Editor's Note This Swiss study finds that better OR ventilation properties, as assessed with a new ventilation index, are associated with lower rates of surgical site infections (SSIs) in orthopedic, spine, and cardiac procedures. Researchers calculated a ventilation index with higher values reflecting less turbulent air displacement instead of comparing…
Editor's Note Overall healthcare employment in the US was up in September to a seasonally adjusted 16,515,600 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on October 7. That’s up 60,100 since August. Hospital employment also was up by 27,500 jobs. The overall unemployment rate for September was 3.5%, for a…
Editor's Note In this study from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, researchers find that nearly a fifth of cases canceled on the day of surgery are never rescheduled, and, if they are rescheduled, the delay can be substantial. During the 2-year study period, 4,472 cases were canceled on the day…
Editor's Note The Department of Labor (DOL) on October 3 announced an $80 million funding opportunity through its Nursing Expansion Grant Program to support nursing education programs designed to expand the pipeline of nursing professionals while advancing equity and diversity. The grants will support organizations that use worker-centered strategies to…
Editor's Note This study led by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine finds significant sustained reduction in weight and comorbidities as well as low rates of long-term complications 10 years or more after having metabolic and bariatric surgery as an adolescent. A total of 96 patients (83% female,…
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on October 5 announced that refreshed Accelerate PI Dashboard Reports are available for primary and comprehensive stroke centers to provide performance measurement data on the quality measures selected for advanced certification. The reports contain data through the first quarter of 2022 and are intended to…
Editor's Note This study led by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, finds that it may be reasonable to consider performing cataract surgery without routine anesthesia support. Medicare claims for 36,652 patients who had cataract surgery were analyzed. Among the findings: 89.8% had an anesthesia provider, compared to…
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on October 4 announced that it has joined the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health’s Sync for Social Needs coalition, committing to a role to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases in the US by 2030. The coalition brings together leading healthcare organizations…
Editor's Note The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience has finalized its National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being, the October 3 AHAToday reports. The plan, which builds on 6 years of work among 200 participants, including the American Hospital Association (AHA), identifies goals and…
Editor's Note This study from Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, finds that hospital occupancy greater than 85% was linked to increased emergency department (ED) boarding beyond the 4-hour standard, during the COVID-19 pandemic (January 2020 through December 2021), and ED boarding increased even when hospital occupancy did…