Editor's Note Growth in healthcare spending is outpacing nominal economic growth, Hospice News reported June 12. Citing a study from the Office of the Actuary (OACT) at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the outlet reports that healthcare spending’s share of GDP is projected to rise from 17.6%…

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Editor's Note Microsoft and Google announced they will offer free or discounted cybersecurity services to rural hospitals in the U.S. to help protect against cyberattacks, CNN reported on June 10. According to the article, Microsoft will provide free security updates, assessments, and staff training, while Google will offer free cybersecurity…

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Editor's Note A June 6 meeting on gun violence prevention at the White House attracted more than 80 top health care executives to lend expertise on mental health, gunshot wounds, and more, Becker’s Hospital Review reports.   Hosted by the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, established in 2023,…

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Editor's Note Pending legislation in Louisiana could enable judges to order surgical castration for sex offenses involving young children, the Associated Press reported June 3. If Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signs the bill, Louisiana would become the first state to do so, although it and other states allow chemical castration.…

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Editor's Note New evidence from skulls in a university collection reveals that brain surgery dates back millennia—potentially as far back as 4,o00 years ago. CNN reported the news May 29. Researchers expressed uncertainty in some cases whether marks on the skulls indicated surgery to treat a living person or an…

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Editor's Note A joint letter from the American Medical Association (AMA) and more than 100 medical organizations asks Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to confirm that providers do not bear responsibility for legal reporting requirements for information stolen in the Change Healthcare cyberattack, including personal patient data.…

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Editor's Note Only 46% of parents and 33% of teenagers believe receiving the latest COVID-19 vaccine was important, according to survey results presented by at a May 2-6 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting in Toronto, Canada.   According to a May 9 Helio report on the findings, the survey is the…

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Editor's Note More than 45 years after surgery, Mary Ann Kozlowski’s mechanical heart valves are still pumping—and Guinness is reviewing an application to list her as the new world record-holder for longevity of a double-valve replacement. That’s according to a May 15 report in the Erie-Times News, which detailed how…

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Editor's Note Citing environmental concerns, multiple health systems have stopped using desflurane anesthesia gas, Becker’s Hospital Review reported on May 7. Citing the Philadelphia Inquirer, the outlet notes that Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Marlton, N.J.-based Virtua Health are among those that have eliminated the gas so far, with the…

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Editor's Note With the goal of helping patients choose if outpatient care is right for them and identify the right ambulatory surgery center (ASC) for their needs, US News & World Report unveiled on May 14 its inaugural ranking of the best ASCs in the US. Reportedly, “fewer than 15%…

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