Editor's Note In this study, Swedish researchers, find that gastric bypass was associated with a decreased risk of myocardial infarction (MI), but not ischemic stroke within 10 years of surgery, and it reduced mortality during the first 3 years after surgery but not thereafter. Study participants were divided into obese…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 10 announced that it had recently issued two warning letters to Olympus Medical Systems Corporation and one of its subsidiaries, Aizu Olympus Co, Ltd, after facility inspections. The letters addressed violations related to medical device reporting (MDR) requirements and quality…

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Editor's Note This study from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, finds that the introduction and removal of Michigan’s executive order curtailing elective surgery during COVID-19 lagged behind the ramp-down and ramp-up of elective surgery volume. Hospitals had already achieved a 91.7% reduction in case volume before the executive order…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on January 10 announced that it had elevated the Leadership (LD) Standard LD.04.03.08, which addresses healthcare disparities as a quality and safety priority, to a National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG), effective July 1, 2023. Current requirements for accreditation will not change, and the intent behind…

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Editor's Note This study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill finds that scrub color is a valuable identification tool, and it is associated with patients’ perceptions of surgeons. An electronic survey was administered to patients and visitors at the University of North Carolina Medical Center in Chapel…

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Editor's Note On January 10, ECRI released a new report calling on healthcare leaders to change their approach and embrace Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved weight loss drugs. ECRI says there is a large body of evidence showing that these drugs are beneficial as an adjunct to diet, exercise, and…

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Editor's Note This week the Biden administration will be renewing the COVID-19 public health emergency for the 11th time since the pandemic began with claims that it will be the last time, reports January 10 Politico. The administration seeks to end the public health emergency as early as the spring.…

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Editor's Note This study from the University of Vienna, Austria, finds that listening to music in daily life during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown was associated with lower stress and better mood. This cohort study of 711 adults living in Austria and Italy was conducted between April 1 and May 8,…

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Editor's Note For more than 2 decades, nursing has been ranked the most honest and ethical profession in Gallup’s annual poll, the American Nurses Association (ANA) reported on January 10. In the poll, 79% of Americans rated nurses’ honesty and ethical standards as “very high” or “high.” The second highest…

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Editor's Note This study led by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, finds that contrary to popular perceptions, there is no evidence of rising surgeon burnout in the published literature. Of 3,575 studies screened (publication dates from 1996 through 2021), 103 (representing 63,587 surgeons) met inclusion criteria. Among the…

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