Blowing the Whistle
In the aftermath of the 2004-2005 Maryland General Scandal, the hospital laboratory in question was back in compliance. Regulations were changed. Standards were toughened. But is everything well now in the laboratory?
Maryland General
The GAO Report Recommmendations: The Regulators, Accreditors and Inspectors Respond
The final GAO report contained not only recommendations, but preliminary responses of those affected by the recommendations. See what CMS, CAP, JCAHO, and COLA had to say to the GAO when they saw the first draft of the report.
The GAO Report Recommmendations: The good, the bad, and the irrelevant
July 2006
with Sten Westgard, MS
As a result of the GAO investigation, there are 13 recommendations being made in their report. We've analyzed each point to determine if they're useful, bizarre, or just irrelevant.
The GAO Report on CMS - it's out
June 2006
Remember Maryland General? Part of the outcome was a Congressional request for a GAO (Government Accountability Office) investigation of CMS and its related agencies. Well, the report is finally out. And it's not kind.
Unannounced Inspections: Unlikely to Improve Quality
January 2006
Across the US, laboratorians are growing pale. Many of them will no longer know the exact date of their inspection. But will "surprise" inpections improve quality?