A UPMC initiative to improve patient experience in partnership with Studer Group.
ROUNDING
The nursing or nursing assistant practice of regularly checking on patients’ needs.
RISK MASTER
A software database used to organize and monitor risk and reportable events. The software provides analysis and reporting capabilities.
RETAINED FOREIGN BODY
Items that are left in the patient after a surgery or procedure, often a sponge or instrument.
RESTRAINT
(a) Any manual method, physical or mechanical device, material, or equipment that immobilizes or reduces the ability of a patient to move his or her arms, legs, body or head freely or (b) A drug or medication when it is used as a restriction to manage the patient’s behavior or restrict the patient’s freedom of movement and is not a standard treatment or dosage for the patient’s condition.
RESIDENT
This term is most often used for a physician who is completing post-graduate medical training. Other post-graduate programs, such as pharmacy and nursing use this term, but typically, with the specialty noted in the title, for example, “pharmacy resident.”
READMISSION
A patient who experiences unplanned readmissions to a hospital after a previous hospital stay.
RIE (RAPID IMPROVEMENT EVENT)
An extremely fast-paced change methodology that provides a methodical approach wherein a number of individuals involved in a defined process take part and work together to collaboratively and objectively evaluate a process, develop targets and make changes to achieve the desired state.