For many healthcare facilities, operational costs are steadily rising, and no clearcut solution is in sight. However, some hospital systems are gradually reclaiming control over their budgets by finding ways to stabilize their finances and improve workforce morale. During the pandemic, many hospitals turned to short-term contract labor as a…

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Editor's Note According to this report published by The Leapfrog Group this month, hospitals in the US have significantly improved hand hygiene compliance, with 74% meeting the Leapfrog Hand Hygiene Standard in 2023, up from 11% in 2020. Among other factors, the report attributes this improvement to increased use of…

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Editor's Note Virtual reality is making training more immersive for nurses at SSM Health St Mary’s Hospital in Janesville, Wisconsin, according to a September 11 article in GazetteXtra. Although a first for St Mary’s, virtual reality has already been adopted by other SSM Health facilities, the outlet reports. Donning googles…

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Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated the recall of Smiths Medical’s Bivona Neonatal/Pediatric and Adult Tracheostomy tubes as a Class 1, the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death. According to the agency’s September 18 report, the recall is due to a…

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Editor's Note Research shows antibiotic-resistant infections could lead to 8.2 million deaths annually by 2050, representing a 75% increase from current rates, according to a September 17 article in HealthDay. Published in the Lancet, the new study highlights the growing threat of growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), predicting that…

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Editor's Note Aligning with a recent executive order promoting safe and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking input on what providers and others are doing with the technology. Issued September 9, the Request for Information (RFI) invites healthcare…

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Editor's Note An analysis of two phase-III trials showed adjuvant administration of nivolumab (Opdivo) plus chemotherapy reduces the risk of recurrence or death in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by 40% compared to neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy alone, Medpage Today reported September 9. "With the caveat that…

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Editor's Note B. Braun Medical Inc. has expanded last year’s recall of lnfusomat Space Infusion Pump systems to include more models. Designated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Class 1—the most serious category indicating risk of severe injury or death—the recall was motivated by the risk of…

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Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated Fresenius Kabi’s recall of certain Ivenix infusion system components as Class 1, the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death. According to the agency’s September 16 announcement, the recalled items consist of a certain lot (3010538)…

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Editor's Note Joint Commission International (JCI) and the International Hospital Federation's Geneva Sustainability Centre (GSC) have introduced a new Healthcare Sustainability Certification (HSC) for healthcare organizations outside the U.S., according to a September 11 report from The Joint Commission. The goal of the new initiative is to address the nearly…

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