Medical societies plead with Congress to fix ‘meaningful use’
Editor's Note A coalition of 111 medical societies on November 4 sent letters asking Senate and House leaders to take legislative action to pause Stage 3 of the electronic health records meaningful use program and revise Stage 2 so that it enables provider success, HealthData Management reports. Stage 3 requirements…
Survey: Patients want more electronic communication with providers
Editor's Note A Nielsen survey of 5,000 healthcare recipients found that 15% (aged 18 to 65) communicate with providers through e-mails, 21% schedule appointments online, and 9% get text reminders, the Washington Post reports. Among those who do not communicate electronically, 36% were interested in online appointment scheduling, and 34%…
3-D printing: A whole new dimension in patient care
OR Manager, Inc, and ECRI Institute have joined in a collaboration to bring OR Manager readers quarterly supplements on topics such as medical technology management and procurement, risk management, and patient safety. ECRI Institute is an independent nonprofit that researches the best approaches to improving patient care. Three-dimensional (3-D) printers…
Anesthesiology-based service for management of pacemakers, ICDs
Editor's Note An anesthesiology-based service can meet the challenge of providing efficient and high-level care for surgical patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices, including pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), this study finds. Such a service, however, requires specialized provider training and strong support from the electrophysiology/cardiology service, and will…
FDA launches new features for UDI database
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in partnership with the National Library of Medicine on October 19 announced the launch of three new features on AccessGUDID, the public portal to data submitted to the FDA’s Global Unique Device Identification Database (GUDID). Two new APIs (application program interface) and…
US News & World Report lists ‘Most Connected Hospitals’
Editor's Note The US News & World Report has released its 2015-2016 Most Connected Hospitals list. Included are 159 hospitals in 37 states that have made significant strides in implementing technologies to enhance the digital exchange of information. Ohio has the most hospitals on the list at 23, followed by…
OR leaders discuss hybrid ORs at OR Manager Conference Town Hall
A highlight of this year’s OR Manager Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, was an interactive hybrid OR exhibit with products from 15 companies. During a special Town Hall on Thursday, October 8, members of the Hybrid OR Steering Committee answered questions from conference attendees seeking information about what’s involved in planning…
Study: Patients prefer online postop care to in-person care
Editor's Note In this pilot study of 50 surgical patients from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, the majority preferred online postoperative visits to in-person visits. Online visits were accepted by patients and surgeons, took less time, and effectively identified patients who required further care.
ECRI Institute offers new robotic surgery planning service
Editor's Note ECRI Institute is offering a new robotic surgery planning service that gives hospitals an independent second opinion when starting or expanding a robotic surgery program. The service focuses on: Strategic planning Quality and training Financial assessment. The high costs, risks, and questionable patient outcomes associated with robotic…
Characteristics of total hips linked to early revision
Editor's Note Characteristics of total hip replacements (THRs) were found to be related to early prosthetic revision in this French study. Antibiotic-free cemented and antibiotic-impregnated cemented THRs were compared with uncemented. Ceramic-on-ceramic, ceramic-on-polyethylene, and metal-on-metal THRs were compared with metal-on-polyethylene. The antibiotic-impregnated cemented THRs had a better prognosis than uncemented,…
Free Daily News
- Legislation proposes to halt Medicare physician payment cuts
- Cigna ties executive pay to patient experience
- Proposed tax credit aims to bolster nurse preceptor ranks
- Study links financial conflicts of interest to favorable robotic bariatric surgery research
- Hospitals double down on ambulatory care expansion with major investments
- 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