Editor's Note Older Americans are at heightened risk for both short-term and long-term hospital readmission following major surgery, according to a study from Yale University published February 28 in Jama Network Open.   Readmission places a major financial strain on health systems, researchers write, pointing out that the total cost…

Read More

What if a surgeon decided to perform a procedure on a patient that was not totally necessary? It happens more often that one might realize. As recently as August 2023, Forbes published an article that cited a Harvard Business Review report stating that over 50% of lumbar spine surgeries are…

Read More

The promise of quicker recovery and fewer complications from sedation, anesthesia, and pain management have drawn clinicians and patients alike to procedures performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and other outpatient settings. However, sedation, anesthesia, and analgesia add their own risks to those of the procedure itself. Understanding the latest…

Read More

Editor's Note Using phenylephrine as an intraoperative vasopressor could lead to higher risk of postoperative delirium compared to ephedrine, according to findings published in the April issue of Anesthesiology. Posted online last September, these findings confirm researchers’ original hypothesis. “The treatment of intraoperative hypotension with phenylephrine may impair cerebral perfusion…

Read More

Editor's Note Research shows that Americans who live in areas with a limited number of primary care doctors and nurse practitioners are at a greater risk for emergency surgeries and complications. The findings were published March 4 in the journal Health Affairs.  For the study, researchers looked at Medicare patient…

Read More

Editor's Note A study published March 8 in the journal Health Policy finds that nurses’ intention to leave the profession has a significant association with patient mortality.   Researchers looked at data from approximately 37,000 patients aged 50 and older admitted to 15 public hospitals in Italy in 2015 for…

Read More

Editor's Note Making good on plans announced by the Biden administration in December, federal agencies have launched a public inquiry into how private equity mergers and acquisitions impact patient outcomes, worker safety, and healthcare access and costs, including costs to taxpayers.  As reported by Dotmed Healthcare Business News on March…

Read More

Editor's Note A research team from Penn State University is using 3D printing to produce a living system of multiple skin layers that could be used to print tissues during surgery and has the capacity to grow hair. The findings were published November 9 in the journal Bioactive Materials.  The…

Read More

Editor's Note A medical device developed by researchers at Northwestern University and Washington University School of Medicine could enable clinicians to monitor the health of a patient’s organs following surgery. The findings appeared in the journal Science on March 7.  Patients who undergo gastrointestinal surgeries—including pancreatic surgery—can develop anastomotic leaks…

Read More

Editor's Note Patient engagement technologies (PETs) reduced length of stay (LOS), complication rates, and readmission rates among patients in a study published February 16 in the American Journal of Surgery. The retrospective cohort study consisted of more than 400 patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery from 2018 to 2022. Approximately 9…

Read More