New York Adopts Measures to Improve Patient Handling
By Michael Virtanen, Associated Press
ALBANY, N.Y. – (AP) — New York is directing health officials and hospitals to identify best practices for safely handling patients in an effort to reduce rough lifting and better protect staff from back injuries.
Legislation proposed by the Cuomo administration and approved by lawmakers in the state budget will establish a working group at the Health Department to review national data and demonstration programs, identify best practices and report by July 2015.
New York hospitals are required to establish committees, consider those measures and establish their own safe patient handling programs by 2017.
