Joint Commission implementing survey improvements on assessing safety culture
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on June 13 announced that starting this month it will be implementing survey process improvements for how it assesses safety culture in hospitals and critical access hospitals. Improvements will be implemented for all other programs by October. Among the process improvement expectations: An organization will…
Effect of neuraxial anesthesia for total joints on outcomes
Editor's Note Increased use of neuraxial anesthesia for total hip and knee patients was linked to lower hospitalization costs in this study. National data on 808,237 total knee and 371,607 total hip replacements were used in the analysis. Multivariable associations were measured between hospital neuraxial anesthesia volume (quartiles) and outcomes…
San Diego hospital in ‘Immediate Jeopardy’ for dirty surgical equipment
Editor's Note After a routine survey, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) declared “Immediate Jeopardy” at UC San Diego’s Hillcrest campus because of cleaning issues with its surgical equipment, the June 8 10News reports. A CDPH report says that deficiencies found included: trays of surgical equipment with brown stains…
Machine-learning algorithm predicts hypotension during surgery
Editor's Note In this study, researchers at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles applied machine learning to arterial pressure waveforms to develop an algorithm that predicted intraoperative hypotension 15 minutes before it occurred in 84% of cases. Two sets of data were used to build the algorithm. One set consisted…
Failures in safety protocols to reduce transmission of infectious agents
Editor's Note This study from the University of Utah and University of Michigan found frequent and varied active failures in safety protocols to reduce infectious agent transmission by hospital personnel, including violations, mistakes, and slips. Researchers identified 283 failures in safety protocols, including: 102 violations (deviations from safe operating practices…
FDA: Hospira recalls two lots of Naloxone Hydrochloride Injection
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration on June 4 announced the recall by Hospira, Inc, of two lots of its opioid antagonist Naloxone Hydrochloride Injection, USP, 0.4 mg/mL, 1 mL in 2.5 mL, Carpuject Single-use cartridge syringe system (NDC 0409-1782-69). The two lots, 72680LL and 76510LL, were recalled because…
Researchers identify biomarkers for total hip patients likely to develop osteolysis
Editor's Note Researchers at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, have identified two protein biomarkers that indicate which total hip patients are likely to develop osteolysis. Osteolysis is the destruction of bone tissue around the hip joint that causes the implant to loosen and results in a revision surgery. The researchers…
FDA updates recommendations to reduce surgical fires
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on June 5 updated its Safety Communication: “Recommendations to Reduce Surgical Fires and Related Patient Injury.” Among the recommendations: Perform a fire risk assessment before each surgical procedure. Encourage communication among anesthesia personnel, surgeons, and OR staff. Practice safe use and administration…
AHRQ: Decline in HACs saves 8,000 lives, $2.9 billion
Editor's Note National efforts by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to reduce hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) helped prevent some 8,000 deaths and save $2.9 billion in costs between 2014 and 2016, according to a new report released June 5 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Data…
FDA issues Class I Recall of CARDIOSAVE Hybrid Intra-aortic Balloon Pump by Maquet Datascope
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration on June 6 identified the recall by Maquet Datascope Corp of its CARDIOSAVE Hybrid Intra-aortic Balloon Pump as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of a design issue that allows fluid to seep into the device, which can lead…
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