Surgery
ACS: 19 surgical organizations oppose CMS code G2211
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) announced, on July 26, that it and 18 other surgical organizations sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), strongly opposing implementation of its code G2211. The G2211 code is an effort by CMS to pay more for…
Military combat surgeon to lead new pandemic preparedness office
Editor's Note Paul Friedrichs, MD, a military combat surgeon and retired Air Force major general, will lead the new Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, which will replace the current COVID-19 and monkeypox response teams, and prepare for future pandemics, the July 21 Reuters reports. Dr Friedrichs will be…
First robotic liver transplant in US performed at Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Editor's Note Washington University School of Medicine, on July 12, announced that a team of its surgeons performed the first robotic liver transplant in the US in May at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St Louis. The patient, a man in his 60s who needed a transplant because of liver cancer and cirrhosis…
FDA: Class I recall of Quidel Triage Cardiac Panels
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on July 17, identified the recall by Quidel Cardiovascular Inc of its Quidel Triage Cardiac Panels as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of reports of inaccurate tests showing lower than expected troponin levels in samples. A falsely…
The Joint Commission/AHA revise requirements for Advanced Certification in Heart Failure program
Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on July 12, announced that it and the American Heart Association (AHA) have revised requirements for the Advanced Certification in Heart Failure program to align with the latest clinical practice guidelines for heart failure, effective January 1, 2024. Requirements for interdisciplinary team members have been…
SSIs in children having nonemergent surgical procedures
Editor's Note This study, led by researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital and the American College of Surgeons, finds that a small number of surgical procedures account for a disproportionate number of surgical site infections (SSIs) in elective pediatric surgery. This multicenter analysis included SSI data from 90 hospitals and 11,689…
AHA urges EPA to ensure proposed EtO standards don’t disrupt healthcare delivery
Editor's Note In a June 27 letter, the American Hospital Association (AHA) urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “to avoid disrupting healthcare delivery through the unintentional fracturing” of the medical device supply chain with its proposed ethylene oxide (EtO) standards. The EPA proposes: reducing EtO emissions by 80% adding new…
Effect of private insurer bundled payment program for total joints on outcomes
Editor's Note This multi-center study led by Humana Inc, Louisville, Kentucky, finds that a bundled payment program offered by a Medicare Advantage insurer for lower extremity joint replacements was associated with reduced spending without changes in quality. A total of 23,034 lower extremity joint replacement surgical episodes (6,355 bundled, 16,679…
ASA, APSF update recommendations for elective surgery after COVID-19 infection
Editor's Note Because of recent studies, the evolving nature of COVID-19, and widespread vaccination, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) on June 20 released a joint statement providing updated recommendations for the timing of elective surgery and anesthesia after COVID-19 infection. The recommendations include:…
How rural hospital acquisitions are impacting surgical care access
Takeaways Rural hospital purchases by larger health systems should improve access to surgical treatment in remote areas, but some acquisitions have resulted in decreased care quality and reduced access to services, as shown by recent examples. Despite challenges, rural hospital acquisitions can lead to expanded services, enhanced perioperative support, and…
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- Study: Thrombectomy beneficial in high-risk acute stroke patients with large infarct
- Majority of American adults have CKM syndrome, at risk for heart disease
- FDA announces class 1 recalls for heart devices, ventilators
- Carbon-conscious health systems phase out desflurane anesthesia gas to reduce emissions
- Joint Commission releases annual Sentinel Event Data Report
- Study: Surgical team diversity improves patient outcomes
- Colorectal cancer rates declining in older adults, rising among children, teens
- Industry leaders share main growth opportunities for ASCs