Study: New surgical mask traps, kills viruses
Editor's Note A University of Alberta engineering professor and colleagues have invented a surgical mask that traps and kills viruses by applying a salt formulation to the maskโs filter fibers, the January 5 ScienceDaily reports. When an aerosol droplet carrying a virus contacts the treated fibers, the droplet absorbs the…
FDA: Certain Fujifilm duodenoscopes removed from clinical use
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 13 issued a Safety Communication that Fujifilm Medical Systems (Wayne, New Jersey) will remove its legacy 250/450 duodenoscope models from clinical use based on the limited number currently in use. Fuji will replace the 250/450 models with the ED-530XT model,…
Care after surgery drives costs
Editor's Note This study finds that where surgical patients go after they are discharged varies widely, and that variation leads to huge differences in how much their care costs. Variation in postacute care spending between lowest and highest quintiles differed 129% for total hip replacement, 103% for coronary artery bypass…
FDA issues safety alert on implantable cardiac devices, transmitters by St Jude Medical
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration on January 9 issued a safety alert for St Jude Medicalโs (St Paul, Minnesota) radio frequency-enabled implantable cardiac devices and Merlin@home transmitters on reducing the risk of patient harm from cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities, if exploited, could allow an unauthorized user to remotely…
ERAS shown to improve outcomes
Editor's Note In this review article, researchers conclude that implementation of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) programs results in major improvements in clinical outcomes and cost savings, which makes ERAS an important example of value-based care applied to surgery. ERAS practices include: changes from overnight fasting to carbohydrate drinks 2…
Joint Commission prohibits secure texting of patient orders
Editor's Note The Joint Commission in December banned the use of secure text messaging to transmit patient orders, the January 9 Beckerโs Infection Control & Clinical Quality reports. The Joint Commission collaborated with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make the following recommendations: Healthcare facilities are prohibited…
MRSA infections down 30% at VA hospitals
Editor's Note Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) healthcare-associated infection (HAI) rates have declined significantly over 8 years with the Veterans Affairs MRSA Prevention Initiative, this study finds. Between 2007 and 2015, MRSA HAI rates fell: 87% in ICUs 80.1% in non-ICUs 80.9% in spinal cord injury units 49.4% in long-term care.…
ECRI Institute releases annual C-suite watch list
Editor's Note The ECRI Institute on January 9 released its 2017 Top 10 Hospital C-Suite Watch List. The list includes both technologies and critical technology use issues that hospital leaders should be aware of. Included in the list are: an initiative to improve outcomes and costs of abdominal surgery hospital…
Study examines bacterial contamination of nursesโ white coats
Editor's Note Fresh white coats should be used by nurses for every shift to minimize the risk of infection, and coats should be made of fabric types that minimize microbial contamination, finds this study. The microbial load of nursesโ white coats made of a polyester cotton blend or polyester fabric…
Implant market to reach $73.9B by 2018
Editor's Note A new survey shows the US implantable device market is expected to reach $73.9 billion by 2018, the January 6 Beckerโs Spine Review reports. Among the survey findings: The market was valued at $43.1 billion in 2011. An increasing aging population, number of chronic degenerative diseases, and healthcare…