Editor's Note This study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, finds that telemedicine use is associated with lower direct medical costs. A total of 2,938 outpatient department visits and 20,204 office-based visits were included in the analysis. Of these 47.6% of outpatient department and 24.7% of office-based visits…
Editor's Note Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone says building relationships and instilling belief are the keys to a strong work culture, according to a July 25 SmartBrief on Leadership report. However, building relationships is not a skill most senior leaders are adept at, and instilling belief, which builds confidence…
Editor's Note This study, led by nurse researchers at the College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, explores the experiences of infection preventionists (IPs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Responses from 61 IPs surveyed were included in the analysis. Among the findings: The initial phases of COVID-19 was a time of clinical…
Editor's Note Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data is showing an uptick in COVID-19 positivity rates and emergency department visits after months of decline, according to the July 24 US News and World Report. Cases of the Omicron subvariant EG.5, which was recently added to the World Health…
Editor's Note This study by researchers at South Dakota State University, Brookings, investigates why COVID-19 booster uptake has been a challenge among nurses. A total of 1,084 nurses were included in the analysis. Results showed that the odds ratio (OR) for booster uptake was associated with: Partisan self-identification (OR 0.40)…
Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on July 20, announced that it will eliminate and consolidate 200 additional standards, following the first reduction announced last year. Among the changes: Critical Access Hospitals: Of 150 in-scope elements of performance (EPs), 31 were deleted or consolidated, for a 15% reduction Office-Based Surgery: Of…
Editor's Note People born between 1965 and 1980, known as Generation X, are not prepared financially for retirement, according to a study from the National Institute on Retirement Security. Those with a private retirement plan have about $40,000 in savings, lower income Gen Xers have about $4,300, and some 40%…
Editor's Note This study by researches at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, examines whether moderate to vigorous physical activity concentrated in 1 to 2 days of the week (ie, a “weekend warrior” pattern) confers similar cardiovascular benefits as more evenly…
Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on July 19, announced that it and the National Quality Forum (NQF) are accepting applications for the 2023 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards through August 7. The awards, which recognize major achievements by individuals and organizations in their use of innovative approaches…
Editor's Note This study by led nurse researchers at the Deaconess Health System, Evansville, Indiana, compares the degree of resilience and physical and mental health in nurses before and during COVID-19. A higher proportion of nurses surveyed during COVID-19 reported working more than 8 hours of overtime per week, had…