Uncategorized Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on May 11, posted the Top 5 requirements that were most frequently identified as “not compliant” during surveys and reviews in 2021. The Top 5 for Hospitals were: IC.02.02.01 EP 2: The hospital reduces the risk of infections associated with medical equipment, devices, and supplies.…
Editor's Note Though new COVID-19 cases linked to the Omicron BA.2 subvariant are dropping, Omicron’s more infectious subvariant BA2.12.1 is beginning to gain a foothold in the US, the May 10 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. Omicron BA2.12.1 now accounts for nearly 43% of new cases as of May 7, compared…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 9 identified the recall by Mesa Biotech, Inc, of certain Accula SARS-CoV-2 Tests as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because certain lots of the PCR test have an increased risk of giving false positive results because…
Editor's Note A peaceful nurses’ march protest, called United “Million” Nurses March and sponsored by Nurses Against Violence, is set to take place in Washington DC on May 12, according to HealthLeaders February 17. The protest is set to focus on two key issues plaguing the profession: workplace violence and…
Editor's Note Rose O. Sherman, RN, EdD, NEA-BC, FAAN, emeritus professor at Florida Atlantic University, will be keynoting a session at the OR Manager Conference in Denver and doing a pre-conference workshop on perioperative recruitment and retention. In preparation for these sessions and to ensure that your biggest leadership challenges…
Editor's Note According to JAMA Network May 3, two recent studies examined the risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) after COVID-19 vaccination; however, the statistical value of the US-based study was not significant and the absolute risk remains inconclusive. In the first study, JAMA explains, COVID-19 vaccination was associated…
Editor's Note According to a Bipartisan Policy Center report, titled “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Rural Health Care Landscape” and published on May 4, 441 out of 2,176 rural hospitals in the US—just over 20%—“face three or more risk factors, putting them at risk of service reduction or closure,”…
Editor's Note On May 5, McLaren Northern Michigan was named the winner of ECRI’s 16th Health Technology Excellence Award for its integration of patient-care technologies into new hospital construction. The award-winning submission described the hospital’s plan to build 200 private patient rooms, a range of clinical care areas, as well…
Editor's Note On April 29, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated an April 2020 “Risk Adjustment Telehealth and Telephone Services During COVID-19 FAQs” notice to extend telehealth and telephone-only services in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) risk adjustment program, the American Hospital Association (AHA)…
Editor's Note This study from the UK finds that cognitive impairment as a result of severe COVID-19 is similar to that sustained between 50 and 70 years of age. The researchers analyzed data from 46 patients who received in-hospital care on a ward or in the ICU; 16 patients were…
