Editor's Note Pfizer alerted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 12 that its supply of two forms of injectable penicillin—Bicillin L-A and Bicillin C-R—may run out by the end of this month, the June 13 The Hill reports. Pfizer cited a combination of factors for the shortage, including…

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Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) announced on June 14 that they had verified the first four hospitals as part of the recently launched Vascular Verification Program (Vascular-VP). To receive verification, these hospitals displayed a commitment to improving outcomes and delivering the…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration, on June 12, identified the recall of the rechargeable Walnut Wearable Smart Thermometer as Class I, the most serious. BearCare, Inc, is recalling the thermometers after receiving reports of skin burns and irritation resulting from use of the device. The company reports five…

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Editor's Note National Time Out Day on June 14 renews attention on the surgical team to prevent wrong-site surgery by pausing before a surgical procedure begins to make sure it is the right site, right procedure, and right person, a June 7 joint statement by The Joint Commission and AORN…

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Editor's Note In a June 5 letter to healthcare providers, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it is aware of US healthcare facilities and providers experiencing supply constraints of nonsterile, single-use pneumatic tourniquet cuffs. The cuffs are used in elective limb surgeries and in emergency and trauma settings. During…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission and National Quality Forum (NQF) announced, on June 12, that they are now accepting applications for the 2023 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards, through August 7. The annual Awards, which recognize major achievements by individuals and organizations that use innovative approaches to…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on June 7, announced that the deadline for acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals, and freestanding psychiatric hospitals to submit CY 2022 performance measure data via the Direct Data Submission Platform (DDSP) is June 14. This data must be submitted to meet the ORYX performance…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on June 7, announced that it has added new resources to its Health Care Equity Certification Resource Center, including those from NorthShore-Edward-Elmhurst Health in northeastern Illinois, Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts, and HealthPartners headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota. The Joint Commission regularly updates its Health Care…

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Editor's Note Overall healthcare employment in the US was up in May to a seasonally adjusted 16,812,200 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on June 2. That’s up 52,400 since April. Hospital employment also was up by 19,600 jobs. The overall unemployment rate rose in May to 3.7%, for…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on June 5, identified the recall by Abiomed of specific Impella 5.5 with SmartAssist heart pumps as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of fluid leaking from the purge sidearm of the pump. If the leak issue is…

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