Editor's Note An algorithm that uses vehicle telemetry measurements can improve the guidance of motor vehicle victims to the most appropriate place for care, this study finds. The algorithm is a computer-based program that collects information, such as occupants’ use of seatbelts, airbag deployment, vehicle speed, and point of impact.…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on May 6 announced a campaign to help educate the public on the importance of multiple identifiers in the healthcare setting. The campaign, “SpeakUp: Right ID, Right Care,” teaches patients how to make sure they are properly identified and includes an infographic, animated video, and…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 4 released comprehensive ambulatory surgery center (ASC) quality data reports compiled through its Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) program. Among the data reported are: Quality data code-based measures, such as wrong site, side, patient, procedure, implant Safe…

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Editor's Note A simple arm test that uses a wearable technology can rapidly and accurately identify physiological frailty in older adults facing surgery, finds this study. Researchers developed a 20-second upper arm extension test (ie, upper extremity frailty [UEF] system) to assess biomarkers of frailty, such as slowness of motion,…

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Editor's Note Through its Value Based Purchasing (VBP) program, the  Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) paid bonuses to 231 hospitals with lower quality because their patients were less expensive, this study finds. CMS began measuring both spending and quality in FY 2015 to encourage hospitals to provide more…

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Editor's Note An analysis of 8 years of data by Johns Hopkins University researchers finds that more than 250,000 people die annually because of medical errors, which translates to 9.5% of all US deaths each year. The findings make medical errors the third leading cause of death. This surpasses the…

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Editor's Note RN turnover because of environment-related reasons was higher in non-Magnet hospitals than Magnet hospitals in this study. Non-Magnet hospitals had 4.7 times higher turnover rates because of staffing and workload and 1.4 times higher turnover rates because of work schedules than Magnet hospitals. Nursing administrators in Magnet and…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 4 announced the recall by Cook Medical (Bloomington, Indiana) of all lots of its catheters with Beacon Tip technology. The catheters are used in angiographic, radiographic, interventional, and urologic procedures. The catheters have been found to exhibit polymer degradation of the…

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Editor's Note A Black Book survey found that 87% of financially struggling hospitals regret their decision to replace their electronic health records (EHRs) systems, the April 29 Healthcare IT News reports. Of those that changed their original EHRs since 2011, 14% are losing inpatient revenue at a pace that wouldn’t…

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Editor's Note The overall risk of complications after colonoscopy increases when patients receive anesthesia, this study finds. The use of anesthesia was associated with a 13% increase in complications within 30 days, including a higher risk of perforation, hemorrhage, and abdominal pain. The risk of perforation was 26% higher in…

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