Editor's Note The Joint Commission, National Committee for Quality Assurance, and National Quality Forum announced, February 22, the release of a joint statement on digital health data exchange of social determinants of health (SDOH) assessments.  The statement begins with: “Collecting and exchanging data on SDOH connects individuals, healthcare organizations, and…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on February 22 announced the opening of the CY 2022 Direct Data Submission Platform. The opening had been delayed to improve its stability. The delay extends submission deadlines for CY 2022 data and delays the opening of the platform for CY 2023 data. The new…

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Editor's Note In this study conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota and by Beth Virnig, PhD, MPH, dean of the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions, data shows that ransomware attacks on healthcare organizations have more than doubled from 2016 to 2021, Healthcare Purchasing…

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Editor's Note Healthcare organizations in the US have seen almost 5,000 data breaches since 2009, notes a cybersecurity report from technology research company Comparitech published in August 2022. According to the report, these medical breaches have led to 342 million medical records being leaked. Here are some key findings from…

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Editor's Note There has been a significant surge of COVID-19 cases among children for 2 consecutive weeks, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published on November 3, Becker’s Hospital Review November 9 reports. In the first week of November, almost 30,000 children tested positive for…

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Editor's Notes Sherry Rogers, director of robotics at Emory Healthcare, identified key elements for establishing operational excellence in robotic surgery during this breakout session on the last day of the conference. Rogers noted the practices and procedures she and her colleagues apply to Emory’s robotics program that have helped them…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on September 28 announced it is seeking input from the field on requirements for a new advanced certification program focused on improving healthcare equity. The voluntary program will recognize hospitals that strive for excellence in providing equitable care, treatment, and services across multiple domains, including…

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Surgical volume is rising, and the need for perioperative nurses continues to grow. Same-day procedures are becoming more common, even for complex cases such as total joint replacements and spine surgery. With the decrease in in-patient, post-surgical stays and more surgeries being performed in various ambulatory settings, the skillset for…

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Editor's Note According to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, 85% of pregnancy-related deaths in 36 states between 2017 and 2019 were preventable based on data from interdisciplinary committees that review deaths during and up to one year after pregnancy, American Hospital Association September 19 reports.…

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Editor's Note The American Hospital Association (AHA) on September 7 released part three of a three-part series of its workforce guide focused on strategies, resources, and case studies from hospitals and other health systems. The AHA Board of Trustees’ Task Force on Workforce provided guidance for the series with input…

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