Editor's Note Postoperative readmissions are difficult to predict when the patient is discharged, and of the information available at that time, preoperative factors are the most important, this study finds. Of nearly 240,000 surgical patients included in the analysis, 43% were orthopedic, 39% were general, and 18% were vascular. The…

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It is easy to overlook the sizable effort required to ensure that instrumentation and supplies are available to surgeons in the OR when needed, in the right amount, and in the right condition. Though sterile processing may not be the most glamorous element of a hospital or surgery center, it…

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Editor's Note In this study of patients discharged from two tertiary-quaternary hospitals and one community hospital, researchers found no appreciable or consistent improvement in hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), mortality, or length of stay from 2006 and 2012. During this time, total charges declined by 11% for bloodstream infection and 13% for…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 26 recommended testing of all donated blood and blood components for the Zika virus in the US and its territories. Because of much uncertainty about the nature and extent of Zika virus transmission, testing the entire blood supply will help…

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Editor's Note Single-dose antibiotic prophylaxis was associated with fewer peripheral and epidural catheter infections, this study finds. The study included 11,307 regional anesthesia patients with single-dose antibiotic prophylaxis and 11,307 controls who did not receive antibiotics. For peripheral catheters, the incidence of infections without antibiotics was 2.4%, compared with 1.1%…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on August 15 published a proposed rule on Control of Communicable Diseases. The proposal amends the CDC’s domestic and foreign quarantine regulations to help respond to outbreaks of new or reemerging communicable diseases, such as Ebola, Middle Ease Respiratory Syndrome…

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Editor's Note The American Hospital Association (AHA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on August 11 hosted a call for healthcare leaders on the latest Zika virus developments and how to protect patients and caregivers, the August 11 AHA News Now reports. CDC officials said they will soon…

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Editor's Note Implementation of an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) helped reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) from 8.6% to 1.1% at the Medical University of South Carolina hospital, AHRQ reports. The hospital infection prevention team focused on achieving zero CAUTIs by improving…

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More than 1,200 individuals from the US and abroad attended the 2016 annual conference of the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) in San Antonio, Texas. The conference, which covered sterile processing techniques, management skills, and regulations, also provided numerous networking opportunities. Preconference educational events included IAHCSMM’s…

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Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on August 4 issued a Statement on Operating Room Attire for surgeons in and out of the OR. The statement  provides detailed guidelines on wearing the skullcap in a way that ensures patient safety, facilitates enforcement of the standard on wearing scubs…

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