California county goes surgery shopping
Editor's Note California's Santa Barbara County and other government employers are joining private employers in shopping for lower-cost bundled surgical care, even if it means going out of town, the September 1 Kaiser Health News reports. The voluntary program that includes incentives such as waived copays and deductibles as well…
FDA: Hospira recalls one lot of vancomycin hydrochloride
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 31 announced the recall by Hospira Inc (Lake Forest, Illinois) of one lot of vancomycin hydrochloride for injection, USP, 750 mg/vial (NDC 0409-6531-02) lot 632153A. The recall was initiated because of a customer report of the presence of particulate matter,…
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Effect of mandatory reporting system on prevalence of intraop adverse events
Editor's Note After implementation of an anesthesia information management system (AIMS)-based mandatory quality assurance process for reporting of intraoperative adverse events at two academic medical centers, documented adverse events decreased significantly, this study finds. Over a 2-year period after implementation of mandatory reporting, the adverse event rate at Thomas Jefferson…
Joint Commission temporarily suspends accreditation surveys in Houston
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on August 30 that because of flooding in Houston and surrounding areas, it is temporarily suspending accreditation survey activity for organizations severely affected by Hurricane Harvey. Joint Commission Online Weekly Newsletter
FDA recommends use of thermal regulating systems during surgery
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 30 issued a Safety Alert reminding healthcare providers that using thermal regulating systems, including forced air systems, during surgical procedures has been shown to result in less bleeding, faster recovery times, and decreased risk of infections for patients. The FDA…
23 Houston-area hospitals move patients; 25 more are vulnerable
Editor's Note At least 23 hospitals in the Houston area affected by flooding from Hurricane Harvey have moved patients to other facilities, and another 25 are considered vulnerable to flooding or shortages of staff and supplies, the August 29 Houston Chronicle reports. The full tally of evacuated patients was not…
Costs vary widely for common surgical procedures
Editor's Note There is wide cost variation for five common surgical procedures in the US, this study finds. Cost observed-to-expected ratios ranged widely: 14.9-fold for colectomy 5.5-fold for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) 12.5-fold for lung resection 10.6-fold for total knee arthroplasty 28.0-fold for cesarean section. High-cost hospitals were more…
Joint Commission issues R3 Report on pain assessment and management standards for hospitals
Editor's Note The Joint Commission has issued a new R3 Report to help accredited hospitals better understand and comply with its new and revised pain management standards, which are effective January 1, 2018. This R3 Report provides in-depth rationale, references, and evidence used in the development of the new and…