Latest Kaiser Health News Stories

Your Plumber Offers A Money-Back Guarantee. Should Your Doctor?
Even though consumers don’t expect to pay for faulty service or goods, they are often forced to pay for bad health care. But a small number of hospitals and doctors are seeking to change that practice.

House Seeks To Cap Malpractice Awards As Part Of Health Care Update
The bill would limit non-economic damages to $250,000, but it faces opposition from across the political spectrum.

Medicare no investigó 96 casos de peligrosas infecciones en hospitales
Un informe oficial cuestiona el sistema para reportar y monitorear infecciones adquiridas en centros de salud. Los hospitales reciben bonos, o multas, según el número de casos.

Medicare Failed To Investigate Suspicious Infection Cases From 96 Hospitals
The HHS inspector general’s office found that Medicare should have done an in-depth review of suspicious or aberrant infection reports from scores of hospitals.

Screen Flashes And Pop-Up Reminders: ‘Alert Fatigue’ Spreads Through Medicine
Electronic health records increasingly include automated alert systems pegged to patients’ health information. In some cases, though, the sheer volume of these messages has become unmanageable.

When Something Goes Wrong At The Hospital, Who Pays?
Hospital practices vary when it comes to paying care costs for patients with bad outcomes. Sometimes, patients foot the bill.

Leslie Michelson’s Checklist For Avoiding Diagnostic Errors – The KHN Conversation
Michelson, who runs a Los Angeles-based company that helps patients research their medical options and has written a book about how to avoid bad care, offers advice on how to navigate the health care system.

IOM: Teamwork Key To Reducing Medical Diagnostic Errors
A report by an Institute of Medicine blue ribbon panel notes that taking steps to address this patient safety issue will involve efforts from across the health system.