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May 2025

Medtronic recalls TurboHawk Plus Directional Athrectomy System

Editor's Note On February 7, Medtronic announced that it had issued a voluntary recall of its 6Fr TurboHawk Plus Directional Atherectomy System because of the risk of tip damage caused by guidewire prolapse. To date, there have been no reports of tip damage and no reports of injuries or deaths…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 7, 2022
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CDC: Infection, hospitalization of COVID-19 patients by vaccination status

Editor's Note This analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the incidence of COVID-19 and hospitalization of COVID-19 patients by vaccination status indicates that vaccination protects against severe COVID-19. Among 422,966 COVID-19 patients in Los Angeles County from November 7, 2021, to January 8, 2022, 141,928…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 3, 2022
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The Joint Commission announces changes to hospital redeeming application

Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on February 2, announced that it has made several changes to its elements of performance to reflect Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulatory language more closely. The revisions, which will take effect on July 1, 2022, are applicable to hospitals and critical access hospitals…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 3, 2022
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ASCs sue over lack of spine surgery reimbursement

Editor's Note According to the February 2 Becker’s ASC Review, two ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) recently filed lawsuits against insurance payers over reimbursement, or lack thereof, for spinal procedures. Surgery Center of Viera, based in Melbourne, Florida, filed its lawsuit January 20 against Cigna and consulting services Strategic Enterprise Solutions…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
February 3, 2022
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Elderly male COVID-19 patients have high risk for postop complications

Editor's Note This multicenter study by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, finds that COVID-19 patients have a significantly high risk for postoperative complications, particularly elderly males. Of 1,581 patients analyzed, more than half were males over 50 years of age, and most procedures (1,261,…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 3, 2022
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CMS cuts payments to 764 hospitals with high rates of HACs

Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on January 26 announced that 764 hospitals will face payment cuts in FY 2022 under its Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program, the January 31 Advisory Board reports. Hawaii and Idaho were the only states whose hospitals did not receive penalties.…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 3, 2022
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Better protection for HCWs against workplace violence making legal headway

Editor's Note Workplace violence against healthcare workers (HCWs) is a sensitive, important issue that has been more prevalent in recent years given the high-stakes of the COVID-19 pandemic. HCWs have been making headlines for fighting against both the pandemic and the rising tensions from a strung out populate and overwhelmed…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
February 3, 2022
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Study: Racial and ethnic disparities in vaccine uptake, hesitancy

Editor's Note This study by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, finds that racial and ethnic minorities have been more hesitant or unwilling to be vaccinated for COVID-19, compared to Whites. Of study participants in the US (87,388) and UK (1,254,294): Vaccine hesitancy was greater…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 2, 2022
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WHO: Dire need to deal with huge volumes of COVID-19 medical waste

Editor's Note Tons of extra medical waste generated in response to COVID-19 has put tremendous strain on healthcare waste management systems, threatening human and environmental health, according to a February 1 World Health Organization (WHO) report. In this global analysis WHO says: A large share of 87,000 tons of personal…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 2, 2022
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AHA: Pandemic-allowed waivers that should be extended, formalized

Editor's Note The American Hospital Association (AHA) released a new fact sheet describing various waivers issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) during the COVID-19 pandemic that AHA opines should be extended or made permanent, as reported by the January 31 Healthcare Purchasing News. The waivers relate…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
February 2, 2022
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