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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Editor's Note A new brain implant could one day restore voices to those who can no longer speak, the Associated Press (AP) reported March 31. As detailed in the article, researchers have successfully tested the experimental brain-computer interface (BCI) on a 47-year-old woman with quadriplegia who lost the ability to…

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Editor's Note Northwestern Medicine has partnered with robotic technology firm Vitestro to test and validate the safety and effectiveness of autonomous blood draw technology, according to a March 20 announcement from the health system. The multi-year collaboration centers on Aletta, billed as the world’s first Autonomous Robotic Phlebotomy Device (ARPD),…

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Editor's Note A wearable smart t-shirt that remotely monitors vital signs helped patients go home earlier and feel safer after robot-assisted urological cancer surgery, according to a March 21 article in Medical Xpress. The article details a pilot study, presented at the European Association of Urology Congress in Madrid, Spain,…

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Editor's Note Surgeons at Northwestern Medicine have performed the first U.S. case of resection and partial liver transplantation with delayed total hepatectomy (RAPID) to treat metastatic colorectal cancer, according to a March 18 article in Healio. The procedure, which allows a transplanted liver segment to grow before fully replacing a…

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Editor's Note Legislation introduced in the US House of Representatives seeks to expand access to anesthesia care for veterans by granting Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) full practice authority within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The Ensuring Veterans Timely Access to Anesthesia Care Act of 2025 is sponsored by Representatives…

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Editor's Note Hospitals are making measurable strides in patient safety and workforce resilience, but sustained focus is needed to maintain progress, according to a March 13 report in Chief Healthcare Executive. The article focuses on a new analysis from the American Hospital Association (AHA) and Press Ganey. Based on responses…

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Editor's Note Multiple states seek to limit corporate influence in medicine by instituting additional checks on private equity-driven healthcare mergers, according to a March 17 report in Axios. Referencing multiple state-specific reports, the article summarizes specific efforts in Massachusetts, where a new law expands oversight of transactions; Maine, where a…

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Editor's Note A February 26 letter in JAMA Network reported a revised legal standard for medical negligence in the US, shifting from traditional reliance on customary practice toward a more patient-centered, evidence-based definition of “reasonable care.” The American Law Institute (ALI) updated its framework in 2024, retaining elements of prevailing…

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Editor's Note A revised legal standard for assessing medical negligence in the US shifts away from customary medical practice and toward a more patient-centered definition of reasonable care, according to a February 26 letter published in Jama Network. Following a 2024 update from the American Law Institute, the new framework…

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