Surgery/Specialties
FDA: Class I recall of LivaNova’s LifeSPARC System
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 30 identified the recall by LivaNova (TandemLife) of its LifeSPARC System, Model LS-1000, as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of the risk of unintentional extended pump stop during Controller Critical Failure mode, caused by a…
Increasing violence contributes to ED physician burnout, impacts patient care
Editor's Note In a recent American College of Emergency Physicians survey, some 85% of emergency physicians say they believe violence in US emergency departments (EDs) has risen over the past 5 years, and 45% say it has “greatly increased,” the September 22 EmergencyPhysicians.org reports Two-thirds of the 3,000 physicians surveyed…
The superior efficacy of machine learning based AI tools
With all the factors involved in optimizing OR utilization, assigning OR slots is a complex proposition. When you consider that the average cost to run a fully equipped OR is now at approximately $1,000 per hour in staff and equipment costs, it is more important than ever for hospitals to…
Substance use disorder admissions down, overdose deaths up during COVID-19
Editor's Note This study led by the RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California, finds a 23.5% decrease in substance use disorder treatment admissions across the US during COVID-19. In 2020, the number of substance use disorders admissions decreased from 65.9 to 50.4 per 10,000. The decrease was larger for men (87.5…
Study: Consistent lack of sleep impacts immune cells
Editor's Note This study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, finds that chronic, insufficient sleep can negatively affect immune cells, which may lead to inflammatory disorders and cardiovascular disease. Immune cells fight infection, but if the numbers get too high, they overreact and cause…
New standards for quality care in emergency general surgery
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) on September 21 announced the launch of a new surgical quality program to help hospitals establish and maintain the highest standards in emergency general surgery. The Emergency General Surgery Verification Program focuses on…
Assessing emotional exhaustion in HCWs before, during COVID-19
Editor's Note This 3-year survey study led by researchers at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, finds that emotional exhaustion trajectories varied by role but increased overall among most healthcare workers (HCWs) since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 107, 122 HCWs surveyed, respondents reported increased emotional…
Changes in HCW unemployment during COVID-19 periods
Editor's Note This study from The Wharton School, Philadelphia, and Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, examines changes in unemployment among healthcare workers (HCWs) from January 2015 to April 2022. The researchers found that: Prepandemic, 2.28% of HCWs and 3.82% of non-HCWs reported being unemployed. During the pandemic, 3.18% of…
Anesthesiologist staffing ratio tied to mortality, morbidity
Editor's Note This study from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, finds that overlapping clinical responsibilities of a supervising anesthesiologist are associated with increased surgical patient mortality and morbidity. A total of 578,815 adult surgical patients from 23 US academic and private hospitals were included in the analysis. The patients…
Effects of COVID-19 on mental health, coping strategies of residents
Editor's Note In this survey of surgical, internal medicine, emergency medicine, and psychiatry residents by researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Rotan, residents reported having effective coping strategies during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 59 residents completed the survey. Results showed…
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- Surgical robotics market accelerates as new players challenge industry giants
- Robotic surgery boosts 3-year relapse-free survival in rectal cancer
- Low-cost simulation helps surgical trainees practice crisis skills for major hemorrhage
- Nurse leaders weigh in on NCLEX pass rate decline, impact on workforce readiness
- FDA issues early alerts on multiple high-risk device recalls from J&J, Medtronic, Baxter, Boston Scientific
- New UCSF measure shows 1 in 60 cesarean deliveries involve serious surgical complications
- Hospitals can curb costly post-acute discharges with targeted periop programs, study finds
- Sameness in nursing care puts patients at risk
- CMS’s plan to phase out inpatient-only list could bolster rural ASCs
- AAAHC unveils v44 standards to sharpen focus on patient-centered ambulatory care