FDA approves new antibiotic for staph, other infections
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…
Private payers profit by delaying medical claims
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…
FDA warning: unapproved topical analgesics potentially dangerous
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises consumers to avoid topical analgesics marketed in violation of federal law by six different companies, including: TKTX Company: TKTX Numb Maximum Strength Pain Reliever, Mithra+ 10% Lidocaine, TKTX During Procedure Numbing Gel 40% and J-CAIN cream [LIDOCAINE] 29.9% SeeNext Venture,…
Proposed federal rule would require hospitals, health systems to report cyberattacks
Editor's Note The Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) proposed a new rule that would require hospitals and health systems to report any cyberattacks or ransomware attacks to the agency within 72 hours and any ransomware payments within 24 hours. The healthcare sector is one of…
How data puts the ‘value’ in value-based care
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…
New EPA standards to reduce ethylene oxide emissions
Editor's Note New standards from The Environmental Protection Agency promise to cut nationwide emissions of ethylene oxide—employed to sterilize more than half of US medical devices—by more than 90 percent. According to a March 15 MedPage Today report, the aim is to reduce cancer risk among the 13 to 14…
Federal probe investigates care quality impact of private equity mergers, acquisitions
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…
Alabama immunity legislation shields IVF patients, providers
Editor's Note A new Alabama law provides civil and criminal immunity for providers and patients of in vitro fertilization (IVF) services, the Associated Press reported March 7. Last month, the Alabama Supreme Court effectively ruled that frozen embryos are people with a constitutional right to life, casting doubt on the…
Editorial: Social media raises privacy, ethical concerns
After spending many years in management roles, I can testify to the truth of one old proverb: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Patient privacy is a prime example. Confusion on this topic seems just as rampant today as in the early 2000s, amid the widespread…
Unveiling ECRI’s 2024 top 10 health technology hazards list
What is the purpose of the top 10 health technology hazards list, released every year by ECRI? “Our number one goal at ECRI is to reduce preventable harm,” stresses Jason Launders, MSC, former director of operations, device evaluation, at ECRI. “We know that every healthcare provider has a lot they…
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- Study explores use of antibiotics as alternative to pediatric appendectomy
- Medical device shortages present pediatric patient challenges, FDA warns
- Expansive study highlights GLP-1 risks, potential beyond weight loss, diabetes treatment
- HHS report highlights cost, access, quality concerns with private equity in healthcare
- Study: Racial, gender disparities persist in bariatric surgery
- Study: Dry eye risks complicate cataract surgery recovery
- Study: Observational learning ineffective in ensuring nursing student infection control compliance
- Students innovate to reduce OR plastic waste
- OR Business Management Conference 2025 features fresh perspectives, new tracks
- Survey: Bariatric surgery’s fertility benefits not widely understood