Tag: Patient outcomes

Study shows WHO surgical checklist boosts safety, but compliance gaps risk patient outcomes

Editor’s Note Tertiary hospitals are embracing the World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC), yet inconsistent compliance—especially during time-out—exposes patients to avoidable risks, Cureus April 29 reports. In this study, the researchers found that while overall integration of the SSC is promising, there were compliance gaps particularly in pre-incision…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
April 30, 2025
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Subarachnoid spinal anesthesia offers safe, effective option for high-risk obstetric patients

Editor's Note Segmental spinal anesthesia (SSA) has emerged as a safe and effective anesthetic technique for high-risk obstetric patients, particularly those with underlying cardiovascular disease (CVD). A recent case series published on April 29 by Medical Dialogues highlights the successful use of SSA in five parturients undergoing cesarean sections, emphasizing…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
April 29, 2025
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Personalized perioperative pain management reduces opioid use

Editor's Note Helping patients taper opioids preoperatively before deploying multimodal care strategies can help prevent instances of patients already with prescriptions going home with even higher doses. That’s the main takeaway from an April 22 MedCentral interview with Marie N. Hanna, MD, division chief for regional anesthesia and acute pain…

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By: Matt Danford
April 24, 2025
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Health system mega-mergers fall short amid cost, quality concerns

Editor's Note Chasing size through mega-mergers no longer guarantees sustainability for health systems, according to an April 15 article in HealthLeaders. Many of the nation’s largest systems are reporting significant losses, while emerging evidence links consolidation to stagnant or declining care quality and worsening workforce challenges. The article highlights financial…

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By: Matt Danford
April 15, 2025
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Study: Bariatric surgery beats lifestyle changes for patients with cirrhosis, obesity

Editor's Note New research shows bariatric surgery may offer better outcomes and lower overall spending than lifestyle changes for patients with cirrhosis, especially mild cases, Medscape reported April 9. The article focuses on a study published in Jama Surgery detailing both the survival benefits and long-term cost-effectiveness for patients with…

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By: Matt Danford
April 11, 2025
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CMS vision shifts as agency halts funding for state programs

Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will no longer approve federal matching funds for designated state health programs (DSHPs) and designated state investment programs (DSIPs) that are not directly related to Medicaid services. According to the April 10 announcement, the decision aims to preserve the core…

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By: Matt Danford
April 11, 2025
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Study: Hospital same‑day knee replacements match ASC outcomes, even in higher‑risk patients

Editor's Note A recent Duke University analysis challenges the long‑held assumption that ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) inherently deliver superior results for outpatient joint replacement, Orthopedics This Week March 18 reports. In the February 2025 Journal of Arthroplasty, researchers report that same‑day discharge total knee arthroplasty (TKA) performed in a tertiary‑care hospital…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
April 9, 2025
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Study: Preoperative VR reduces ICU sedation, ventilator time

Editor's Note A recent study shows potentially significant promise for preoperative virtual reality (VR) simulation to improve surgical patient outcomes. Published March 1 in the American Journal of Critical Care, the research details how VR reduced ICU sedation and ventilator time for patients undergoing elective cardiothoracic surgery. Although the program…

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By: Matt Danford
April 7, 2025
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Study: Excessive nurse overtime, agency staffing harm patients

JAMA (healthcare publication) Network logo

Editor's Note Overreliance on overtime and agency nurse staffing can significantly increase the risk of pressure ulcers and, in the case of agency hours, perioperative hemorrhage or hematoma, according to research published April 2 in JAMA Network Open.   Using data from 70 US hospitals between 2019 and 2022, researchers…

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By: Matt Danford
April 3, 2025
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Study: Early-stage breast cancer surgery may not be necessary after chemo, radiation

Editor's Note Some patients with early-stage breast cancer who achieve a complete response to pre-surgical chemotherapy and radiation may safely avoid surgery, according to a March 27 announcement from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The report details a Phase II trial, published in JAMA Oncology, finding that…

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By: Matt Danford
April 3, 2025
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