Hospital hacking threats persist amid continued chaos of Change Healthcare cyberattack
Editor's Note The ransomware group behind a recent cyberattack on one of the nationโs largest health systems has its sights set on hospitals, the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) warned February 27. According to a report in Chief Healthcare Executive one day later, systems were…
Study: Dedicated smoke evacuators reduce exposure to particles, VOCs
Editor's Note Dedicated smoke evacuators reduce the number of particles and levels of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde in surgical smoke during laparotomy, according to a study published online October 25, 2023 and in the March 2024 issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons The randomized, double-blind clinical trial…
Researchers test alternative approach to ranking US heart transplant candidates
Editor's Note The current method for identifying heart transplant candidates with the most urgent need might not be the best one. In a study published February 13 in Jama Network, a candidate risk score incorporating the latest clinical, laboratory, and hemodynamic data out-performed the current treatment-based categorical allocation system. ย …
Engaging ward nurses in optimized assessments improves hospital safety
Editor's Note Evidence-informed and specialty-specific models of nursing assessment and ward redesign can benefit hospital safety, according to a study published January 27 in the International Journal of Nursing Studies. Called the ENCORE (evidence-based nursing core assessment) trial, the large-scale study led by Queensland University of Technology included 29,385 patient…
Complementing Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) with nursing guide application improves early postoperative outcomes
Editor's Note Following up with a nursing guide in addition to the the modified early warning score (MEWS) helps reduce early postoperative complications, according to the results of a recent clinical trial. Nursing guide application in patients followed up according to MEWS also decreased ISCU admission, decreased MEWS and increased…
Study: Bariatric surgery benefits glycemic control in Type 2 diabetes patients
Editor's Note Bariatric surgery is more effective than lifestyle and medical interventions in glycemic control for Type 2 diabetes patients, according to findings published February 27 in JAMA. The clinical trial involved four health systems and 262 participants, 96 of whom received medical- and lifestyle-focused treatment and 166 of whom…
Study: Nurses offer untapped potential to assess patient discharge readiness
Editor's Note Although few strategies for reducing readmission rates leverage nurse input, nurses are well-placed to identify patients most at risk, according to a study published in the March issue of the journal Medical Care. The authors note that older Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) continue to experience…
Shift to outpatient, emergency services keeps rural hospitals afloat
Editor's Note More CEOs are considering rural emergency hospital (REH) designation, according to a February 12 article in Beckerโs Hospital CFO Report. In January 2023, REH was established as a new Medicare provider type to enable struggling rural hospitals to continue operating with outpatient and emergency services only, instead of…
Bedside portable device offers real-time monitoring for pancreatic fistulas, other conditions
Editor's Note Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and the University Hospital Dresden (UKD) have developed a portable, droplet-based millifluidic device that can monitor patients for postoperative pancreatic fistula in the critical first days after surgery. The same technology might also be expanded to analyze other body fluids and diseases.…
Space Station surgery experiment portends bright future for exploration, Earth-based medicine
Editor's Note Surgeons in Lincoln, Nebraska performed the first โoperationโ in space via remote control of a robot wielding scissors to cut through rubber bands, a historic first that has implications beyond space travel. Space.com reported the news February 22. Guided by onboard cameras and facing nearly second-long communications delays,…