Effective interventions for postop opioid prescribing
Editor's Note Interventions at the physician or organizational level (eg, workflow changes) were found to be better tools for creating change in postoperative opioid prescribing than interventions at the patient level (eg, patient education), in this review. This analysis of eight studies published after 2000 that included 2,272 patients found…
CDC: Drug overdose mortality reaches new high
Editor's Note Preliminary data, reported August 15, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that drug overdose mortality in the US hit record high levels last year, increasing to more than 72,000 deaths. The increase in mortality was driven mainly by fatalities involving fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.…
Joint Commission: Additional changes made to elements of performance
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on August 15 that additional changes will be made to elements of performance (EPs) in the Nursing and Provision of Care, Treatment, and Services chapters of the accreditation manuals for critical access hospitals and deemed-status hospital programs, effective January 1, 2019. The Centers for…
[Free Whitepaper] Smarter Supply Chain Management: Why Aligning People, Process, and then Technology Matters
Technology adoption in healthcare has never been greater, as hospitals adhere to meaningful use criteria to make data more transparent in supporting patient care initiatives. But technology alone is not enough. Positioning for long-term operational success requires a strategic approach to change management that includes people, process, and technology. Supply…
Johns Hopkins panel develops opioid prescribing guidelines for 20 surgical procedures
Editor's Note Led by Martin A. Makary, MD, MPH, a Johns Hopkins panel of experts developed the nation’s first set of opioid prescribing guidelines for 20 common surgical procedures in 8 surgical specialties. The guidelines are based on the premise that opioid prescribing should be based on the surgical procedure…
US News & World Report releases 2018-2019 Best Hospitals rankings
Editor's Note The US News & World Report on August 14 released its 2018-2019 Best Hospitals rankings, which compared more than 4,500 hospitals and medical centers across 25 specialties. For the third consecutive year, the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota campus) topped the Best Hospitals Honor Roll, followed by the Cleveland…
Effect of neuraxial anesthesia on total hip, knee outcomes
Editor's Note Increased use of neuraxial anesthesia was associated with lower hospitalization costs for hip and knee replacements, but more studies are needed before considering neuraxial anesthesia as a marker of quality, this study finds. National data on 808,237 total knee and 371,607 total hip replacements were analyzed. Increasing frequency…
Galien Foundation chooses 10 most innovative medical devices of 2018
Editor's Note Nominees for the Best Medical Technology of 2018 were recently chosen by The Galien Foundation, the August 6 Medical Design & Outsourcing reports. Among the 10 most innovative medical devices are: Boston Scientific’s Axios stent and electrocautery enhanced delivery system Boston Scientific’s SpyGlass direct visualization system for cholangiopancreatoscopy…
New 3D-printed device with living cells could help treat spinal cord injuries
Editor's Note Engineers and neurosurgical researchers at the University of Minnesota have created a 3D-printed device with living cells that could help patients with long-term spinal cord injuries regain some function, according to this August 9 report from the University of Minnesota. For the procedure, a 3D-printed guide, made of…
CDC: Naloxone use by emergency medical services up 75% in 4 years
Editor's Note Naloxone administration by emergency medical services increased 75.1% between 2012 and 2016, mirroring a 79.7% increase in fatal opioid overdoes during the same time period, according to the August 10 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Young adults made…