Guideline refines surgical decision-making for patients with cirrhosis
Editor's Note Elective surgical procedures such as cholecystectomy and hernia repair can be performed safely in carefully selected patients with cirrhosis, but high-risk individuals still need alternatives, according to an updated American College of Gastroenterology guideline, Medscape October 3 reports. The guideline emphasizes individualized risk stratification that integrates liver disease…
Cuts to NIOSH, OSHA threaten decades of worker-safety progress
Editor's Note The dismantling of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) jeopardizes worker safety nationwide and risks reversing decades of progress, New England Journal of Medicine October 4 reports. In April, sweeping federal workforce reductions eliminated more than 80% of NIOSH staff, closing laboratories and freezing core…
No BLS report: Government shutdown stalls key jobs report amid signs of labor market weakness
Editor's Note The government shutdown has halted operations at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), delaying the release of crucial economic data at a time when job growth is already faltering, Newsweek October 1 reports. The BLS confirmed it will suspend all data collection and reporting during the shutdown, including…
AI-powered video models show promise for nursing skills assessment
Editor's Note A new study shows that video-language models (VLMs) can reliably evaluate nursing procedures, detect errors, and provide feedback, paving the way for scalable AI-assisted training in nursing education, Cornell University September 20 reports. The paper, titled “Automated Procedural Analysis via Video-Language Models for AI-assisted Nursing Skills Assessment”, outlines…
Surgeons rethink aggressive care as xylazine wounds mimic necrotizing fasciitis but rarely require urgent radical excision
Editor's Note Surgeons across multiple disciplines are confronting a distinct wound pattern tied to xylazine-contaminated opioids and adapting management to avoid unnecessary amputations, the American College of Surgeons October 1 reports. These wounds can resemble necrotizing soft tissue infection at first glance, yet the clinical picture and trajectory differ, calling…
New NIH-backed trial targets advance care planning for older surgical patients
Editor's Note Fewer than one in ten older adults undergoing major elective surgery complete advance care planning (ACP), but a new multisite randomized trial aims to change that. According to a September 23 article published by BMJ Open, the study design for the I CAN DO Surgical ACP trial has…
Study: Surgical preference cards reduce anxiety, boost competence in nursing students
Editor's Note Training with surgical preference cards significantly lowers anxiety and strengthens clinical competence among OR nursing students, according to a randomized controlled trial published in BMC Medical Education on October 2. The study enrolled 60 OR nursing students in Iran between 2023 and 2024. Students were randomly assigned to…
US launches tariff investigations into medical supplies and devices, raising stakes for healthcare supply chain
Editor's Note The US Department of Commerce has initiated national security investigations that could trigger new tariffs on a wide range of imported medical products, with potentially far-reaching effects for healthcare providers, Reuters September 24 reports. The probes, opened under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, cover…
AORN: Periop patient ambassadors transform communication, outcomes in surgical care
Editor's Note Hospitals adopting perioperative patient ambassadors are seeing major gains in surgical communication, patient trust, and satisfaction, AORN August 18 reports. An EIN Presswire release on September 30 also highlights AORN’s call for hospitals to formalize the patient ambassador role as part of the surgical team. AORN notes that…
Government shutdown squeezes military medicine, halts NIH research, cuts CDC operations
Editor's Note Following yesterday’s update on the impact of the federal government shutdown on telehealth and Affordable Care Act disruptions, the shutdown is also straining military health systems, biomedical research, and disease prevention programs, creating ripple effects for patient care and surgical innovation, Politico October 1 reports. While Medicare, Medicaid,…
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- Nearly half of US physicians now work for large systems: GAO links consolidation to higher costs
- Sustainable surgery can cut costs, reduce emissions, improve care, review finds
- Study: Surgical hospital closures hit vulnerable communities hardest
- Federal pushback on CHAI exposes rifts over who should set healthcare AI rules
- High prices, not overuse, keep US healthcare costs far above peer nations
- Children’s Health Dallas takes top national spot in pediatric ortho surgery as US News names 2025–26 ‘Best Children’s Hospitals’
- FDA issues Class I alert for Abiomed Impella heart device over cybersecurity risks
- Study finds Medicare paid nearly $2 billion for unnecessary back surgeries
- FDA accelerates medical device safety alerts to reach public within days
- California’s worsening nurse shortage fuels burnout, safety concerns amid management tensions