Pain treatments have applications in traditional hospital OR settings and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). “The choice of setting depends on the specific needs of the patient, the type of procedure being performed, and the resources available,” says Wang Lushun, MD, senior consultant orthopedic surgeon at Arete Orthopaedic Centre in Singapore.…

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The importance of a dedicated robotics coordinator’s role in an efficient da Vinci robotics program cannot be overstated. “You need someone to take ownership of the program, set up training for staff and surgeons, and coordinate ongoing development,” says June Hill, BSN, RN, CNOR, clinical director of robotics, Inova Health…

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Editor's Note A May 2023 study shows that ChatGPT–a large language model artificial intelligence chatbot–can make accurate diagnoses and care management decisions but is less adept at differential diagnosis. The findings were published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.  The research team from Mass General Brigham inputted all 36…

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Editor's Note A new study finds that children are now much more likely to be treated at children’s hospitals concentrated in a few locations as opposed to general hospitals, JAMA Network October 30 reports. This represents a dramatic shift that has taken place over the past 20 years, according to…

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Editor's Note The American Hospital Association (AHA) November 6 is alerting healthcare institutions to a new ransomware known as BlackSuit, which is likely to pose a serious threat to the healthcare and public health sectors.  According to AHA: BlackSuit is very similar to the Royal ransomware family, which followed the…

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Editor's Note Researchers have designed a new IV needle, called the Phase-Convertible, Adapting and non-REusable (P-CARE) needle, which becomes soft and flexible when inserted. The findings were published in Nature Biomedical Engineering on October 30.  Some highlights of the article include: Because medical IV needles are rigid, it allows them…

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Editor's Note Across the US, drug shortages are on the rise, including for chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, and weight-loss drugs, PBS News November 5 reports. This trend is worrisome for many reasons, experts say, with the top-pressing concern being high-risk patients having to switch to less effective or more aggressive regimens…

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Editor's Note A new report by the Denver-based nonprofit Center for Improving Value in Health Care found that millions are being spent on tests and treatments that have limited value for patient health and well-being, KFF Health News November 13 reports. According to estimates, from 10% to 30% of the…

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Editor's Note Several million patients may be misclassified as having hypertension because they are not sitting according to recommended guidelines when measurements are taken, according to new findings in The Lancet published September 14.  The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology advise that when health care professionals take…

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Editor's Note A multinational study has uncovered a clear association between young people’s exposure to radiation via CT scans and increased risk of blood cancer. The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine on November 9.  The study looked at data from radiology records of 276 hospitals in nine…

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