Study: Spatial and racial disparities in COVID-19 mortality rates
Editor's Note This study from the University of Chicago finds an association between social determinants of health measures and COVID-19 mortality rates that varied across racial and ethnic groups and community types. Among 3,142 counties in the study, 531 were identified as concentrated longitudinal-impact counties. Of these, 347 (11%) had…
FLASH SALE: Save 30% on OR Business Management Conference Registration!
INTERNATIONAL WOMENโS DAY FLASH SALE โ SAVE 30%! Donโt waitโฆthis rate expires on Friday, March 11 at 11:59 PM PST In honor of International Womenโs Day on March 8, 2022, we are proud to support this yearโs theme #BreakTheBias which aims to create a world where all genders are equal,…
ANSI/AAMI publishes long-waited ST91 updates
Editor's Note After 7 years, ANSI/AAMI has updated its standard for cleaning and storing medical devices, such as flexible bronchoscopes and various endoscopes. The updated standard, โANSI/AAMI ST91:2021, Flexible and semi-rigid endoscope processing in health care facilities,โ addresses new technologies and concerns about device cleanliness and patient safety. โANSI/AAMI ST91:2021…
Survey: 63% of younger nurses could leave profession
Editor's Note In this survey by the American Nurses Foundation, published March 1, 63% of nurses younger than 35 years said they intend to leave or are considering leaving the profession. A total of 12,694 nurses were surveyed. Other findings for nurses under 35 years of age, include: 46% said…
AHA pens letter to Congress regarding healthcare workforce challenges
Editor's Note On March 1, the American Hospital Association (AHA) submitted a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee urging Congress to consider and address the challenges the healthcare workforce is currently facing. As healthcare workers enter the third year of the pandemic, AHA likened current challenges to โa…
Newsweek posts annual Worldโs Best Hospitals
Editor's Note Three American hospitals top Newsweekโs annual Worldโs Best Hospitals list, published on March 2. These hospitals have learned to adapt to new and existing challenges quickly during medicine's 2-year war against COVID-19, Newsweek says. The top three are: Mayo Clinic-Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio Massachusetts General…
Patient outcomes in hospitals dedicated to COVID-19 care vs other hospitals
Editor's Note This study by researchers at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, finds that patient treatment at hospitals dedicated to COVID-19 care was associated with lower in-hospital mortality. Of 5,504 patients with COVID-19 analyzed, 2,077 were treated at one of two COVID-19 dedicated hospitals, and 3,427 were treated at other…
Study: Weight loss achieved through metabolic surgery associated with less severe COVID-19
Editor's Note In a study published by JAMA Surgery in December 2021, the association between weight loss resulting from a metabolic surgical procedure performed pre-pandemic and less severe COVID-19 infection was analyzed in patients with obesity. Patients who underwent a procedure pre-pandemic, lost weight, and then contracted COVID-19 saw better…
International Council of Nurses issues statement on Ukraine
Editor's Note The International Council of Nurses (ICN) and its more than 130 members around the world, on February 25, issued a statement saying they stand in solidarity with the people, nurses, and healthcare workers caught up in the conflict in Ukraine. In the statement, former American Nurses Association president…