Editor's Note This study by researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, finds that small respiratory particles can remain moist and airborne for a longer time and greater distance than scientists have recognized. The researchers found that mucus shells surrounding respiratory droplets--emitted from the…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on February 14 issued a new Quick Safety on “Ensuring critical instruments and devises are appropriate for reuse.” The Quick Safety highlights reprocessing guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as special considerations for single use devices reprocessed by third parties that…

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Editor's Note This study by UCLA researchers finds patient experiences with telehealth physician appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic were as positive as traditional face-to-face visits and phone visits, or even more so. The researchers surveyed 58,509 adult patients on their 13,928 primary care and 44,581 specialty physician visits at 197…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on February 11 announced it will delay updating the Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings on the Care Compare website until July, the American Hospital Association reports. The delay is needed so CMS can correct a calculation error in the CY…

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Editor's Note In an analysis published on February 12 by the New England Journal of Medicine, findings indicate that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, incidents of healthcare-associated infections and other patient safety complications have been on the rise, Becker’s Hospital Review reports. According to the analysis authors, there…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School finds that treatment for COVID-19 should be based on clinical judgment and not just testing. Between April and October 2020, the researchers looked at four groups: 40 patients who were RT-PCR confirmed positive 20 patients who repeatedly tested…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on February 13, announced that it has partnered with the American Heart Association (AHA) to develop a new advanced disease-specific care certification program for heart attack patient care. The Comprehensive Heart Attack Center (CHAC) Certification Program (CHAC), which is based on AHA clinical practice guidelines…

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Editor's Note This pilot project, by epidemiologist Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, and colleagues finds that routine reprocessing activities generate substantial splashing and droplet dispersal, and that currently recommended items of personal protective equipment (PPE) do not adequately protect personnel from exposure. The researchers found that: Droplets were generated during every…

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Editor's Note As of February 14, The Joint Commission began surveying to the COVID-19 vaccination requirements in the 24 states that were not previously subject to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) “Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination” interim final rule. Healthcare organizations in these 24 states must…

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Editor's Note In this study, published by the British Medical Journal, 32% of individuals, 65 years and older, who were infected with COVID-19 developed at least one new medical condition in the months after the initial infection, the February 11 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. This 32% was 11% higher than…

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