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Some Pa. facilities not emergency-ready
HARRISBURG, Pa., (UPI) -- Some healthcare facilities in Pennsylvania lacked equipment or supplies to successfully manage an emergency in a timely manner, a government agency reported.
Data over a 12-month period in 2008, released by the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, identified 56 reports of an emergency in which supplies or equipment were missing or outdated.
The locations and the types of medical emergencies varied, but the common theme was a lack of appropriate equipment and supplies available -- 35 reports referred to issues involving emergency carts and 21 referred to issues of missing supplies or malfunctioning equipment.
"The authority's data shows that some healthcare facilities are not always ready when a life-threatening emergency occurs to a patient in their facility," Mike Doering, the authority's executive director, said in a statement.
"There are guidelines facilities can adopt to help facilities prepare for a medical emergency so that if one occurs, the best possible life-saving techniques and equipment will be available to try to save the patient."
HARRISBURG, Pa., (UPI) -- Some healthcare facilities in Pennsylvania lacked equipment or supplies to successfully manage an emergency in a timely manner, a government agency reported.
Data over a 12-month period in 2008, released by the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, identified 56 reports of an emergency in which supplies or equipment were missing or outdated.
The locations and the types of medical emergencies varied, but the common theme was a lack of appropriate equipment and supplies available -- 35 reports referred to issues involving emergency carts and 21 referred to issues of missing supplies or malfunctioning equipment.
"The authority's data shows that some healthcare facilities are not always ready when a life-threatening emergency occurs to a patient in their facility," Mike Doering, the authority's executive director, said in a statement.
"There are guidelines facilities can adopt to help facilities prepare for a medical emergency so that if one occurs, the best possible life-saving techniques and equipment will be available to try to save the patient."