Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on August 2 issued its final Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) rule for FY 2022. The final rule: increases Medicare payment rates by a net 2.5%, compared to FY 2021, for hospitals that are meaningful users of electronic health records…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on August 4 that revisions to three Health Care Staffing Services (HCCS) certification standards will go into effect January 1, 2022. The changes include: Human Resources Management (HSHR) Standard HSHR.3 will now clarify that this is the organization’s new employee orientation for clinical staff…

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Editor's Note This study led by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Massachusetts Department of Public Health finds that people vaccinated against COVID-19 can carry as much coronavirus as those who are unvaccinated. After multiple large public events in a Barnstable County, Massachusetts town, 469…

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Editor's Note President Biden on July 29 announced that all federal workers and contractors will be required to prove their COVID-19 vaccination status or face travel restrictions, mask requirements, and weekly or twice-weekly testing, Reuters reports. The federal government has about 2.18 million civilian employees (including nurses and other healthcare…

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Editor's Note Since Houston Methodist announced March 31 that all managers had to receive at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or get an exemption by April 15, and all employees had to be vaccinated by June 7, more than 60 healthcare organizations have announced vaccination mandates for their…

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Editor's Note This German study finds that social support and especially a higher sense of coherence were beneficial for the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 4,324 HCWs from four professions (physicians, nurses, medical technical assistants, and pastoral workers) completed a survey on…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on July 27 released new guidance recommending that “fully vaccinated people wear masks in public indoor settings” in areas with high COVID-19 transmission rates. The CDC cited data showing that some vaccinated people who tested positive for the Delta variant…

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Editor's Note In this study by Mayo Clinic researchers, two monoclonal antibodies administered separately helped prevent hospitalization in high-risk COVID-19 patients. Included in the analysis were 2,747 patients who received bamlanivimab and 849 patients who received casirivimab-imdevimab from November 19, 2020, to February 11, 2021. After 28 days, all cause…

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Editor's Note In a July 14 news release, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) said the proposed Medicare physician fee schedule for CY 2022 poses a threat to surgical patient care. The proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) maintains cuts to surgical care that Congress…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on July 21 announced new revisions to its Sentinel Event definition and policy that will apply to all accreditation and certification programs, except for Health Care Staffing Services and Integrated Care certification programs, effective January 1, 2022. The revisions clarify expectations regarding an organization’s partnership…

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