Tag: Technology

Joint Commission announces advisory panel to assist with eCQMs

Editor's Note The Joint Commission on May 9 announced the Pioneers in Quality Advisory Panel, a group of technical experts who will be informing the Joint Commission on the successes and challenges hospitals are experiencing in their adoption and use of electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs). The panel also will…

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By: Judy Mathias
May 10, 2016
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Effectiveness of TAVR in intermediate-risk patients

Editor's Note In intermediate-risk patients, outcomes (ie, death from any cause or disabling stroke) of transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR) were similar to conventional open aortic-valve replacement, this study finds. The study involved 2,032 patients: 1,011 were randomized to TAVR and 1,021 to open surgery. Previous studies have shown that survival rates…

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By: Judy Mathias
April 28, 2016
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Study: Important patient data missing from EHRs

Editor's Note Nearly half of patient face-to-face contacts with health care providers, such as checkups, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions, were missing from electronic health records (EHRs) in this study. The problem is caused by the inability of software systems to talk to each other. Because of the 2009 Health…

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By: Judy Mathias
April 20, 2016
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ASTM International to publish new medical devices cleaning standard

Editor's Note A new ASTM International standard will help manufacturers validate a standardized, safe, and effective level for cleaning of medical devices. The standard--soon to be published as F3127, Guide for Validating Cleaning Lines for Medical Devices--is the result of a November 2011 symposium sponsored by ASTM International (formerly known…

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By: Judy Mathias
April 14, 2016
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Mini-MVR provides excellent outcomes without increased costs

Editor's Note Patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve repair or replacement (mini-MVR) have similar outcomes as patients having traditional open procedures and also experience shorter hospital stays and fewer blood transfusions, finds this study. The study included 1,304 patients, including 425 mini-MVRs. Compared with traditional MVR, Mini-MVR patients had similar…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 31, 2016
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MedStar hospitals crippled by computer virus

Editor's Note Washington DC-area MedStar hospitals were hit by a computer virus that forced all computers offline on March 28, the Chicago Tribune reports. The shutdown of computers was the latest against US hospitals after a California hospital paid ransom to free its infected systems using bitcoin currency. The FBI…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 30, 2016
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ECRI Institute and London School of Economics partner on device pricing project

Editor's Note ECRI Institute announced on March 17 that is collaborating with the London School of  Economics in a project examining medical device pricing across different countries. Medical devices are estimated to account for 6% to 7% of total health expenditure in the US and European countries, but little is…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 18, 2016
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Nurses’ perceptions of EHR

Editor's Note This study was designed to understand nurses’ perceptions of using an electronic health record (EHR) at the point of care. At 1 year after EHR adoption, the nurses said: it did not improve patient care the learning curve was steep they had lower confidence using the EHR than…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 17, 2016
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FDA warns about magnetic interference between breast tissue expanders and ICDs, pacemakers

Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 8 issued a warning about magnetic interference between breast tissue expanders with magnetic ports and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) or pacemakers in patients. The breast expanders can interfere with the functioning of these cardiac devices, causing them to go into "magnet…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 9, 2016
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HHS releases guidance on when HIPAA applies to mobile apps

Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released guidelines on how the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) applies to health information a patient creates or manages through a health app and when app developers are required to comply with HIPPA rules. The new…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 17, 2016
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