Physical activity remains lower worldwide than pre-COVID-19
Editor's Note This study by researchers at UC San Francisco finds that step counts—a measure of physical activity—were markedly lower early in the COVID-19 pandemic compared to prepandemic, and they remain lower in the 2 years following the onset of the pandemic. The researchers used data collected from the Azumio…
FDA: Class I recall of Hamilton-C6 Intensive Care Ventilator
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 29 identified the recall by Hamilton Medical AG of its Hamilton-C6 Intensive Care Ventilator as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of potential water ingress between the indicator board and the ventilator’s main board that may…
Risk of COVID-19 in HCWs working in ICU vs non-ICU settings
Editor's Note This study from Saudi Arabia finds that nurses working in the intensive care unit (ICU) had a significantly higher risk of COVID-19 infection. A total of 1,594 healthcare workers (HCWs) with COVID-19 infections were analyzed—103 working in the ICU and 1,491 working in non-ICU locations. The ICU had…
New Joint Commission Speak Up program on telehealth
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on August 31 announced a new patient safety campaign to help patients understand telehealth visits, titled: “Speak Up At Your Telehealth Visit.” Educational resources for the Speak Up program include: an infographic poster/flyer an animated video a distribution guide on how to provide the materials…
Hospitals seeing worst margins since beginning of pandemic, Cleveland Clinic posts near $1B loss
Editor's Note In this National Hospital Flash Report, published in August 2022 by healthcare consulting company Kaufman, Hall and Associates, LLC, experts say “that 2022 is shaping up to be the worst year financially for US hospitals and health systems since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Becker’s Hospital CFO…
Efficacy of metformin, ivermectin, fluvoxamine for COVID-19
Editor's Note This phase 3, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study led by researchers at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, finds that none of three medications evaluated—metformin, ivermectin, or fluvoxamine—prevented the occurrence of a primary event—hypoxemia, an emergency department (ED) visit, hospitalization, or death—associated with COVID-19. Of 1,323 patients analyzed, a primary…
FDA: Class I recall of Intera 3000 Hepatic Artery Infusion Pump
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration on August 29 identified the recall by Intera Oncology of its Intera 3000 Hepatic Artery Infusion Pump as Class I, the most serious. The company is recalling the pumps after receiving reports from clinicians that the pumps were delivering medication faster than expected.…
Moral distress in healthcare providers working in safety net practices during COVID-19
Editor's Note This study led by researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, finds that nearly 72% of healthcare providers in US safety net practices experienced either mild or intense levels of moral distress during the first year of COVID-19 because of issues with patient…
ECRI announces guidance on supporting healthcare worker resilience
Editor's Note ECRI, on August 29, announced its new guidance on “Supporting Resilience in Healthcare Workers” that was published on August 15 for its members. With a new focus on protecting healthcare workers against burnout and other behavioral health issues, new strategies for protecting and maintaining resilience have emerged, ECRI…