ECRI chosen for data repository of promising medicines
Editor's Note ECRI announced June 30 that it had been chosen by the Belgium-based International Horizon Scanning Initiative (IHSI) to develop the first large-scale database of new and promising pharmaceutical products. ECRI will curate and maintain a database of pharmaceuticals expected to enter the European market within the next 2…
ECRI announces Health Devices Achievement Award winner
Editor's Note ECRI, on June 23, named Mon Health System of Morgantown, West Virginia, the winner of its 15th Health Devices Achievement Award. Mon Health System partnered with Intermed Labs at Mon Health, a MedTech startup studio that connects individuals who have ideas for improving patient outcomes with the expertise…
Researchers raise the alarm on splashing during reprocessing--Part 1
Does it really matter if surgical instruments are submerged in cleaning solution when technologists or nurses scrub them after a case? Is there a reason for the 3-foot separation between dirty and clean areas? Do germs stop at the red line? During the COVID-19 pandemic, much attention has been focused…
Regroup and recharge at OR Manager's leadership conferences
As the nation gradually resumes activities that have been restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic, OR Manager looks forward to hosting two fall conferences. The OR Business Management Conference (ORBMC) takes place in San Diego, September 27-29, and the OR Manager Conference follows in Chicago, October 20-22. There has never been…
No such thing as downtime: CSP renovation does not stop surgery
Many of today’s medical facilities have been modernized, but some still have areas of aging infrastructure. The central sterile processing (CSP) department at Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital in Canton, Ohio, is one such example. The original Terrazzo floor from when the facility was built in 1953 had become hazardous. The…
AI examines gene-expression data to predict COVID-19 outcomes
Editor's Note In this study, researchers from the University of California, San Diego, developed an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to identify signature genes that forecast the severity of a viral infection immune response including that of COVID-19. The researchers analyzed more than 45,000 datasets from viral pandemics in humans, mice,…
Remote monitoring for ambulatory surgery patients reduces postop ED visits
Editor's Note This study by researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s ambulatory surgery center, New York City, finds that remote measurement of patient-reported symptoms after surgery can improve outcomes and reduce postoperative urgent care and emergency department (ED) visits. The researchers developed an electronic platform and alert system, called…
FDA clears single-use flexible cystoscope from UroViu
Editor's Note UroViu Corporation, Bellevue, Washington, announced May 24 that it has received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its portable, flexible single-use cystoscope. The Uro-G has a fully deflectable tip that enables physicians to perform interventional and diagnostic urologic procedures in various settings, without reprocessing.
Risk of COVID-19 transmission via electrocautery plume
Editor's Note In this Canadian experimental study, SARS-CoV-2 was not detectable in aerosolized electrocautery plume generated from any of the conditions investigated. The researchers mimicked surgery by applying electrocautery at 25 W using three different methods (monopolar cut, monopolar coagulate, and bipolar electrocautery) for 1 minute on raw chicken breast.…
CMS extends ASC quality data reporting deadline
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced May 17 that it has extended the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) program data submission deadline from Monday, May 17, to Monday, July 19, 2021. The extension provides ASCs with more time to obtain HARP [Health Care Quality…
Free Daily News
- Study: Post-laparotomy incisional negative pressure wound therapy fails to reduce infection risk
- FDA announces multiple Class 1 recalls
- Study: ERAS protocol reduces opioid use after cardiac surgery
- Study: Prehabilitation reduces surgical complications, speeds recovery
- Commentary: Studies show how surgeon decisions follow the money
- Proposed HIPAA updates would improve cybersecurity, increase costs for healthcare providers
- Study: EMR data can enhance hand hygiene compliance, infection prevention
- Study: Machine learning model improves perioperative pain assessment
- Call for improved suicide risk screening in ASCs aims to strengthen safety protocols
- Study: Perioperative pregabalin reduces risk of kidney decline compared to gabapentin