Healthcare costs making Americans poorer, sicker
Editor's Note The high cost of healthcare is leading many Americans to skip care and forgo medications, according to the 2023 Healthcare Affordability Survey by the Commonwealth Fund published on October 26. Some highlights of the survey include: A large number of insured working-age adults surveyed admitted difficulty affording their…
Maximizing surgical excellence: Strategies for attracting top surgeons
A 2021 report by the Association of American Medical Colleges projects shortages of 15,800 to 30,200 in all surgical specialties by 2034. Driven by various factors, including the growing healthcare needs of an aging population, an aging surgical workforceโwith many surgeons and nurses nearing retirementโand limited capacity in medical and…
Physicians spent more time in EHR with telehealth during pandemic
Editor's Note New research shows that physicians who used telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic spent increased time working in the electronic health record (EHR). The research findings were published in JAMA Internal Medicine on October 30. Researchers studied the weekly EHR metadata of 1,052 physicians at the University of California…
American Cancer Society updates lung cancer screening guidelines
Editor's Note The American Cancer Society (ACS) has updated its lung cancer screening recommendations from 2013 in an effort to reduce deaths based on smoking history, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians November 1 reports. According to the updated guidelines, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in…
AI-supported app improves physician time, patient communication
Editor's Note Physicians at the University of Kansas Health System are piloting an AI-based app called Abridge that captures feedback from the medical care team and transcribes it for patients, Fox4 August 9 reports. This AI-led process reportedly saved time on documentation while providing clear guidance for patients The new…
How internal staffing agencies benefit the OR suite
Many health systems rely on external, third-party agencies to deploy nurses and other staff. But when a situation arises in the OR, it is often more advantageous to have a familiar face who knows the procedures of that OR suite. Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh has a policy in its…
Balancing the demand for OR time with resource utilization
ORs are a key revenue driver for hospitals, with surgical services accounting for nearly half of hospital margins. Efficient use of OR time is therefore critical to sustaining and growing hospital revenue and profitability. Perioperative leaders face an ongoing challenge in optimizing OR utilization, however, because of the common mindset…
Scientists are training AI to predict drug interactions
Editor's Note An international team of scientists designed an artificial intelligence (AI) platform to provide insights into how a particular drug will interact in an individual prior to administration, Science Direct October 31 reports. The findings were published in the journal Cell Reports.ย Among the findings: One-third of drugs work…
Study reveals cause of deadly blood clots in some COVID-19 vaccine patients
Editor's Note A new study looked at the causes behind how some patients developed deadly blood clots following the administration of certain COVID-19 vaccines. The findings were published in the journal Blood on October 26.ย Previous studies had shown that patients with Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis (VITT) produce antibodies…
Antibiotic resistance creating global health threat for children
Editor's Note Widespread antibiotic resistance globally has meant that drugs used to treat common infections in children and babies are no longer effective, according to a new study published on October 31 by Science Direct. The study found that a number of antibiotics recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO)…