Editor's Note "Why is healthcare cybersecurity so bad?" This is the central question explored in a December 4 video from STAT health tech reporter Brittany Trang, who also wrote an article on the subject earlier this year. Brought into sharp focus by data exposures related to the recent attack on…

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Editor's Note Using virtual reality glasses (VR-G) to watch immersive 360-degree nature videos significantly reduces preoperative surgical fear in patients undergoing open-heart surgery, according to a randomized controlled study published November 29 in the Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing. However, anxiety levels were not markedly affected, suggesting targeted efficacy in fear…

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Editor's Note The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) commended Anthem's reversal of a policy to deny anesthesia payment based on arbitrary time limits, which was set for February 2025 in three states. “The now-rescinded policy was inconsistent with prevailing standards, regulations and billing norms, and revealed a diminished dedication to…

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Editor's Note A quality improvement protocol at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical campus resulted in a 48.8% decrease in the number of pediatric urology patients returning to the emergency department (ED) unnecessarily within 30 days of surgery. According to a December 2 university report, the initiative has significantly reduced…

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Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized a new rule establishing the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model, a 6-year, mandatory initiative to enhance access to kidney transplants, improve care quality, and reduce disparities. Managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the program…

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Editor's Note Non-operative management (NOM) with antibiotics for pediatric uncomplicated appendicitis is both less expensive and slightly more effective than urgent laparoscopic appendectomy over a one-year period, according to a study published November 19 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. The findings support the viability of NOM…

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Editor's Note The American Medical Association (AMA) expressed “strong opposition” to a proposed regulation in Washington, DC, that would allow certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) to use the title “nurse anesthesiologist.” As detailed in a December 2 announcement, a letter to the DC Department of Health from AMA CEO James…

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Editor's Note Cardiothoracic surgeons at Emory University Hospital have conducted the first US implantation of the BrioVAD System, a new ventricular assist device (VAD) from BrioHealth Solutions, Cardiovascular Business News reported November 25. According to the article, the BrioVAD System features a magnetically suspended, hemocompatible pump designed to minimize adverse…

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Editor's Note A study analyzing data from the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) revealed that nursing-sensitive quality indicators (NSIs) worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic and remain elevated years after the onset of the pandemic, reflecting ongoing challenges in nursing practice. Published in the journal Nursing Research, the findings…

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Editor's Note Knee osteoarthritis patients experience similar clinical outcomes from supervised education and exercise programs regardless of whether they have undergone knee surgery before, according to a study published in Clinical Rheumatology. Helio reported the news November 13. The cohort study analyzed data from 30,545 patients enrolled in the Good…

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