Study: GLP-1 weight-loss drugs raise postoperative infection rates
Editor's Note Patients prescribed a glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist (GLP-1) showed higher postoperative infection rates after ankle-fusion procedures in a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society. Healio reported the news September 20. Conducted by a team at the Milton S. Hershey Medical…
Report: US hospitals see sevenfold improvement in hand hygiene compliance since 2020
Editor's Note According to this report published by The Leapfrog Group this month, hospitals in the US have significantly improved hand hygiene compliance, with 74% meeting the Leapfrog Hand Hygiene Standard in 2023, up from 11% in 2020. Among other factors, the report attributes this improvement to increased use of…
Study: Preventing antibiotic-resistant infection surge could save millions
Editor's Note Research shows antibiotic-resistant infections could lead to 8.2 million deaths annually by 2050, representing a 75% increase from current rates, according to a September 17 article in HealthDay. Published in the Lancet, the new study highlights the growing threat of growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), predicting that…
Analysis: Hospital safety, quality measures surpass pre-pandemic levels
Editor's Note An American Hospital Association (AHA) analysis of data from Vizient reveals that hospital performance levels in the first quarter of this year was on par with performance prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite patients exhibiting more significant healthcare needs. Released this month, the report analyzes data from 2019…
APIC calls for improved medical device reprocessing instructions, guidelines
Editor’s Note The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is advocating for clearer reprocessing instructions for medical devices to improve patient safety and efficiency, Outpatient Surgery Magazine August 19 reports. Many current instructions for use (IFUs) are considered overly complex, outdated, and difficult to interpret, especially for…
Study: New fluorescent light technology detects hidden bacteria in wounds
Editor's Note Research led by the University of Southern California and published in the journal Advances in Wound Care showed new technology using fluorescent light has proven effective in detecting bacteria missed during standard wound cleaning, US News & World Report August 30 reports. In a review of 26 medical studies,…
Offsite sterilization fuels onsite efficiency for lean ASCs
For many in the healthcare industry, imagining surgery without onsite sterile processing seems unthinkable. Then again, performing total joints in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) was unthinkable 10 years ago. ASC sterile processing departments (SPDs) are generally not designed to handle the high volumes of instrument trays, vendor trays, and…
Water quality: 5 Ws and an H for sterile processing pros
Asking who, what, why, when, where, and how—otherwise known as the “5 Ws and an H”— is a time-tested way for writers and researchers to ensure comprehensive coverage of any topic. Here, we apply this framework from the perspective of sterile processing department (SPD) professionals seeking to start a water…
Study shows decline in infections, antibiotic resistance at VA medical centers
Editor's Note A 13-year study at US Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers found a decline in both hospital-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance for common pathogens, MedPage Today August 15 reports. From 2007 to 2019, the overall infection rate of nine pathogens decreased, with an average annual percentage change (AAPC)…
Outbreaks of mpox, seasonal respiratory virus concern health organizations
Editor's Note The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency, according to a CNN article published a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned about increasing activity for seasonal respiratory virus parvovirus B19. WHO issued the emergency…
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- Algorithm enhances decision-making on intermediate-stage liver cancer surgery, treatment
- Hispanic Heritage Month reports highlight awareness, action on organ transplant disparities
- Medicare policy on prior authorization falls short on shifting outpatient surgery trends
- DEA registration validation changes challenge healthcare accreditation
- CMS proposes $2 Drug List Model to reduce out-of-pocket costs for Medicare recipients
- Algorithm enables continuous forecasting of intraoperative blood pressure
- Study: Improper arm positioning during blood pressure measurements can lead to hypertension overdiagnosis
- JAMA video highlights OR sustainability
- AAP releases first opioid prescribing guidelines for children