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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Editor's Note For the first time, researchers have designed a calculator that estimates a person’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) over the next 30 years. The news was announced in a statement from the American Heart Association in the journal Circulation on November 10. 1 in 3 U.S. adults…

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Editor's Note A study of nurses in the UK found that the majority of those surveyed felt undervalued and under-recognized, perceiving that they did not have a voice in higher-level decision-making, during the pandemic. The findings were published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing on October 30. Forty participants were…

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Editor's Note A November 2022 survey of American Society of Anesthesiologists members found that, post-pandemic, anesthesiologists are experiencing unprecedented levels of workplace stress and staffing shortages. The findings were published in the November 2023 issue of the journal Anesthesiology.  The authors surveyed the US attending members of the American Society…

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