Editor's Note This study, led by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), finds that symptomatic individuals with an initial negative home antigen test should test again 1 to 2 days later because test sensitivity peaks several days after COVID-19 onset. In 225 adults and children with…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association, on April 20, announced the launch of a Comprehensive Heart Attack Center certification program, which recognizes hospitals providing care to the most complex and critically ill patients. To be certified, hospitals must provide 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week on-site coverage for primary percutaneous…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission and National Quality Forum, on April 20, announced the 2021 recipients of the John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards, which recognize major achievements by individuals and organizations to improve patient safety and healthcare quality. The awardees are: Individual Achievement Awardee: Hardeep Singh, MD,…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), on April 18, released the FY 2023 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule. The rule would increase payment rates by a net 3.2% for acute care hospitals that participate in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program and…

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Editor's Note This study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, finds that Medicare’s Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) program led to a reduction of racial differences in hospital readmission rates for patients having hip or knee replacement surgery. The retrospective cohort study included…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) COVID-19 data tracker weekly review published April 8 shows that cases are rising again nationwide, for the first time since January, the April 8 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. The 7-day case average as of April 6 was 26,596, which is…

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Editor's Note As of March 31, there have been 82 attacks on healthcare workers and facilities in Ukraine that have resulted in 72 deaths and 43 injuries, and most attacks involved the use of heavy weapons against healthcare facilities, personnel, patients, and medical supplies, according to this JAMA Viewpoint article,…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 4 issued a letter to healthcare providers and users saying the agency is aware that current reprocessing instructions for certain urological endoscopes manufactured by Karl Storz are inadequate and are being updated by the company. In the letter, the FDA…

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Editor's Note This collaborative study by researchers at Duke University, Vanderbilt University, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, finds that COVID-19 healthcare workers (HCWs) experienced high rates of moral injury, comparable to rates among military veterans. Moral injuries are described as actions that conflict with values and beliefs, causing psychological…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on March 30, announced the availability of new Accelerate PI Dashboard Reports for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and nursing care centers (NCCs). The Reports provide updated performance measurement data on a select subset of quality measures. The ASC reports contain data through the fourth quarter…

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