FDA to staff new digital health unit
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is filling 13 positions in a new digital health unit that was created as part of the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017, the September 11 FierceHealthcare reports. The FDA intends to build a group of experts who are experienced with software lifecycle…
or a.m. 9-1-17
OR Manager Happy Labor Day Weekend! OR a.m. will be back on Tuesday, September 5. Barriers, benefits of using mobile health technology postoperatively This survey of 800 patients identified a range of potential barriers and benefits to using mobile health technology to enhance recovery after surgery. Potential barriers included:…
FDA: Abbott updates pacemaker firmware to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on August 29 that it had approved a firmware update that is intended as a recall, specifically a corrective action, to reduce the risk of patient harm due to cybersecurity vulnerabilities for certain Abbott (formerly St Jude Medical) implantable cardiac pacemakers.…
Ransomware attacks: How to protect your medical device systems
Ransomware is a form of computer malware used to make data, software, and information technology (IT) assets unavailable to users. It uses encryption of data to hold systems hostage with an associated ransom demand, often in Bitcoin (a virtual currency that is difficult to trace). This encryption is used to…
or a.m. 8-14-17
OR Manager sponsored by Obese cardiac surgery patients use more ICU resources After cardiac surgery, obese patients required significantly more ICU resources and longer recovery times, resulting in more expensive, labor-intensive care, this study finds. Of 5,365 patients included in the analysis, 1,948 were classified as obese. Patients with…
Healthcare needs to prepare for Ransomware 2.0
Editor's Note Cybersecurity experts are warning that Ransomware 2.0 is coming, and healthcare needs to be prepared, the August 8 Healthcare IT News reports. Ransomware 2.0 combines ransomware with a worm, which allows it to move laterally or across internal and external networks. Because the next wave of attacks will…
or a.m. 5-26
OR Manager Happy Memorial Day Weekend! OR a.m. will be back on June 1. Improving postop transitional care with phone-based program A phone-based transitional care program after complex abdominal surgery has high patient engagement and can be implemented using existing hospital infrastructure, this study finds. For the program, nurses…
ECRI Institute issues free resource on ransomware attacks
Editor's Note The ECRI Institute (Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania) on May 25 issued a free public resource to protect hospitals from ransomware attacks. The new guidance, “Ransomware Attacks: How to Protect Your Medical Device Systems,” provides recommendations for adapting general cybersecurity principles to the requirements of medical devices, including a list…
Top 10 health technology hazards for 2017 named
Each year, advances in medical technologies offer new ways to improve the quality of patient care. But some also create new opportunities for harm. Medical technology is intended to improve patient care, but even the best of technology—if configured, used, or maintained improperly—can lead to problems. Hospitals must regularly examine…
OR a.m. 1-12-17
OR Manager %%PLUGIN_WEB VERSION: 295102-Web version%% Share This: Care after surgery drives costs This study finds that where surgical patients go after they are discharged varies widely, and that variation leads to huge differences in how much their care costs. Variation in postacute care spending between…