Editor's Note Paul Friedrichs, MD, a military combat surgeon and retired Air Force major general, will lead the new Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, which will replace the current COVID-19 and monkeypox response teams, and prepare for future pandemics, the July 21 Reuters reports. Dr Friedrichs will be…

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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…

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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)…

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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…

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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…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on July 19, announced that it has revised its Medication Compounding (MC) chapter for home care organizations and the Medication Compounding Certification (MDC) program, which is available to accredited hospitals, critical access hospitals, and home care pharmacy organizations. Among the revisions: Revising the requirements to…

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Takeaways • Healthcare consumers are not aware that they can ask how much something costs. • There is disconnect between the law and common knowledge, and patients generally are confused about what they receive as good faith estimates. • In addition to incorrect CPT codes and OON allowable charges, the…

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Healthcare facilities face challenges in the recall process of tissue, non-biologic implants, and medical devices because of their time-sensitive nature and inherent risks to patient safety and compliance. Hospitals often use secondary sources for recall notifications. These lists, however, do not include two critical pieces—the identification of affected patient cases…

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Using sterile items in surgery is a fundamental practice, not a rudimentary one that can or should be taken for granted. Put simply, using unsterile items can result in a patient infection. If sterile storage conditions are not appropriate, the items can become contaminated. Such contamination may go undetected, rendering…

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Editor's Note This study from New York University and NYU Langone Health, New York City, finds discrepancies between the marketing and 510(k) clearance of artificial intelligence (AI)- or machine learning (ML)-enabled medical devices, with some devices being marketed as having capabilities not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).…

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