Editor's Note ECRI, an independent, nonprofit organization that aims to improve the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care across all healthcare settings, every year compiles and unveils a list of the top 10 technology hazards affecting patient care. The motivation for producing this list, according to Jason Launders, director of…

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New York, New York (January 31, 2024)–Sonio today announced that Pediatrix Medical Group, the U.S.’s leading provider of highly specialized health care for women, children and babies, has deployed Sonio, a cloud-based, AI-powered prenatal care reporting and image management solution. This new technology is intended to simplify and streamline ultrasound…

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Editor's Note The US government's sale of the Federal Helium Reserve, a large underground helium stockpile in Amarillo, Texas, has raised concerns about the supply of helium for critical healthcare applications, especially MRI machines, NBC News reported January 25. The Federal Helium Reserve reportedly provides up to 30% of the…

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Editor's Note:  The U.S. Justice Department is investigating how the healthcare industry is using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to analyze and make decisions using patients’ electronic health records (EHRs), Bloomberg Law reported January 29. So far, DOJ has served subpoenas related to EHRs to at least three major pharma companies:…

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Editor's Note: A point-of-care, antimicrobial coating for orthopedic implants could soon make implant-associated infections a problem of the past, UCLA Health reported on January 3. Developed by two UCLA surgeons, the coating is designed to kill or slow the spread of micro-organisms in order to prevent post-surgical infections. According to…

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Immediate use steam sterilization (IUSS, a standard steam sterilization cycle with little to no dry time) is considered safe for patient care when the processes recommended in Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) standards and AORN guidelines are followed. IUSS is a valuable option in an emergency. Lack…

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Editor's Note:  Surgeons successfully tested three fixes for a leaky heart valve on a biological pig heart fitted with a silicone robotic pump, HealthDay reported on January 11. According to the article, the biorobotic heart offers significant advantages over existing heart simulators. These include a longer shelf life, greater ability…

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Editor's Note:  Englewood, Colo,-based Leiters Health is voluntarily recalling 33 lots of vancomycin, phenylephrine, and fentanyl IV bags due to concerns that they may contain twice the labeled amount of drug, according to a January 8 safety alert from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “The semi-automated IV bag…

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Editor's Note Recent announcements from The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) validate vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) as an established device sterilization method and warn against the use of the Synovo Total Hip Replacement system. Issued January 8, the announcement about VHP is part of the agency’s multi-pronged approach to…

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Editor's Note Published December 21, a year-long investigation by KFF Health News into medical device malfunctions found that the FDA allows the sale of most medical devices, including many implants, without requiring tests for safety or effectiveness. Instead, manufacturers need to show only that they have “substantial equivalence” to an…

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