Surge in corporate ownership of medical practices raises concerns over physician autonomy, care quality
Editor's Note Corporate entities are overtaking hospitals in terms of medical practice ownership, with corporate ownership at 30.1%, surpassing hospital ownership at 28.4% for the first time, Fierce Healthcare April 12 reports. This is alongside a “decadelong decline of independent physicians,” which saw a new high of 77.6% doctors employed…
How Minneapolis healthcare real estate remained strong amid challenges, shifts in patient care preferences: Lessons for other states
Editor's Note In recent years, the healthcare real estate sector, particularly in the Twin Cities, Minneapolis, area, has seen a series of challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff shortages, rising costs, and increasing interest rates, RE Journals April 15 reports. And yet, the demand for healthcare spaces such as…
Artificial intelligence (AI) captures uncertainty in medical scans
Editor's Note Artificial intelligence (AI) is a useful tool for helping clinicians to determine health problems from medical imaging, but AI often provides just one answer, when there may be a number of possible interpretations. Now, researchers from MIT, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and Massachusetts General Hospital…
Chilean surgeon performs first augmented reality abdominal procedure
Editor's Note A successful cholecystectomy March 11 in Santiago, Chile marked the first reported use of augmented reality (AR) technology for abdominal surgery, Fox News reported on April 12. Developed by Levita Magnetics, a medical equipment manufacturer in Silicon Valley, the MARS system paired with Meta’s Quest 3 XR headset…
Hackers demand another ransom from Change Healthcare after dark web data leak
Editor's Note: Ransomware group RansomHub is threatening to sell information stolen in the Change Healthcare cyberattack after leaking some of the material to the dark web, according to an April 16 report in Becker’s Health IT. Comprising contracts, records, and other personal patient data, the posted material is part of…
FDA: Surgical mesh mini-slings comparable to mid-urethral slings for stress urinary incontinence
Editor's Note Mini-slings for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) are similarly effective to mid-urethral slings over a 36-month timeframe, according to an April 11 announcement from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA). FDA reached this conclusion after an in-depth, systematic literature review of post-market surveillance (“522”) studies required last year…
Federal regulations require written consent for pelvic exams at hospitals, medical schools
Editor's Note New federal guidelines require obtaining written informed consent before conducting pelvic and other sensitive medical examinations, according to an April 2 Associated Press report. The new guidance from the US Department of Health and Human Services focuses specifically on medical students, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants performing breast,…
Survey: More than half of ED nurses experienced violence in past month
Editor's Note: Head-butting, kicking, slapping, and verbal assault are among the forms of abuse reported in a recent “pulse check” of Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) members in which more than half of respondents reported being abused within the preceding 30 days. Published April 4—the beginning of Workplace Violence Prevention Awareness…
Heart transplant research proves out 24-hour organ preservation method
Editor's Note A new method of organ preservation could allow researchers a much longer window to keep transplanted organs alive. Medical Xpress reported on the findings April 5. Typically, hearts awaiting transplant are maintained in cold static storage – in which they are kept on ice until transplanted and…
Healthcare safety report: Outcomes improving, but workplace violence persists
Editor's Note Healthcare safety is moving in the right direction generally, but low perceptions of safety and rising reports of violence against nurses represent critical gaps that leaders should address, according to an April 2 press release on Press Ganey’s “Safety in Healthcare 2024” report. Focused on event reporting, workforce…
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- Survey assesses continued impact of Change Healthcare cyberattack
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- Allison Massari to deliver hopeful, empowering keynote address at OR Manager Conference 2024
- Neurosurgery trial: Early evacuation improves long-term hemorrhage outcomes
- Drug shortages higher than ever
- FDA announces class 1 recalls for premixed embolic, infusion pump software
- Academic medical centers identify performance-improvement priorities
- Propofol anesthesia for colonoscopy could help find polyps, prevent cancer
- FDA Class 1 recall renews concern about historically problematic heart pumps
- New physician compensation report reveals modest pay gains but growing discontent with the profession