents; it is the responsibility of the hospitals to pay for harm and damages. By doing this Medicare has made sure to improve the safety and value of patients’ lives (Lippmann, 2008).
An example of a never event is the following: someone suffering from a spinal injury in an ambulance is being rushed to the emergency room. When the patient reaches the hospital, they are placed on a gurney. Suddenly, the gurney is spotted rolling down the hallway of the hospital by itself without anyone to direct it to where it needs to go. The unfortunate patient crashes into a wall and is permanently paralyzed. This type of situation could and should have been avoided.
While the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services states that it would never pay for the charges of never events that occur in a healthcare facility, it will pay for the treatment of a patient who is suffering from the consequences of a never event. In 2008, the Center for Medicaid
Cited: Page Fuhrmans, Vanessa. "Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors Health Plans Say New Rules Improve Safety and Cut Costs; Hospitals Can 't Dun Patients." Online.wsj.com. N.P., 15 Jan. 2008. Web. 3 Dec. 2012. Kongstvedt, Peter R. Managed Care: What It Is and How It Works. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett, 2009. Print. Lippmann, Q. K., Seth D. Crockett, Evan S. Dellon, and Nicholas J. Shaheen. "Quality of Life in GERD and Barrett 's Esophagus Is Related to Gender and Manifestation of Disease." The American Journal of Gastroenterology (2009): n. pag. Print. Ozan-Rafferty, Maggie. "Hospitals: Never Have a Never Event." Http://businessjournal.gallup.com. N.P., 7 May 2009. Web. 3 Dec. 2012.