Editor's Note This study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, finds that chronic, insufficient sleep can negatively affect immune cells, which may lead to inflammatory disorders and cardiovascular disease. Immune cells fight infection, but if the numbers get too high, they overreact and cause…
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) on September 21 announced the launch of a new surgical quality program to help hospitals establish and maintain the highest standards in emergency general surgery. The Emergency General Surgery Verification Program focuses on…
Editor's Note This 3-year survey study led by researchers at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, finds that emotional exhaustion trajectories varied by role but increased overall among most healthcare workers (HCWs) since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 107, 122 HCWs surveyed, respondents reported increased emotional…
Editor's Note This study from The Wharton School, Philadelphia, and Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, examines changes in unemployment among healthcare workers (HCWs) from January 2015 to April 2022. The researchers found that: Prepandemic, 2.28% of HCWs and 3.82% of non-HCWs reported being unemployed. During the pandemic, 3.18% of…
Editor's Note This study from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, finds that overlapping clinical responsibilities of a supervising anesthesiologist are associated with increased surgical patient mortality and morbidity. A total of 578,815 adult surgical patients from 23 US academic and private hospitals were included in the analysis. The patients…
Editor's Note In this survey of surgical, internal medicine, emergency medicine, and psychiatry residents by researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Rotan, residents reported having effective coping strategies during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 59 residents completed the survey. Results showed…
Editor's Note This study from researchers at the Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, examines the impact of COVID-19 on surgical cases for urology residents and finds that despite widespread disruptions in surgical care, there will likely be minimal detriment to training over time. Using data from the Accreditation…
What if unprofessional behavior in the OR could be managed through something as simple as an informal chat over a cup of coffee? This peer-to-peer approach advocated by Vanderbilt University School of Medicine led to the development of two well-established, scientifically validated programs designed to offset unprofessional behavior: the Patient…
Editor's Note This study from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, finds a severe decline in surgical procedure volumes across specialties during the peak of COVID-19, and after the peak and vaccine release periods, the overall volume did not fully recover. Of 129,956 surgical procedures analyzed during four…
Editor's Note This meta-analysis led by researchers at the National University of Singapore finds that recovery of the ability to taste and smell after COVID-19 infection may take up to 6 months, and women are more likely to experience loss of these senses and have a longer time to recovery.…