FDA designates Class 1 recall for cranial drill
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated Integra LifeSciences’ recall of specific Codman Disposable Perforators and Craniotomy Kits a Class 1, the most severe category indicating serious risk of injury or death. As detailed in the agency’s July 16 announcement, the recall of the single-use cranial…
Rehab hospitals face scrutiny over safety, profits
Editor's Note Although for-profit rehab hospitals have become highly profitable, a recent KFF Health News report highlights serious safety violations, including patient deaths due to carbon monoxide poisoning, medication errors, and falls. Published July 15, the article delves into recent data and inspections of these facilities, particularly those run by…
CMS 2026 proposed rule: Expanded ASC access, higher payments, tighter quality reporting
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) just proposed sweeping changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program and Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year 2026, including extensive changes to outpatient Medicare policy such as payment increases, expanded procedural access, and new quality reporting updates, as outlined in…
Five underreported health changes in 'big beautiful bill'
Editor's Note Although the newly enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act is best known for major Medicaid cuts and a temporary Medicare Physician Fee Schedule increase, it also carries significant policy changes that could affect providers, patients, and the physician workforce, MedPage Today reported July 11. The article lists five…
FDA designates Class 1 recalls for EVH system, infusion pump
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated recent recalls of Getinge and Maquet’s VasoView HemoPro 2 (VH-4000 and VH-4001) Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Systems and BD’s Alaris Pump Module model 810 as Class 1, the most severe category indicating serious risk of injury or death. According to…
CMS proposes 2026 Medicare pay bump, targets wasteful spending
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a 3.62% increase to the 2026 Medicare physician fee schedule, according to a July 14 article in Fierce Healthcare. The proposed rule sets the conversion factor at $33.42, up from $32.35 in 2025. The increase reflects a 2.5%…
Study: Stem cell strategy could eliminate kidney transplant patients’ need for immunosuppressants
Editor's Note A stem cell-based transplant method enabled most kidney recipients in a recent clinical trial to stop taking immunosuppressive drugs, according to a July 15 article in HealthDay. As detailed in the article, the approach was tested in a phase 3 multicenter, randomized controlled trial published in the American…
Study: Clean paper towels match or exceed sterile options in surgical hand antisepsis
Editor's Note A study published July 9 in the American Journal of Infection Control found that clean paper towels are as effective—and in some cases more efficient—than sterile alternatives for surgical hand antisepsis. The results support their use as a cost-saving and safe alternative to sterile hand-drying products in surgical…
Children’s hospitals warn of care limits as Medicaid changes take hold
Editor's Note Children’s hospitals are warning that newly enacted federal healthcare cuts will force them to scale back essential services and programs, jeopardizing care for the very populations Medicaid was designed to protect. The law, signed by former President Donald Trump and detailed in a July 9 article in Modern…
Robot performs autonomous cholecystectomy using video training, voice feedback
Editor's Note A surgical robot independently performed a lengthy phase of gallbladder removal with expert-level precision, according to a July 9 announcement from Johns Hopkins university. "This advancement moves us from robots that can execute specific surgical tasks to robots that truly understand surgical procedures," said medical roboticist Axel Krieger,…
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