How Minneapolis healthcare real estate remained strong amid challenges, shifts in patient care preferences: Lessons for other states
Editor's Note In recent years, the healthcare real estate sector, particularly in the Twin Cities, Minneapolis, area, has seen a series of challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff shortages, rising costs, and increasing interest rates, RE Journals April 15 reports. And yet, the demand for healthcare spaces such as…
Artificial intelligence (AI) captures uncertainty in medical scans
Editor's Note Artificial intelligence (AI) is a useful tool for helping clinicians to determine health problems from medical imaging, but AI often provides just one answer, when there may be a number of possible interpretations. Now, researchers from MIT, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and Massachusetts General Hospital…
Chilean surgeon performs first augmented reality abdominal procedure
Editor's Note A successful cholecystectomy March 11 in Santiago, Chile marked the first reported use of augmented reality (AR) technology for abdominal surgery, Fox News reported on April 12. Developed by Levita Magnetics, a medical equipment manufacturer in Silicon Valley, the MARS system paired with Metaโs Quest 3 XR headset…
Hackers demand another ransom from Change Healthcare after dark web data leak
Editor's Note: Ransomware group RansomHub is threatening to sell information stolen in the Change Healthcare cyberattack after leaking some of the material to the dark web, according to an April 16 report in Beckerโs Health IT. Comprising contracts, records, and other personal patient data, the posted material is part of…
FDA: Surgical mesh mini-slings comparable to mid-urethral slings for stress urinary incontinence
Editor's Note Mini-slings for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) are similarly effective to mid-urethral slings over a 36-month timeframe, according to an April 11 announcement from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA). FDA reached this conclusion after an in-depth, systematic literature review of post-market surveillance (โ522โ) studies required last year…
Federal regulations require written consent for pelvic exams at hospitals, medical schools
Editor's Note New federal guidelines require obtaining written informed consent before conducting pelvic and other sensitive medical examinations, according to an April 2 Associated Press report. The new guidance from the US Department of Health and Human Services focuses specifically on medical students, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants performing breast,…
Survey: More than half of ED nurses experienced violence in past month
Editor's Note: Head-butting, kicking, slapping, and verbal assault are among the forms of abuse reported in a recent โpulse checkโ of Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) members in which more than half of respondents reported being abused within the preceding 30 days. Published April 4โthe beginning of Workplace Violence Prevention Awareness…
Heart transplant research proves out 24-hour organ preservation method
Editor's Note A new method of organ preservation could allow researchers a much longer window to keep transplanted organs alive. Medical Xpress reported on the findings April 5. ย Typically, hearts awaiting transplant are maintained in cold static storage โ in which they are kept on ice until transplanted and…
Healthcare safety report: Outcomes improving, but workplace violence persists
Editor's Note Healthcare safety is moving in the right direction generally, but low perceptions of safety and rising reports of violence against nurses represent critical gaps that leaders should address, according to an April 2 press release on Press Ganeyโs โSafety in Healthcare 2024โ report. Focused on event reporting, workforce…
Annual CMS rules support underserved, under-resourced communities, promote value-based care
Editor's Note Addressing social determinants of health (SDOHs), strengthening emergency preparedness, and improving maternal heath are among the top priorities of the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) rules released April 10. These and other efforts aim to…