Hospital Disaster Preparedness for Obstetricians and Facilities Providing Maternity Care

Number 555

ABSTRACT: Numerous occurrences in the past decade have brought the issue of disaster preparedness, and specifically hospital preparedness, to the national forefront. Much of the work in this area has...

Tracking and Reminder Systems

Number 546

(Replaces No. 461, August 2010)

ABSTRACT: An accurate and effective tracking or reminder system is useful for the modern practice of obstetrics and gynecology. Practices should not rely solely on the patient to complete all ordered...

Disclosure and Discussion of Adverse Events

Number 520

(Replaces No. 380, October 2007)

ABSTRACT: Disclosure and discussion of adverse events in health care with the patient are morally and ethically necessary to achieve the optimal goal of respecting patient autonomy. Improving the dis...

Fatigue and Patient Safety

Number 519

(Replaces No. 398, February 2008)

ABSTRACT: It has long been recognized that fatigue can affect human cognitive and physical function. Although there are limited published data on the effects of fatigue on health care providers, incl...

Communication Strategies for Patient Handoffs

Number 517

(Replaces No. 367, June 2007)

ABSTRACT: Handoff communication, which includes up-to-date information regarding patient care, treatment and service, condition, and any recent or anticipated changes, should be interactive to allow ...

Disruptive Behavior

Number 508

(Replaces No. 366, May 2007)

ABSTRACT: Disruptive physician behavior may have a negative effect on patient care. Consequently, it is important that a systematic process be in place to discourage, identify, and remedy episodes of...

Effective Patient - Physician Communication

Number 492

ABSTRACT: Perhaps the greatest contemporary challenge in implementing the principles of effective communication lies in our current health care environment that demands increasing physician productiv...

Health Literacy

Number 491

Replaces No. 391, December 2007

ABSTRACT: According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic he...

Partnering With Patients to Improve Safety

Number 490

(Replaces No. 320, November 2005)

ABSTRACT: Actively involving patients in the planning of health services is recommended as a means of improving the quality of care. This can increase patient engagement and reduce risk resulting in ...

Preparing for Clinical Emergencies in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Number 487

(Replaces No. 353, December 2006)

ABSTRACT: Patient care emergencies may periodically occur at any time in any setting, particularly the inpatient setting. To respond to these emergencies, it is important that obstetrician–gynecologi...

Empathy in Womens Health Care

Number 480

ABSTRACT: Empathy is the process through which one attempts to project oneself into another's life and imagine a situation from his or her point of view. Most individuals do have an innate capacity t...

Patient Safety and the Electronic Health Record

Number 472

ABSTRACT: The electronic health record (EHR) has the potential to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care when fully implemented, yet adoption of this tool has been slow. The adva...

Patient Safety in the Surgical Environment

Number 464

(Reaffirmed 2012, Replaces No. 328, February 2006)

ABSTRACT: Ensuring patient safety in the operating room begins before the patient enters the operative suite and includes attention to all applicable types of preventable medical errors (including, f...

The Obstetric-Gynecologic Hospitalist

Number 459

(Reaffirmed 2012)

ABSTRACT: The work models for the obstetric–gynecologic hospitalist and the obstetric laborist are gaining popularity and momentum in hospitals across the nation. These models could be timely solutio...

Patient Safety in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Number 447

(Reaffirmed 2012, Replaces No. 286, October 2003)

ABSTRACT: Since publication of the Institute of Medicine's landmark report To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System, emphasis on patient safety has steadily increased. Obstetrician–gynecologis...

Informed Consent

Number 439

(Reaffirmed 2012)

ABSTRACT: Obtaining informed consent for medical treatment, for participation in medical research, and for participation in teaching exercises involving students and residents is an ethical requireme...