Safety/Quality 
Editor's Note Patients fared worse in the wake of private equity acquisitions of US hospitals, according to research published January 9 in JAMA Network. Over a decade-long analysis of 73 acquired hospitals and 293 matched controls, declines became more pronounced in the years following acquisition, researchers wrote. Key findings include:…
Editor's Note The 2023-2024 State of Well-Being Report shows a modest improvement in healthcare worker burnout, with 50% reporting feeling burned out in 2023, down from 54% in 2022. HealthLeaders Media reported on the results January 2. According to the article, The Mayo Clinic’s Well-Being Index compiled 79,022 assessments to…
Editor's Note Health insurance coverage of prosthetics remains inconsistent and often inadequate, KFF Health News reported January 6. As a result, many patients face coverage denials due to claims of lack of medical necessity or high costs despite significant advancements in prosthetic technology, such as microprocessor-controlled knees and myoelectric hands.…
Editor's Note GLP-1 drugs may improve surgical outcomes without increasing risks for diabetic patients, according to a January 7 article in Medical Xpress. The article covers a study published in the Annals of Surgery finding that GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, significantly reduced certain surgical complications in…
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its 2025 Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program data, showing strong participation among Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs), ASC Focus December 20 reports. Of the 6,012 facilities included in the list, 5,714 will receive the full Annual Payment Update…
Editor's Note A new international study reports low rates of local recurrence, radionecrosis, and leptomeningeal disease in patients receiving neoadjuvant stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) before brain metastases resection, Medscape Medical News reported January 6. Published in Radiotherapy and Oncology, the analysis included 179 patients with 189 brain metastases treated at nine…
Editor's Note A bipartisan Senate Budget Committee report accuses private equity firms of prioritizing profits over patients, compromising care in underserved communities, CBS News reported January 7. The investigation scrutinized the operations of Leonard Green & Partners and Apollo Global Management, alleging widespread financial mismanagement and underinvestment in hospitals they…
Editor's Note Postoperative thirst, affecting up to 89.6% of surgical patients, is a significant yet often overlooked source of discomfort, according to a recent study of ward and OR nurses in Japan. Published December 30 in Cureus, the study of how nurses recognized and address postoperative thirst revealed gaps in…
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued new draft guidance January 6 providing recommendations improving the use of pulse oximeters and supporting the safety of AI-enabled medical devices, among other topics. Released January 6, draft guidance supporting the safety and effectiveness of AI-enabled devices would, if…
Editor's Note A study published in JAMA Surgery revealed that hospitals owned by private equity firms had significantly worse outcomes for esophagectomy patients compared to non-acquired hospitals. As detailed in a January 2 report on the findings in MedPage Today, the analysis of over 9,000 cases highlights disparities in 30-day…
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