Ranking best, worst states for healthcare
Editor's Note Forbes Advisor released a ranking of the best and worst states for healthcare based on 24 metrics and four key categories: healthcare access, outcomes, cost, and quality of hospital care, Forbes October 13 reports. The article also noted that as many as 70% of Americans are unsatisfied with…
Improving underrepresented patient participation in clinical trials: It matters who makes the request
Editor's Note In this investigative study done by the Boston Medical Center (BMC), patients were shown more likely to agree to participate in clinical studies when approached by research staff of the same race or ethnicity as them. The findings were published in JAMA Ophthalmology on October 19.ย The study…
New agreement between HHS, Pfizer to ensure access to Paxlovid
Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Pfizer have announced an agreement to extend patient access to the COVID-19 drug Paxlovid, Healthcare Purchasing News October 16 reports. According to the article, Pfizer is readying the drug for more availability in the commercial market in November…
AI tool can ID pediatric patients at risk of blood clots
Editor's Note An artificial intelligence (AI) tool called CLOT (Childrenโs Likelihood of Thrombosis) developed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center accurately identified pediatric patients at high risk for blood clots in a clinical trial. The findings were reported in JAMA Network on October 13. The researchers analyzed the electronic health records…
New Sentinel Event Alert focuses on preventing surgical fires
Editor's Note A new Sentinel Event Alert from The Joint Commission focuses on the continuing dangers of surgical fires, why they occur, and how to take preventative measures. The alert was issued on October 18. Some highlights include: There is no national repository collecting data on surgical fires, and little…
Higher performing ICUs had significantly lower mortality rates during pandemic
Editor's Note High-performance intensive care units (ICUs) may have better patient outcomes during health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new findings published by the journal CHEST. The study, titled "The association between pre-pandemic ICU performance and mortality variation in COVID-19: A multicenter cohort study of 35,619 critically…
'Million Hearts Model' reduces likelihood of first-time heart attack, stroke
Editor's Note The Million Hearts Model programโan initiative to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes within 5 yearsโreduced the probability of a first-time myocardial infarction or stroke without significant changes in Medicare spending. The findings were published by JAMA Network on October 12. The Million Hearts Model paid healthcare…
Survival rates strong following low-risk cardiac surgery
Editor's Note A new study in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery finds that long-term survival rates are extremely promising for patients who receive low-risk isolated surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). The study, titled "Survival Following Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Patients: A Contemporary Trial Benchmark," was published on October…
Rethinking the standard 98.6 degree body temperature
Editor's Note Looking at the temperature measurements of more than 126,000 patients, researchers have found that the once-accepted standard body temperature of 98.6 degrees may not be an accurate measure, as reported in JAMA Internal Medicine on September 5.ย ย The 98.6 degree average was originally arrived at in 1868 by…
VR interventions offer benefits to patients with cancer
Editor's Note Virtual reality (VR) appears to ease the pain and distress felt by patients with cancer, according to a new study published in BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. Researchers looked at 31 relevant studies published between 1993 and 2023 in which VR technology was used to help patients, including…