Editor's Note Vulnerable status of hospitals is linked to higher readmission rates after major cancer surgery, this study finds. Of 355 hospitals analyzed, safety net hospitals and high Medicaid hospitals had higher 30-day, 90-day, and repeated readmissions. The findings reinforce the need to account for socioeconomic variables in risk adjustments…
Editor's Note Nearly half of general surgery patients with postoperative complications have multiple complications, finds this study. Of more than 470,000 patients in the analysis, the overall complication rate was 15%, with multiple complications in 27,032. Strongest predictors for developing multiple complications were admission from chronic care facility or nursing…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 27 classified the recall by Medtronic of its Capnostream 20 and Capnostream 20p patient monitor battery packs as Class I, the most serious. The recall is being initiated because a manufacturing defect causes an increase in temperature in the battery…
Editor's Note In patients having endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with a contaminated duodenoscope, biliary stent placement, a diagnosis of bile duct cancer, and hospital inpatient status were independently associated with an increased risk of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) transmission, this study finds. The findings were based on data from a 2015…
Editor's Note The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on May 25 published a proposed rule that would amend its medical regulations to permit full practice authority without the clinical oversight of physicians to all of its advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). APRN categories include certified nurse practitioner, certified registered nurse…
Editor's Note Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 27 reported the first US case of Escherichia coli (E coli) bacteria that is resistant to colistin, a last-resort antibiotic, Reuters reports. A 49-year old woman in Pennsylvania was found last month to have a urinary tract…
Editor's Note Performing free colonoscopies for uninsured patients at high risk for colorectal cancer can identify cancers at an earlier stage and is cost neutral for a health system, this study finds. Of 682 uninsured patients screened, 9 cancers ( 1 stage 0, 3 stage I, 2 stage II, and…
Editor's Note The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) on May 23 released a new online toolkit to help healthcare organizations and providers respond when a patient is harmed. The toolkit is based on the Communication and Optimal Resolution (CANDOR) process, which is a patient-centered approach that emphasizes early…
Editor's Note As part of the drive to reduce opioid use, rotator-cuff repairs are becoming a testing ground for alternative approaches to pain management, the May 23 Wall Street Journal reports. Because rotator-cuff surgery is one of the most painful procedures to recover from, physicians hope that if alternative painkilling…
Editor's Note This study found that implementation of a clinical practice guideline for management of pediatric complicated appendicitis standardized practice patterns among surgeons and was associated with reduced resource use and improved patient outcomes. Compared with the pre-guideline group, patients in the post-guideline group were less likely to: receive a…
