Regulations/Legal
NIH harnesses power of AI for COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment
Editor's Note The National Institutes of Health (NIH) on August 5 announced the launch of the Medical Imaging and Data Resource Center, which will create new tools using artificial intelligence (AI) and medical imaging to diagnose and personalize therapies for COVID-19 patients. The Center will build a large repository of…
ACS opposes proposed Medicare physician fee schedule
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on August 4 announced that it is strongly opposed to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule for CY 2021. In the fee schedule, which is set to take place January 1, 2021, Medicare payments will…
Joint Commission updates Patient Blood Management Certification program
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on August 5 announced that it has approved new and revised requirements for hospitals and critical access hospitals certified under the Patient Blood Management program that will go into effect January 1, 2021. The certification requirements have been updated to align with the third edition…
CMS releases 2021 proposed payment rule for ASCs, HOPDs
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on August 4 released the 2021 proposed payment rule for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). Among the proposals in the rule: CMS proposes to expand the number of procedures that Medicare would pay for when performed…
Automated monitoring tool facilitates contact tracing of COVID-19 patients
Editor's Note The use of an automated web-based symptom monitoring tool as part of Maine's COVID-19 contact tracing program made the state's contact tracing and monitoring faster and more efficient. The tool was well received, with the majority of monitored contacts (96.4%) agreeing to the automated system. Contacts automatically received…
FDA authorizes first COVID-19 diagnostic test for screening asymptomatic people
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 24 reissued its emergency use authorization (EUA) for LabCorp’s COVID-19 RT-PCR Test to include two new indications for use: Testing for individuals who do not have COVID-19 symptoms or who have no reason to suspect COVID-19 infection. Allowing for pooled…
Mask-wearing mistakes to avoid
Editor's Note The protective value of masks depends on how they are used. If people are reckless about masking up or clumsy when handling or removing masks, they can put themselves and others at risk, the July 21 Livestrong reports. To get the most out of wearing face-coverings, it’s important…
Joint Commission recognizes Eisenberg Award winners
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on July 22 that the 2019 Eisenberg Award winners were recognized in a virtual ceremony on July 16. The award is given each year by the National Quality Forum and Joint Commission in recognition of the best examples of individual, local, and national efforts…
Effectiveness of government actions, country preparedness, socioeconomic factors on COVID-19 mortality, health outcomes
Editor's Note: Rapid border closures, full lockdowns, and wide-spread testing were not associated with statistically significant reductions in number of critical cases or overall COVID-19 mortality; however, they were significantly associated with increased patient recovery rates, this study of 50 countries finds. Increasing COVID-19 caseloads were associated with countries with…
HHS taps Pfizer for large-scale COVID-19 vaccine production
Editor's Note The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense on July 22 announced an agreement with Pfizer to produce and deliver 100 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine in the US, following manufacture and approval. Pfizer will deliver the doses, once the vaccine receives emergency…
Free Daily News
- FBI investigates as Oracle health data breach exposes patient information
- Study: Pulse oximeters may misestimate oxygen saturation in darker skin tones
- FDA issues Class 1 recall for vascular cannulas
- Renewed push for healthcare price transparency faces familiar challenges
- Survey: Tariffs expected to increase hospital costs, disrupt supply chains
- Study: Arthroplasty implants linked to metal accumulation in cerebrospinal fluid
- Novel noninvasive surgical approach shows promise in treating severe OCD
- Study: Preop mental health assessment improves postop outcomes for older patients
- Study: Adenotonsillectomy reduces healthcare use in children with mild sleep-disordered breathing
- Introducing New Leader Toolkit: Your guide to OR leadership success