FDA: Class I recall of Perseus A500 Anesthesia Workstation
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration, on December 23, 2015, classified the recall of the Perseus A500 Anesthesia Workstation by Draeger as Class I, the most serious. Draeger Medical (Telford, Pennsylvania) recalled the workstation because a faulty power switch may fail, causing the workstation to alarm and shut down…
ECRI Institute releases 2016 Top 10 Hospital C-suite Watch List
Editor's Note The ECRI Institute on January 4 released its annual Top 10 list of important technology related issues that hospital and health system leaders need to pay close attention to this year. The list includes: Medical device cybersecurity (eg, hacking into pacemakers) Miniature leadless pacemakers Changing landscape of robotic…
CMS announces ASC quality reporting appeals process
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on December 16 announced that ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) subject to a reduction in Medicare outpatient payments in CY 2016 because of noncompliance with the ASC quality reporting program may submit a request for reconsideration by March 17, 2016. Eligible…
Management of anesthesia neurotoxicity in children lacks consistency
Editor's Note Pediatric anesthesia programs in the US do not have a consistent approach in managing anesthesia-related neurotoxicity in children, this study finds. A survey of 22 questions sent to members of the Pediatric Anesthesia Leadership Council and Pediatric Anesthesia Directors Association found that a significant need exists for improvements…
California issues new regs for outpatient surgery settings
Editor's Note California Senate Bill 396, designed to strengthen regulation of unlicensed outpatient surgery settings, goes into effect January 1, 2016, the Joint Commission reports. The Bill builds upon existing regulations that mandate facility accreditation of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and office-based surgery practices that are not state licensed or…
Effectiveness of patient choice in nonoperative vs surgical management of appendicitis
Editor's Note When an initial nonoperative management strategy was chosen by patients and families, 3 in 4 children with uncomplicated acute appendicitis avoided surgery at 1-year follow-up, this study finds. Nonoperative management was associated with fewer days of disability, lower costs, and no difference in rates of complicated appendicitis or…
Congress considers MU incentives for ASCs
Editor's Note A Bill in Congress would enable ambulatory surgery center (ASC) physicians to receive the same payment incentives for meaningful use (MU) of electronic health records (EHRs) as physicians in other settings, according to the December 15 Healthcare IT News. Currently, physicians practicing in ASCs are excluded. The Electronic…
CMS: Proposed rule on discharge planning focuses on patient preference
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to revise discharge planning requirements that hospitals, including long-term care hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, critical access hospitals, and home health agencies, must meet to participate in CMS programs. Changes to discharge planning requirements would: bring them into…
Medicare penalizes 758 hospitals for patient safety issues
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on December 9 announced that 758 hospitals will have a 1% reduction in Medicare payments for missing targets for hospital-acquired conditions. More than half (54%) of the hospitals were also penalized last year. Penalties are expected to total $364 million. Among…
FDA: Boston Scientific recalls Chariot Guiding Sheath
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration on December 11 announced that Boston Scientific (Marlborough, Massachusetts) recalled its Chariot Guiding Sheath because of the risk of shaft separation. The company received 14 complaints of shaft separation, four of which involved separation of the distal shaft. The Sheath is used to…
Free Daily News
- Waste-reduction culture, elimination of anesthetic gases slash OR emissions at USC
- Clinicians urged to rethink gynecologic pain management
- Direct-hire international nurses could offer sustainable solution to US shortage
- Healthcare leaders project revenue gains from value-based care despite persistent hurdles
- CMS updates hospital price transparency guidelines
- CDC communication breakdown raises public health risk
- Study: Shorter radiation schedule matches safety of standard prostate cancer treatment
- Poll: Healthcare cybersecurity leaders overlook AI-enabled physical security gaps
- ASC improves hospital efficiency, maintains outcomes despite higher-acuity joint replacement patients
- Hospital support staff cuts raise risk of infection, delays in care