Estimated global proportions of long-COVID-19
Editor's Note This study by the Global Burden of Disease Long COVID Collaborators estimates that the proportion of patients with at least one of three long-COVID-19 symptoms (persistent fatigue with bodily pain or mood swings, cognitive problems, or ongoing respiratory problems) 3 months after COVID-19 infection is 6.2%. Analyzing 54…
APIC urges infection preventionists to continue masking
Editor's Note In response to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionโs (CDCโs) relaxation of recommendations for universal healthcare personnel masking, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) on October 3 strongly urged its 15,000 members to continue masking in patient care areas. Requiring masks for anyone…
Mitigating workplace violence is a must when preventing healthcare burnout
Editor's Note Burnout in the healthcare workforce is a significant challenge hospitals and healthcare systems face, and a September 27 webinar hosted by US News and World Report tackled the many efforts hospital leaders are undertaking to address it. Among the various reasons cited as contributing to the problemโincluding rising…
Study: Better OR ventilation linked to lower SSI rates
Editor's Note This Swiss study finds that better OR ventilation properties, as assessed with a new ventilation index, are associated with lower rates of surgical site infections (SSIs) in orthopedic, spine, and cardiac procedures. Researchers calculated a ventilation index with higher values reflecting less turbulent air displacement instead of comparing…
Healthcare employment up in September
Editor's Note Overall healthcare employment in the US was up in September to a seasonally adjusted 16,515,600 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on October 7. Thatโs up 60,100 since August. Hospital employment also was up by 27,500 jobs. The overall unemployment rate for September was 3.5%, for a…
Research: Telehealth showed higher performance than in-person care
Editorโs Note A new research study, titled โComparison of Quality Performance Measures for Patients Receiving In-Person vs Telemedicine Primary Care in a Large Integrated Health Systemโ and published by JAMA Network on September 26, showed that telehealth performed better than in-person services in 11 out of 16 measurements for care,…
HHS expands provider list authorized to administer monkeypox treatment
Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on October 3 amended the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act declaration for smallpox medical countermeasures to expand the categories of providers authorized to administer vaccines and therapeutics against smallpox, monkeypox, and other orthopoxviruses during the declared emergency, Healthcare…
Disposition, outcomes of patients after day-of-surgery case cancellation
Editor's Note In this study from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, researchers find that nearly a fifth of cases canceled on the day of surgery are never rescheduled, and, if they are rescheduled, the delay can be substantial. During the 2-year study period, 4,472 cases were canceled on the day…
DOL announces $80M funding for nurse education
Editor's Note The Department of Labor (DOL) on October 3 announced an $80 million funding opportunity through its Nursing Expansion Grant Program to support nursing education programs designed to expand the pipeline of nursing professionals while advancing equity and diversity. The grants will support organizations that use worker-centered strategies to…
Long-term outcomes after metabolic, bariatric surgery in adolescents
Editor's Note This study led by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine finds significant sustained reduction in weight and comorbidities as well as low rates of long-term complications 10 years or more after having metabolic and bariatric surgery as an adolescent. A total of 96 patients (83% female,…