Today's noteworthy definitions, not new but often ignored:
In anesthesiology, these precepts should be kept firmly in mind in our attempts to improve “quality.” Anyone who speaks out against measures that are taken under the banner of improving “quality of care” or “patient safety” risks coming across as reckless, heartless, or both. Yet the pursuit of “quality” in health care has a track record of implementing changes and policies that haven't been subjected to any rigorous scientific study, in effect “prioritizing action over evidence” (N Engl J Med 2007;357:608-13).
In anesthesiology, we love our gadgets. We especially like gadgets that generate numerical values we can track. It's no wonder that quantitative nerve stimulators measuring thumb movement via acceleromyography are gaining in popularity. They give us a ratio of neuromuscular recovery that we can document and trumpet as evidence of high-quality care, blessed by the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation...
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Dr. Sibert's Comments Are Very Perceptive