Editor's Note The Joint Commission is set to revise the Infection Prevention and Control (IC) chapter requirements for both office-based surgery (OBS) practices and ambulatory healthcare (AHC) organizations, effective July 1, 2025. These revisions aim to streamline the IC chapter, focusing on essential structures and processes that support quality and…

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Editor's Note Colorado is the first state in naton to pass legislation regulating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in pivotal decision-making, including in healthcare, according to a May 22 report in Politico. The new law has sparked significant debate, according to the report, with some viewing it as a…

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Editor's Note Artificial intelligence (AI) threatens patient safety by undermining the judgment of human nurses, according to a survey by National Nurses United (NNU). “The findings, coupled with anecdotal reports from nurses at hospitals nationwide, underscore the urgent need for stricter regulation and greater input from nurses and health care…

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Editor's Note Black Basta, reportedly the second most prolific ransomware group in the world, has healthcare organizations firmly in its crosshairs, according to a May 13 article in the Hippa Journal. Citing a May 10 bulletin on the group from Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center Healht-ISAC, the article notes…

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Editor's Note In a move one expert calls “a complete U-turn,” the World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that viruses transmit through primarily the air via inhalation of tiny suspended particles of saliva and mucus, KFF Health News reported on May 1. Until now, health authorities have relied on the…

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Editor's Note The number of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Class 1 recalls—the most serious classification—for medical devices has been trending upwards. Regulatory News, a publication of the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society (RAPS), reported the news April 25.  According to the report, Anne Reid, program director of the Office…

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Editor's Note New federal guidelines require obtaining written informed consent before conducting pelvic and other sensitive medical examinations, according to an April 2 Associated Press report. The new guidance from the US Department of Health and Human Services focuses specifically on medical students, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants performing breast,…

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Editor's Note The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a rule to reduce chloroprene and ethylene oxide emissions that will impact over 200 chemical plants across the nation, including medical sterilization plants, according to an April 10 report from USA Today. Under the new rule, the EPA will cut more…

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Editor's Note The US Food and Drug administration approved Zevtera for treating Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) bloodstream infections, which are often acquired in healthcare settings. In the April 3 announcement, the agency notes the new antibiotic Zevtera (ceftobiprole medocaril sodium for injection) is effective for SAB-infected patients with right-sided infective…

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Editor's Note Private payers initially deny reimbursement on 15% of claims, only to later approve more than half of those initial denials, according to a national survey of healthcare institutions published March 21 by Premiere, Inc. Additionally, the denied claims on average tend to be more prevalent for higher-cost treatments…

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