Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) on September 21 announced the launch of a new surgical quality program to help hospitals establish and maintain the highest standards in emergency general surgery. The Emergency General Surgery Verification Program focuses on…

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Editor's Note This 3-year survey study led by researchers at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, finds that emotional exhaustion trajectories varied by role but increased overall among most healthcare workers (HCWs) since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 107, 122 HCWs surveyed, respondents reported increased emotional…

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Editor's Note According to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, 85% of pregnancy-related deaths in 36 states between 2017 and 2019 were preventable based on data from interdisciplinary committees that review deaths during and up to one year after pregnancy, American Hospital Association September 19 reports.…

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Editor's Note This study from The Wharton School, Philadelphia, and Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, examines changes in unemployment among healthcare workers (HCWs) from January 2015 to April 2022. The researchers found that: Prepandemic, 2.28% of HCWs and 3.82% of non-HCWs reported being unemployed. During the pandemic, 3.18% of…

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Editor's Note According to a September 14 FBI report, cyber criminals are increasingly targeting healthcare payment processors to redirect payments intended for healthcare providers to accounts they control, the American Hospital Association (AHA) September 16 reports. At least 68 attacks have occurred since June 2018, in which unknown cyber criminals…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine, Columbus, finds that the first year of COVID-19 saw a 113% increase in “Years of Life Lost” (YLL) among adolescents and young people in the US because of unintentional drug overdoses. Among…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 15 identified Baxter Healthcare Corporation’s recall of its ClearLink Basic Solution Set with Duovent as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of the risk for leaks that may expose providers and patients to hazardous toxic substances…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on September 13 that it is reviewing its standards and requirements that go beyond the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) conditions of participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs to determine whether some should be permanently retired. “As the [COVID-19 public health…

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Editor's Note This study from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, finds that overlapping clinical responsibilities of a supervising anesthesiologist are associated with increased surgical patient mortality and morbidity. A total of 578,815 adult surgical patients from 23 US academic and private hospitals were included in the analysis. The patients…

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Editor's Note ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) announced September 14 that they are joining the World Health Organization and healthcare leaders around the world in celebrating World Patient Safety Day on September 17, 2022. The slogan for this year’s campaign is “Medication without Harm.” In support…

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