Rules and Regulations
Study: Masking policies significantly reduce hospital-acquired viral respiratory infections
Editor's Note A cohort study conducted across 10 hospitals in the Mass General Brigham system found that stopping universal masking and SARS-CoV-2 testing significantly increased hospital-onset respiratory viral infections, while reinstating masking for healthcare workers reduced those rates. As detailed in a November 27 research letter in Jama Network Open,…
HHS finalizes rule to expand kidney transplant access
Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized a new rule establishing the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model, a 6-year, mandatory initiative to enhance access to kidney transplants, improve care quality, and reduce disparities. Managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the program…
FDA pilot program aims to expedite high-risk medical device recall communication
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) has initiated a pilot program to improve the speed of public notifications regarding high-risk medical device recalls. According to a November 21 announcement, this initiative aims to minimize the time between the FDA's awareness…
FDA Class 1 recalls target anesthesia workstations, ambulatory infusion pumps, ventilators
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated Class 1 recalls—the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death—involving three systems: Atlan anesthesia workstations from Draeger, CADD-Solis ambulatory infusion pumps from Smiths Medical, and Trilogy Evo ventilators from Philips Respironics. FDA issued all three announcements…
Practice updates ease steam sterilization balancing act
Reliable and robust enough for daily use on most medical devices, steam is the most common sterilant in healthcare facilities. However, using steam properly requires a balancing act. For example, too much moisture can lead to wet packs, while steam that is too dry might not be sufficient to achieve…
Tardiness policies fine-tune rural OR reform efforts
When a speaker at a recent conference asked if anyone had achieved a first-case on-time start (FCOTS) rate above 90%, Jay Parker, BSN, RN, could have been the only one in the room with his hand up. However, Parker was not inclined to call attention to himself. As director of…
GAO urges HHS to strengthen cybersecurity oversight
Editor's Note A November 13 report from The Government Accountability Office (GAO) identifies critical gaps in the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) ability to manage cybersecurity risks in the healthcare and public health sector. HHS, the lead federal agency for cybersecurity in this sector, faces challenges in monitoring…
AMA urges stronger radiation protections
Editor's Note Amid growing concerns about healthcare workers’ exposure to ionizing radiation and its associated cancer risks, the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates called for increased protective measures and standardized guidelines, including improved exposure metrics, during their interim meeting in Orlando, Florida. MedPage Today reported the news November…
Third-party vendors drive healthcare cybersecurity risks
Editor's Note Cybersecurity threats in healthcare are increasingly driven by third-party vendors, affecting millions of patients and hospital systems globally, experts John Riggi and Richard Staynings emphasized at the HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Forum. Healthcare Finance News reported on the experts’ testimony November 5. According to the article, cyberattacks have surged…
Trump vs. Harris: Key differences in healthcare proposals for Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, abortion
Editor's Note When it comes to the 2024 presidential election, “Neither candidate addresses a return to the fundamental tenet of healthcare: the patient-physician relationship,” reads the closing line of an “election guide” from Richard Menger MD MPA. In the preceding paragraph, Menger also argues that both candidates also neglect issues…
Free Daily News
- Study: Black CABG patients disadvantaged in accessing best hospitals
- Health system to pilot AI-powered OR cameras; leaders acknowledge privacy challenges
- 3D modeling advances cardiovascular surgery at Boston Children's Hospital
- Report: Healthcare ransomware compromises millions of patient records, costs billions in downtime
- First ACS cancer report highlights neoadjuvant therapy expansion, improvements
- Hospitals continue to grapple with IV fluid shortage
- Proposed tariffs, stricter immigration policies threaten healthcare workforce, supply chain
- Hospital addresses barriers to patient rest, recovery
- Study: Psilocybin therapy reduces depression in frontline clinicians
- Exclusive articles preview OR Business Management Conference sessions