Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on October 11 issued comments on a European study examining colonoscopies that was published October 9 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study, which looked at colonoscopies in Sweden, Poland, Norway, and the Netherlands, seemed to question the effectiveness of…

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Editor's Note This study by the Global Burden of Disease Long COVID Collaborators estimates that the proportion of patients with at least one of three long-COVID-19 symptoms (persistent fatigue with bodily pain or mood swings, cognitive problems, or ongoing respiratory problems) 3 months after COVID-19 infection is 6.2%. Analyzing 54…

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Editor's Note In response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) relaxation of recommendations for universal healthcare personnel masking, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) on October 3 strongly urged its 15,000 members to continue masking in patient care areas. Requiring masks for anyone…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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,…

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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…

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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…

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