Healthcare employment up in October
Editor's Note Overall healthcare employment in the US was up in October to a seasonally adjusted 16,577,200 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on November 4. Thatโs up 52,600 since September. Hospital employment also was up by 10,800 jobs. The overall unemployment rate for October rose to 3.7%, for…
Effect of kidney disease on COVID-19 outcomes
Editor's Note This study from Columbia University Medical Center, New York City, which was presented November 5 at the ASN [American Society of Nephrology] Kidney Week 2022 in Orlando, examines the effect of kidney disease and other conditions on COVID-19 outcomes during four waves of the pandemic in New York…
ECRI announces 2022 Safety Excellence Award winner
Editor's Note ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices PSO, on November 7, named Monument Health of Rapid City, South Dakota, the winner of the 2022 Safety Excellence Award. The healthcare system set a strategic goal to improve culture of safety, increase incident and near-miss event reporting, and enrich…
Florida health system improved patient care by enacting SDOH changes to EHR
Editor's Note Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, Florida, via an initiative spearheaded by Jennifer Goldman, DO, chief of Memorial Primary Care, began including social determinants of health (SDOH) data in its electronic health record (EHR), โwhere doctors can see and act of themโโand that is improving patient care, HealthLeaders November…
Study: 79% of patients felt in control of their health with virtual care
Editor's Note According to a November 1 news release from Business Wire, a study done by Elevance Health shows that to 79% of patients surveyed, virtual primary care, or telehealth, has allowed them to take charge of their health, Beckerโs Hospital Review November 1 reports. The study was conducted online…
Partial COVID-19 vaccination tied to decreased postop mortality, infection
Editor's Note This study from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, finds that full and partial COVID-19 vaccination reduced postoperative complications. Researchers analyzed data from patients having surgery at 1,283 VA medical facilities nationwide. Of 87,073 surgical patients, 20% were fully vaccinated, 15% were partially vaccinated, and 65% were unvaccinated. Among…
The Joint Commission adds safety briefing to accreditation surveys
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on November 2 announced that it has added safety briefings to all accreditation surveys as well as certification and verification reviews, effective January 1, 2023. The informal, 5-minute briefing allows organizations to tell surveyors and reviewers about any potential safety concerns and how they should…
Complexity, challenges of diagnosis, management of long COVID
Editor's Note This study led by researchers at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and University of Washington, Seattle, highlights the complexity of diagnosing long COVID and the challenges of caring for patients with this condition. Included in the analysis were 200 randomly sampled COVID-19 patients receiving care in…
FDA: Class I recall of Teleflex Iso-Gard Filter S
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 1 identified the recall of Teleflexโs Iso-Gard Filter S as Class I, the most serious. Iso-Gard filters are breathing circuit bacterial filters that are connected to respiratory equipment or breathing systems in operating rooms and ICUs. The recall was initiated…
Benchmark Questionnaire on OR Operations Best PracticesโPart 1 Now Open
Editor's Note There is scarce information currently available about perioperative industry averages and OR operations best practices. OR Manager, as the leading source where perioperative managers and directors go to find answers to current problems, is leading the effort to pool information for both inpatient and outpatient facilities in 7…