Propofol anesthesia for colonoscopy could help find polyps, prevent cancer
Editor's Note By putting the patient into deeper sedation during colonoscopy, propofol could help doctors find difficult-to-spot, potentially cancerous “serrated” polyps, according to a study published April 17 in Anesthesiology. As an alternative to moderate, “conscious” sedation, propofol facilitates a more thorough exam that is more likely to identify serrated…
FDA Class 1 recall renews concern about historically problematic heart pumps
The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced a Class 1 recall on Monday for Abbott/Thoratec Corp.’s HeartMate II and HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist System (LVAS) due due to biological material buildup obstructing the devices. According to an April 16 CBS News report, surgeons first noticed problems with the…
Hackers demand another ransom from Change Healthcare after dark web data leak
Editor's Note: Ransomware group RansomHub is threatening to sell information stolen in the Change Healthcare cyberattack after leaking some of the material to the dark web, according to an April 16 report in Becker’s Health IT. Comprising contracts, records, and other personal patient data, the posted material is part of…
Federal regulations require written consent for pelvic exams at hospitals, medical schools
Editor's Note New federal guidelines require obtaining written informed consent before conducting pelvic and other sensitive medical examinations, according to an April 2 Associated Press report. The new guidance from the US Department of Health and Human Services focuses specifically on medical students, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants performing breast,…
Heart transplant research proves out 24-hour organ preservation method
Editor's Note A new method of organ preservation could allow researchers a much longer window to keep transplanted organs alive. Medical Xpress reported on the findings April 5. Typically, hearts awaiting transplant are maintained in cold static storage – in which they are kept on ice until transplanted and…
Healthcare safety report: Outcomes improving, but workplace violence persists
Editor's Note Healthcare safety is moving in the right direction generally, but low perceptions of safety and rising reports of violence against nurses represent critical gaps that leaders should address, according to an April 2 press release on Press Ganey’s “Safety in Healthcare 2024” report. Focused on event reporting, workforce…
Data resource details causes, health implications of sleep deprivation
Editor's Note An advisory published March 7 by The National Council on Aging (NCOA) offers newly updated information details the impact of sleep deprivation on health as well as the causes and warning signs of the most common sleep disorders. According to the publication, 35.5% of American adults reported sleeping…
Medical error initiative from Joint Commission affiliate NQF targets preventable harm, “never events”
Editor's Note Designed to address high rates of preventable medical errors, a new initiative from The National Quality Form (NQF), an affiliate of The Joint Commission, will modernize criteria for what constitutes a Serious Reportable Event (SRE) and align standards for reporting such events across different accountability systems. Dubbed “Focus…
Researchers develop fast, accurate blood test for sepsis, septic shock
Editor's Note A new blood test developed by researchers in Australia could help diagnose sepsis and septic shock in just one hour, compared to the current multi-day methods. The Journal of Proteome Research reported the findings on March 21. Researchers collected blood plasma samples from 152 ICU patients. They used…
Anesthesiologists push to improve pain control during caesarean delivery
Editor's Note A letter to the editor published April 10 in Anesthesiology, the official publication of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), calls attention to an official statement outlining best practices for ensuring all moms-to-be receive adequate pain management during planned or unexpected C-sections. The best practices are outlined in…
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- New UCSF measure shows 1 in 60 cesarean deliveries involve serious surgical complications
- Hospitals can curb costly post-acute discharges with targeted periop programs, study finds
- Sameness in nursing care puts patients at risk
- CMS’s plan to phase out inpatient-only list could bolster rural ASCs
- AAAHC unveils v44 standards to sharpen focus on patient-centered ambulatory care
- UCSF pioneers robotic surgery assistant certification for medical students
- Nursing demand drops in Q2 as healthcare hiring shifts toward physicians, pharmacy
- Pilot study suggests robotic force feedback may reduce tissue trauma in colorectal surgery
- Cryo nerve ablation cuts pain, narcotic use after heart surgery
- Study finds no link between long-standing preprocedural fasting and aspiration pneumonia risk