New administration likely to intervene in bundled-payment initiatives
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule December 20, 2016, on its cardiac and orthopedic bundled-payment initiatives, but President-elect Donald Trumpโs nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, Rep Tom Price (R-Ga) is likely to stop the cardiac mandatory initiative scheduled to start…
Cardiac surgeonโs invention reduces pressure ulcers, LOS
Editor's Note A device invented by Rafael Squitieri, MD, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at St Vincentโs Medical Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut, reduced pressure ulcers and length of stay in studies, the December 24, 2016, Connecticut Post reports. The device, called โTurnCare,โ is a mat that is placed under patients and…
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FDA: New warning on general anesthesia and sedation in children, pregnant women
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 14 issued a new warning saying that repeated or lengthy use of general anesthetics and sedation drugs during surgical procedures in children younger than 3 years or pregnant women during the third trimester may affect the development of childrenโs brains.…
Five-year outcomes of off-pump vs on-pump CABG
Editor's Note In this study, the composite outcomes of death, stroke, myocardial infarction, renal failure, or repeat revascularization at 5 year follow-up were similar for patients who had off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures. The researchers also found no significant difference in cost or quality of life…
ECRI Institute provides Executive Brief on Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2017
Editor's Note ECRI Institute announced December 15 that it is providing an abridged version of its 2017 Top 10 list of health technology hazards as a free public service to inform healthcare facilities about important safety issues involving the use of medical devices and systems. Among the hazards are: inadequate…
General surgery residents have high attrition rates
Editor's Note This meta-analysis found that the overall rate of attrition among general surgery residents was 18%, and that the most common causes of attrition were uncontrollable lifestyle and choosing to join another specialty. Of 19,821 general surgery residents involved in the analysis, attrition was significantly higher for females compared…
CRNAs not included in new VA nurse practice rule
Editor's Note The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on December 13 issued a final rule allowing full practice authority for certain advanced practice registered nurses working in VA facilities, including certified nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse midwives. The rule excludes certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), following lobbying…
Joint Commission offers new blog for infection preventionists
Editor's Note A new blog from the Joint Commission on Infection Prevention & Control covers experiences, case studies, and news for infection preventionists. The latest blog post details the BoosterPak for High-Level Disinfection and Sterilization processes, which is applicable to hospitals, critical access hospitals, plus ambulatory and office-based surgery settings.…
Colorectal SSIs plummet with evidence-based care bundles
Surgical site infections (SSIs) not only harm patients, but also can squeeze a hospitalโs bottom line through increased costs and reduced reimbursement. Patients undergoing colorectal surgery are particularly at risk for SSIs, according to data from the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), but an effective multidisciplinary team and an evidence-based…