Many hospitals neglect best-practice suicide prevention
Editor's Note A study from the Joint Commission found that more than 25 percent of hospitals have not adopted any of the four policies identified by the organization as best-practice, evidence-based discharge practices for preventing suicide in at-risk patients. Â According to a March 12 report on the implementation gap…
Faster, safer brain drill used for first time in life-saving neurosurgery
Editor's Note A patient undergoing emergency neurosurgery at Northwestern Medicine became the first to benefit from a neurosurgical drill designed to eliminate the need for hand-crank operation. According to a March 5 report from Northwestern, the procedure occurred in October at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, “when Northwestern Medicine neurosurgeon Matthew Potts, MD used…
Federal probe investigates care quality impact of private equity mergers, acquisitions
Editor's Note Making good on plans announced by the Biden administration in December, federal agencies have launched a public inquiry into how private equity mergers and acquisitions impact patient outcomes, worker safety, and healthcare access and costs, including costs to taxpayers. Â As reported by Dotmed Healthcare Business News on March…
US News to debut best ASCs list in 2024
Editor's Note US News & World Report, recognized globally as an authority in healthcare rankings and consumer advice, announced in November 2023 the addition of Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers to its annual series of ratings that evaluate healthcare sites. This new category comes in response to the growing prevalence of…
2023 was transformative for ASC sector: Growth, regulatory changes, strategic consolidations
Editor's Note Becker’s ASC Review on February 13 published an in-depth overview of the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) sector's growth and activity in 2023. It highlights the ongoing trends, market dynamics, regulatory changes, and notable company performances within the industry. Here are some takeaways: Growth and consolidation: The ASC sector…
3D printed skin breakthrough provides full layers and hair regrowth
Editor's Note A research team from Penn State University is using 3D printing to produce a living system of multiple skin layers that could be used to print tissues during surgery and has the capacity to grow hair. The findings were published November 9 in the journal Bioactive Materials. The…
Survey: Healthcare worker burnout rates particularly high for women
Editor's Note Although burnout rates are high for all healthcare workers, females are particularly susceptible, according to a March 8 report in The Hill detailing a recent survey. Conducted by nursing marketplace firm ShiftKey, the survey found that 86 percent of all women in healthcare reported experiencing burnout, with 64…
Medicare offers advance payments for providers impacted by Change Healthcare cyberattack
Editor's Note In a March 9 Press release, CMS announced it will offer emergency funding for healthcare providers experiencing continued disruptions in the wake of a February 21 cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealthGroup and a major processor of medical claims. According to the release, CMS will extend…
ACC launches new data registry for cardiac care in ASCs
Editor's Note The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has introduced the CV ASC Registry Suite, a pioneering data registry targeting cardiac procedures at ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), Cardiovascular Business February 13 reports. This initiative marks a significant development that reflects the trend of cardiac care shifting from hospitals to ASCs.…
Two scandals at Harvard spotlight data fabrication problem in academic research
Editor's Note Two separate incidents of data fabrication and manipulation involving Harvard University and its affiliates might be indicative of a much larger fraud problem in the scientific research world, Vox March 1 reports. The most recent of the two incidents happened at the Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which faced…