Editor's Note This study led by researchers from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, finds that characteristics of patients’ neighborhoods and hospitals where they received treatment were both associated with postoperative mortality. This analysis included 1,898,829 Medicare beneficiaries from all neighborhood types undergoing one of five common surgical procedures in…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 27 posted an addition to the Class I recall by LivaNova (TandemLife) of its LifeSPARC System Controller. The addition to the recall provides information about a software update now available to address the previous software malfunction and recall. The System…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 25 identified the recall by Datascope/Gettinge of its Cardiosave Hybrid and Rescue Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumps (IABPs) as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of the risk that blood may enter the pump through a damaged balloon…

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Editor's Note This study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, finds no difference in quality of shared decision making in surgical patients having preoperative in-person vs telemedicine visits. Of 387 patients who were scheduled for surgery between May 2021 and June 2022, 301 had in-person visits and 86 had…

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Editor's Note Medscape’s 2023 Physician Lifestyle and Happiness Report finds that physician happiness fell during the COVID-19 pandemic and is not rebounding easily, the January 20 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. The survey findings include: 59% of physicians say they are “somewhat” or “very happy,” down from 84% before COVID-19. The…

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Editor's Note This study led by researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, finds that race, ethnicity, and area-level social determinants of health (SDOH) were associated with delayed or discontinued cancer treatments and longer delays to restart drug-based therapies after COVID-19 infections. The analysis included data on…

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Takeaways • Children are not small adults. Greater attention should be paid to their fears and anxiety, and equipment and medication should be tailored to meet their needs. • All staff should have Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification. • ASCs can use toys and games as distractions to ease…

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Editor's Note The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) has updated its 2017 guidelines for preoperative fasting and the use of pharmacologic agents to reduce the risk of pulmonary aspiration. The new 2023 guidance focuses on topics not addressed in the previous guideline, including ingestion of carbohydrate-containing clear liquids with or…

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Editor's Note Medical schools saw more diversity among their students in 2022, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), reports January 12 HealthLeaders Media. Comparing the 2020-2021 and 2022-2023 academic years, the number of Black, Hispanic, and female students increased. AAMC released the breakdown of this data: The…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, finds that patients participating in an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) program were prescribed significantly fewer opioids at discharge, compared to patients before ERAS was instituted. A total of 3,983 patients were included (1,929 pre-ERAS and 2,054 post-ERAS).…

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