Editor's Note Various digital health companies are racing to introduce a new wave of artificial intelligence (AI) tools—often called AI agents—designed to handle labor-intensive tasks in healthcare with unprecedented speed. These specialized tools aim to manage everything from verifying insurance benefits and clarifying pre-procedure details for patients to aiding in…

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Editor's Note Surgeons at Northwestern Medicine have performed the first U.S. case of resection and partial liver transplantation with delayed total hepatectomy (RAPID) to treat metastatic colorectal cancer, according to a March 18 article in Healio. The procedure, which allows a transplanted liver segment to grow before fully replacing a…

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Editor's Note The bipartisan Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act would grant the president expanded authority to negotiate trade deals and modify tariffs on medical goods, according to a March 14 report from Fierce Healthcare. The bill, backed by pharmaceutical and healthcare industry groups, aims to strengthen the US medical supply…

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Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed Smiths Medical’s recall of Proport Plastic Implantable Ports a Class 1, the most severe designation indicating serious risk of injury or death. The devices are designed for repeated venous access for injections, infusions, and/or blood samples. According to the…

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Editor's Note Endovascular devices used to block aneurysm blood flow are the subject of the latest recall to be designated Class 1—the most severe designation indicating serious risk of injury or death—by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As detailed in the agency’s March 18 announcement, Medtronic Neurovascular is…

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Editor's Note Chief data officer (CDO) is a fast-growing C-suite role across the economy, with the notable exception of healthcare. The reasons why might be surprising: these roles have already been filled. Rather than growing, they are evolving. That’s the primary message of a March 4 report in Becker’s Hospital…

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Editor's Note A new partnership between OrganOx and ProCure On-Demand aims to increase the number of viable donor livers for transplantation by combining advanced perfusion technology with expert recovery services, Fierce Healthcare reported March 17. The collaboration seeks to reduce the number of discarded organs and improve transplant success rates…

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Editor's Note Although hospitals are already integrating artificial intelligence (AI), nurses warn that the technology may undermine their expertise and compromise patient care, The Associated Press (AP) reported March 16. The push for AI in healthcare stems from widespread nursing shortages. More than 100,000 nurses left the workforce during the…

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Editor's Note Miniaturized pacemakers implanted in neonates and infants have demonstrated reliable performance for up to two years, with no unexpected device failures, according to a March 11 article in Healio. The research, published in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, suggests that these modified pacemakers could offer a viable alternative for…

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Editor's Note From operational efficiency and budgetary concerns to staffing issues and vendor relationships, the day-to-day concerns of perioperative professionals are fully reflected in the agenda for the 2025 OR Manager Conference, scheduled for October 28-30 in Anaheim, California. The line-up of in-depth, targeted educational sessions is divided into seven…

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