Few Physicians Meeting Meaningful Use in Early 2012
Managing patient populations with electronic systems not easy for many physicians
Wednesday, June 05, 2013

CDC: Small Drop in Those With Difficulty Paying Medical Bills
Decrease in adults (<65 years) and children in families with difficulty paying medical bills
Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Health of Nation Reviewed With Focus on Emergency Care
Twenty percent of people reported visiting emergency department at least once in last year
Monday, June 03, 2013

One-Third of Medical Students Have Implicit Anti-Fat Bias
Most are unaware of their significant implicit bias, although it could affect quality of care
Thursday, May 30, 2013

Odds of Mortality Up With Elective Surgery on Friday, Weekend
Significantly increased risk of mortality within 30 days for Friday, weekend versus Monday surgery
Thursday, May 30, 2013

Majority of Clinicians Support Medicinal Marijuana Use
Based on votes and responses to interactive feature, 76 percent support use of marijuana
Thursday, May 30, 2013

Doc Passengers Assist in Half of In-Flight Medical Emergencies
Most common in-flight medical problems syncope, respiratory symptoms, nausea and vomiting
Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Transparency Key to Improving Value Care for Patients
Data on price, utilization, and quality should be made publicly available to ensure greater value
Wednesday, May 29, 2013

HHS: End-of-2013 Targets for EHR Use Already Reached
>50 percent of doctor offices, 80 percent of eligible hospitals using electronic health records
Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Docs Anticipating Changes Ahead As ACA Progresses
Most expect ACA to continue as planned; expect further integration for themselves, hospitals
Monday, May 27, 2013

Bulletin Provides Guidelines for Second-Trimester Abortion
Guidelines based on review of scientific evidence and expert opinion
Friday, May 24, 2013

About One in Four Uninsured Could Be Excluded From ACA
Twenty-seven percent of those eligible for assistance tax credits do not have checking account
Friday, May 24, 2013

Data Support Basing Health Decisions on Both Benefit, Cost
Health care cost varies from $2 to $224 per month of health status-adjusted life expectancy
Friday, May 24, 2013

ATS: Injured Women Receive Less Trauma Care Than Men
Findings point to consistent gender gap regardless of mechanism of injury or income
Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Digital Divide Exists With Physician EHR Adoption
Adopters found to be optimistic about IT's potential, while non-adopters remain skeptical
Monday, May 20, 2013

New FDA Survey to Assess Doc Attitudes on DTC Advertising
New survey will examine attitudes among non-physicians, including nurses, physician assistants
Monday, May 13, 2013

User Satisfaction With Electronic Health Records Down
Twelve percent decrease in user satisfaction since 2010; increase in very dissatisfied users
Friday, May 10, 2013

Poor Service, Bedside Manner Top Patients' Online Complaints
Review of 'rate-your-doctor' websites reveals patients' most common gripes
Friday, May 10, 2013

Smartphones, Smartphone Apps Increasingly Used by Docs
Two reports show use of smartphones and apps for professional purposes is increasing
Thursday, May 09, 2013

HHS Releases Data on Inpatient Charges for Hospital Services
HHS is also providing funding to data centers to collate, analyze, publish data to assist consumers
Thursday, May 09, 2013

Application for Health Coverage Has Been Simplified, Shortened
First-time consumers will be able to complete one three-page application, see all available options
Wednesday, May 08, 2013

In-Hospital Mortality No Different at Critical Access Hospitals
Mortality similar at CAHs, non-CAHs for eight common procedures; costs higher at CAHs
Friday, May 03, 2013

Health Industry Payment Details to Be Publicly Available
New CMS website will detail financial ties between drug, device manufacturers and docs, hospitals
Thursday, May 02, 2013

Multicenter Study Links Peri-Op SSRI Use to Adverse Outcomes
Increased odds of in-hospital mortality, bleeding, 30-day readmission, after adjustment
Tuesday, April 30, 2013

FDA Announces New Network to Focus Exclusively on Patients
Interactive tool designed to educate patients and advocates about processes of drug development
Monday, April 29, 2013

Medical Interns Spending Less Time With Patients
More time being spent at a computer since work hours were limited in 2011
Friday, April 26, 2013

Physicians Less Empathetic in Talking to Heavy Patients
Patient weight plays no role in quantity of physicians' biomedical communications
Thursday, April 25, 2013

Diagnostic Errors Are the Leading Type of Malpractice Claim
Diagnosis-related payments from 1986 to 2010 totaled $38.8 billion
Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Outcomes No Worse With Home Call for Surgical Interns
Overall unadjusted morbidity and mortality rates no worse with home call versus in-hospital call
Monday, April 22, 2013

TEDMED: Get the Joy Back Into Health and Wellness
Surgeon General talks about importance of bringing joy back into movement and medicine
Monday, April 22, 2013

Patient-Centered Decision Making Ups Health Outcomes
Health care outcomes improved for 71 percent of contextual factors that were addressed by PCDM
Friday, April 19, 2013

Patient Satisfaction Poor Indicator of Quality Surgical Care
Link between patient satisfaction and teamwork climate, safety climate, stress recognition
Friday, April 19, 2013

Family-Centered Teaching Rounds Good for Patients, Students
Higher patient satisfaction with exam room presentations; many residents have concerns
Thursday, April 18, 2013

Relative Proportion of MRSA Increasing in S. aureus Isolates
Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus becoming more resistant to antibiotics
Thursday, April 18, 2013

Community Benefit Spending Varies for Tax-Exempt Hospitals
Most spent on charity care, patient services; less spent on community health improvement
Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Effect of Surgical Complications on Hospital Finances Analyzed
Complication reduction efforts could improve financial performance of safety-net hospitals
Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Speech Details Practices to Improve U.S. Health Systems
Mayo Clinic CEO outlines key steps to create high-quality, low-cost care in America
Thursday, April 11, 2013

Many Uninsured Vets Will Be Eligible for Medicaid Under ACA
But most of uninsured will have new coverage options only if their state expands Medicaid
Friday, March 29, 2013

Using Internet Search Logs Can Help Identify Drug Interactions
Tool may alert authorities to potential problems and aid in surveillance of adverse events
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Study: Primary Care Extension Program Should Be Funded
Authors say PCEP important to improving public health, translating research into practice
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Experience-Related Data Limited in Children's Surgery
Wide variation seen in studies on methodology, outcomes, exposure definitions
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Regional Variation Noted in Prevalence of Delayed Care
Populations in counties with high prevalence likely to be Hispanic, have low income, chronic disease
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Inpatient Deaths Fell by 8 Percent in Last Decade
But total number of hospitalizations increased by 11 percent
Wednesday, March 27, 2013

AHA: Active Docs More Likely to Advise Patients to Be Active
Review sees link between health care providers' physical activity level, counseling offered
Friday, March 22, 2013

Impact of Budget Sequestration on Health Care Discussed
Cuts will not be equal: Medicaid protected; 2 percent cut for Medicare; 8.2 percent cut for NIH
Thursday, March 21, 2013

Effect of Immigration Status on Medicaid Eligibility Discussed
Seventeen percent of low-income, uninsured nonelderly are unauthorized or recently legal
Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Conflict-of-Interest Disclosures Common at 2011 AAOS Meeting
All featured symposia at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons disclosed conflicts
Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Final Rule in Notice of Benefit, Payment Parameters Issued
Rule expands on existing standards for risk adjustment, reinsurance, risk corridors
Friday, March 15, 2013

Health Insurance Exchanges Will Mainly Be Run by Feds
Federal government will establish exchanges for 26 states; state-run exchanges for 17 states, D.C.
Friday, March 15, 2013

$120 Million to Be Sequestered From Health Centers in 2013
Losses likely to be more severe for health centers that are especially grant dependent
Tuesday, March 12, 2013

FDA Encourages Opioid Prescribers to Pursue Training
Continuing medical education provided by opioid manufacturers set to combat misuse and abuse
Monday, March 11, 2013

Clinical Trials Published Almost Two Years After Completion
Funding source, number of participants, and journal impact factor all affect time to publication
Wednesday, March 06, 2013

U.K. Health Performance Worse Than Comparable Countries
Tobacco, high blood pressure, high BMI leading risk factors for disability-adjusted life-years
Tuesday, March 05, 2013

Panel Recommends 10 Patient Safety Strategies
Ten strategies strongly encouraged for adoption; a further 12 strategies encouraged
Monday, March 04, 2013

CMS Reports on Progress Toward Improved Health Care
Progress includes slowing of growth in health care spending, decrease in readmissions
Monday, March 04, 2013

Computerized Provider Order Entry System Cuts Rx Errors
Given effect size, CPOE use, estimated reduction of 12.5 percent in medication errors each year
Monday, March 04, 2013

Sequestration to Impact Health Care-Related Programs
Medicare providers and medical researchers brace for cuts from fiscal impasse
Friday, March 01, 2013

Bariatric Surgery Outcomes No Better at Centers of Excellence
CMS policy restricting coverage to hospitals designated as COE not tied to improved outcomes
Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Preparation Underway for Implementation of ACA in 2014
Medicaid and CHIP are still main source of insurance coverage for children, pregnant women
Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits Expanded
New rule from HHS outlines standards for essential health benefits
Friday, February 22, 2013

CMS Proposes Payment and Policy Updates for 2014
Suggested changes will increase value and protection for beneficiaries
Thursday, February 21, 2013

FDA: Codeine After Surgery Puts Children At Risk
Food and Drug Administration urging use of alternative pain reliever
Thursday, February 21, 2013

Pros, Cons of Medical Marijuana for Metastatic Cancer Explored
Case vignette highlights issues relating to smoking marijuana when conventional treatment has failed
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Faster Adoption of Electronic Health Records Needed
Penalties under 2009 law start in 2015
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Opioids Involved in Most Medical Overdose Deaths
Frequently involve drugs prescribed for mental health conditions
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Multimodality Approach Needed to Reengineer Health Care
Rethinking, redesign, and application of necessary tools suggested for health care value reform
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

CMS: Unnecessary Medicare Regulations to Be Reformed
Proposed rule aims to increase ability of health care professionals to improve patient care
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Artificial Intelligence Can Improve Patient Care
Modeling shows that computers can improve medical decisions and outcomes at lower costs
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Health Care-Associated Infections Decreased in 2011
Largest drop in central line-associated bloodstream infections; surgical site infections also down
Friday, February 15, 2013

General Anesthesia Ups Knee Replacement Complications
Superficial wound infections, blood transfusions, overall complications down after spinal anesthesia
Friday, February 15, 2013

IOM Urges International Action to Eradicate Fake Drugs
Falsified and substandard meds are ineffective; may trigger resistance and cause illness, death
Thursday, February 14, 2013

Psychological, Sexual Impact of Female Breadwinners Explored
Men who are outearned by their wives more likely to use erectile dysfunction medications
Thursday, February 14, 2013

Oregon Experiment Will Provide Insight Into ACO-Based Reform
Program centered on coordinated care organization highlights challenges of contracting with ACOs
Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Health Insurance Exchanges Are Top Priority on U.S. Agenda
Fifty-five percent view establishment of insurance exchange as top policy priority for their state
Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Brain Activity Linked to TNF Inhibitor Response in RA
Response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors associated with activity in pain-related brain areas
Monday, February 11, 2013

Increasing Patient Activation Tied to Lower Health Care Costs
Having a higher score on the Patient Activation Measure linked to improved outcomes, lower costs
Monday, February 11, 2013

Anesthesia Assistance Used in 8.7 Percent of Colonoscopies
Anesthesia assistance use varies widely among regions; not linked to patient risk, outcomes
Friday, February 08, 2013

One Hospital Night OK for Robotic Partial Nephrectomy
Readmission rate of 2.7 percent with discharge on postoperative day one
Thursday, February 07, 2013

More Complications for Inpatient Lumbar Discectomy
Thirty-day post-op complications significantly lower in outpatient surgeries
Monday, February 04, 2013

Bystander Rescue Training Cuts Opioid Overdose Deaths
Overdose education, nasal naloxone distribution program reduces deaths in Massachusetts
Friday, February 01, 2013

Early Palliative Care in Lung CA Focuses on Coping, Symptoms
During critical time points or progression, palliative care emphasizes psychosocial aspects
Wednesday, January 30, 2013

In STEMI, Diabetes Linked to Worse Long-Term Outcomes
Diabetes linked to worse mortality, reinfarction, stent thrombosis, target vessel revascularization
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Physicians Commonly Report Unsafe Hospital Workloads
Findings from an online survey of hospitalists show excess workload affects patient outcome
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Brain Scans Show Doctors Empathize With Patients
Regions associated with pain relief and reward activated
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

FDA Panel Votes for Tougher Restrictions on Hydrocodone
Panel votes in favor of moving hydrocodone combo products into Schedule II category
Friday, January 25, 2013

Care Transition Initiative Decreases Rehospitalizations
However, no significant reduction in 30-day rehospitalization as percent of hospital discharges
Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Large Teaching Hospitals Face More Readmission Penalties
After adjustment, likelihood of being penalized highest for safety-net hospitals
Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Efforts Failed to Up Primary Care, Rural Resident Training
Net growth in primary care training, but outpaced by growth in non-primary care training
Friday, January 18, 2013

Checklists Up Performance in Operating-Room Crises
Failure to adhere to lifesaving processes of care less common in simulations when checklists are used
Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Even Brief Interruptions Dramatically Increase Errors
Error rate doubled or tripled in response to brief interruptions of only 2.8 to 4.4 seconds
Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Family Docs Are Early Adopters of Electronic Health Records
Sixty-eight percent currently use EHR systems; likely to surpass 80 percent by 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Certain Online Behaviors of Docs Warrant Investigation
Consensus in seven of ten vignettes; outcome less clear for other doc online behavior scenarios
Monday, January 14, 2013

Top Five Issues for Docs and Patients Identified for 2013
Issues include access to care, physician shortages, preparation for 30 million new patients
Monday, January 14, 2013

National U.S. Health Care Spending Relatively Stable
But during 2011, personal health care spending growth accelerated
Friday, January 11, 2013

Rate of Non-Medical Use of Rx Pain Meds 4.6 Percent
Considerable variation seen between states, from 3.6 percent in Iowa to 6.4 percent in Oregon
Thursday, January 10, 2013

SPIRIT 2013 Clinical Trial Protocol Guidelines Issued
Thirty-three-item SPIRIT checklist will serve as guideline for the minimum content of clinical trial
Thursday, January 10, 2013

FDA: Draft Guidance Issued on Abuse-Deterrent Opioids
To assist industry in developing new formulations of opioid drugs with abuse-deterrent properties
Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Pain Starting at Delivery Is Rare Six, 12 Months Later
And, in rats, hypersensitivity to mid-pregnancy peripheral nerve injury resolves soon after birth
Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Acetaminophen Cuts Post-Op Morphine Use in Infants
Significant reduction in morphine requirements over 48 hours after major surgery
Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Health Care Use Dropped Among All During Recession
Little evidence of racial or ethnic disparities, except for fewer physician visits for Hispanics
Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Shared Savings May Promote Care Coordination Entity Use
Sharing savings with dually eligible patients may foster enrollment in coordinated care entities
Monday, January 07, 2013

Association Between Health Care Cost, Quality Inconsistent
Review of 61 studies shows inconsistent evidence for the direction of the association
Thursday, January 03, 2013

House Joins Senate to Avert Medicare Cuts
U.S. health care could be significantly affected by failure to reach 'fiscal cliff' agreement
Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Surgical Never Events Costly, Cause Considerable Harm
Payment increases based on severity of harm to patient, for docs with multiple malpractice reports
Friday, December 28, 2012

Health Care Satisfaction Rated As High by Unacculturated Hispanics
Unacculturated or biculturated Hispanics give higher ratings for health care experiences
Monday, December 17, 2012

Obese Patients Require More Operating Room Time
For patients undergoing lobectomy, operating time increases with increasing BMI
Friday, December 07, 2012

Evidence Supports Premise: OR Distractions Up Surgical Errors
Simulation study of surgical trainees finds interrupting questions, sidebar conversations most disruptive
Thursday, December 06, 2012

Political Leaders Face Voter Opposition to Medicare Cuts
Voter poll analysis portends conflict in ACA implementation
Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Doc Earnings Growth Lags Behind Other Health Professionals
Adjusted physician earnings dropped by 1.6 percent from 1996-2000 to 2006-2010
Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Obama Administration Moving Forward With Health Care Law
From 2014, insurance companies prohibited from discrimination based on pre-existing conditions
Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Mental Illness, Job Stress Both Factors in Physician Suicides
Docs more likely to have antipsychotics, barbiturates, not antidepressants on toxicology testing
Friday, November 16, 2012

AAO: Sound Therapy Reduces Anxiety in Cataract Surgery
Systolic blood pressure also down with binaural beat, musical intervention versus control
Monday, November 12, 2012

Pain Management Varies Among Palliative Care Centers
Variations in outcomes for terminal cancer patients affected by organizational factors
Monday, November 05, 2012

Playing Videos Reduces Anxiety Before Pediatric Surgery
Video reduces anxiety during induction of inhaled anesthesia before ambulatory surgery
Friday, November 02, 2012

Neuraxial Anesthesia Beneficial for Bilateral Knee Arthroplasty
Lower rate of blood transfusions compared with general anesthesia
Thursday, November 01, 2012

FDA: Ameridose Issues Voluntary Recall of All Products
All unexpired products should be returned to manufacturer
Wednesday, October 31, 2012

U.S. Medicare Spending on Elderly Has Outpaced Canada's
Growth three times faster in the U.S., while Canada offers more comprehensive benefits
Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Evidence-Based Practices to Prevent Peri-Op VTE Identified
Review of the literature identified key practices, although lack of consensus on other issues
Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Genuine Very Large Effects in Trials Rare in Medicine
Very large effects typically seen in small trials and diminish subsequently; seldom address mortality
Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Surgery Linked to Cardiac Death in Cancer Patients
Cardiovascular death significantly more common among cancer patients who undergo surgery
Wednesday, October 17, 2012

ASA: Illicit Drug Abuse Down, Prescription Drug Abuse Up
Emergency room data from 2007 to 2009 shows decreases larger in magnitude than increases
Tuesday, October 16, 2012

ASA: Ocular Injuries Up With Robotic-Assisted Prostatectomy
Higher rate of ocular injuries, including corneal abrasions, in surgeries using the robotic approach
Tuesday, October 16, 2012

ASA: Spanish Speakers Less Likely to Use Epidural in Labor
Almost all women who want an epidural get one; use less likely for Spanish versus English speakers
Monday, October 15, 2012

Risk Factors for Tracheostomy in Spinal Cord Injury Identified
Forced vital capacity, age, neurological impairment predict need for tracheostomy in acute care
Thursday, October 04, 2012

Limiting the Problem of Missing Data Urged for Clinical Trials
Special report: analysis methods can not compensate for missing data, simple fixes ruled out
Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Severe Anemia Linked to Poorer Heart Surgery Outcomes
Higher risk of stroke, major morbidity, operative mortality with severe, moderate pre-op anemia
Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Mortality Up With 80 Percent Oxygen in Abdominal Surgery
Peri-op use of 80 percent oxygen significantly increases long-term mortality for cancer patients
Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Review: Inhaled Analgesia Provides Pain Relief in Labor
Nitrous oxide has more negative side effects than flurane derivatives, placebo, or no treatment
Monday, September 17, 2012

Higher Mortality Risk With Preoperative Hyponatremia
Also linked to more complications, including coronary events, wound infections, and pneumonia
Friday, September 14, 2012

Not All Docs/Nurses Want to Be Asked About Hand Hygiene
Few were asked in the past month; more than a quarter do not want patients to remind them
Friday, September 07, 2012

Bolus Epidural Fentanyl Cuts Post-Spinal Decompression Pain
Intraoperative bolus epidural fentanyl improves early pain without significant side effects
Thursday, September 06, 2012

Causes of Maternal Intrapartum Fever in Induced Labor ID'd
Temperature up with longer time from membrane rupture to delivery, high BMI; no effect for epidural
Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Anesthesia Regimen Linked to Post-Orthognathic Op Pain
More pain in first four hours after surgery for patients receiving propofol and remifentanil
Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Better Analgesia From Pelvic Plexus Block in Prostate Biopsy
Compared with periprostatic nerve block during transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy
Thursday, July 26, 2012

Poorer Patient Experience at Safety-Net Hospitals
Worse performance on nearly every measure of patient experience; discrepancy persisted over time
Thursday, July 19, 2012

~12,000 Preventable Deaths in English Hospitals Annually
Main causes are poor clinical monitoring, diagnostic errors, and inadequate drug/fluid management
Thursday, July 19, 2012

Social Network Analysis IDs Informal Physician Networks
Geographic variation in network characteristics; similar physician, patient features within networks
Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Reform Law
'Individual-mandate' insurance requirement deemed constitutional
Thursday, June 28, 2012

Duplicate Payments by Federal Government Increasing
Dually enrolled patients in the VA and Medicare account for substantial, duplicate costs
Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Cold-Air Anesthesia Reduces Pain of Laser Treatment
Less pain when used with topical anesthesia during fractionated carbon-dioxide laser treatment
Friday, June 22, 2012

Half of Residents Report Working While Sick
Most frequent reasons for presenteeism include feeling obligation to colleagues and to patient care
Thursday, June 21, 2012

Genetic Contribution Detected in Responses to Opioids
Twin study shows significant inherited component for nausea, depressed breathing, drug liking
Thursday, June 21, 2012

Coexistent Lumbar Disorders Complicate Hip Arthroplasty
Patients with coexistent disorders have less improvement in function, pain; increased costs
Monday, June 18, 2012

Cannabinoid Formulation Benefits Opioid-Refractory Pain
Nabiximols offers pain relief for patients with advanced cancer, especially at low-dose
Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Three Percent of Hip, Knee Replacements Need Critical Care
Older patients, general anesthesia, post-op complications increase odds of critical care services
Friday, June 08, 2012

Exercise Reduces Neuropathic Pain After Nerve Injury in Rats
Less neuropathic pain, decrease in cytokine overproduction after progressive exercise training
Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Troponin T May Help Predict Death After Noncardiac Surgery
Increasing troponin T levels during first three days post-op linked to increased 30-day mortality risk
Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Lack of Sleep Not Necessarily Detrimental to Surgical Skills
However, sleep deprivation ups mental workload for medical students performing surgical task
Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Hospitals Lack Hand Surgeons for Emergencies
Only 7 percent of Tennessee hospitals have a hand specialist on call 24/7 to handle emergencies
Monday, May 07, 2012

Training Helps OR Nurses Manage Disruptive Physician Behavior
Post-communication training, peri-op nurses feel more confident in handling disruptive behavior
Friday, May 04, 2012

CMS Policy Helping Hospitals to Prevent Targeted Infections
Despite positive impact, less time spent on nontargeted infections, especially in large hospitals
Friday, May 04, 2012

Perioperative Interruptions Lead to Miscommunication
Miscommunications during surgery also increase when teams haven't worked together long
Thursday, May 03, 2012

No Adverse Effect of Weekend, Nighttime Liver Transplants
Patient and graft survival not significantly different from daytime, weekday procedures
Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Methodological Heterogeneity Seen in Clinical Trials
Trials registered with ClinicalTrials.gov from 2007 to 2010 mainly small, single-center
Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Electronic Records Show Variation in Blood Usage
Significant variability seen among surgical services, procedures, and individual providers
Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Index Identifies Clot Risk in Outpatient Surgery Patients
High-risk outpatient surgery patients have blood clot rates of 1.18 percent
Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Medical Malpractice Claims Incur Substantial Defense Costs
Costs higher for claims resulting in indemnity payments; significant variation by specialty
Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Better Short-Term Outcomes for Private Prostatectomies
More post-op complications, blood transfusions, longer hospital stay with non-private insurance
Friday, March 30, 2012

Health Care Team Members Key for Antimicrobial Stewardship
Epidemiologists, preventionists help stop infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms
Thursday, March 22, 2012

Dexmedetomidine Non Inferior for Maintaining Sedation
Dexmedetomidine not inferior to midazolam or propofol during prolonged mechanical ventilation
Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Anesthesia During Endoscopy, Colonoscopy on the Rise
Increase among Medicare, commercially-insured patients; services mainly used in low-risk patients
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Poorer Health Literacy Linked to Increased Mortality
About one-third of older adults in England have medium or low functional health literacy
Friday, March 16, 2012

Higher Spending by Hospitals Improves Outcomes
Lower mortality, readmission for acute patients admitted to hospital in highest tercile of spending
Tuesday, March 13, 2012

U.S. Mortality Rates Dropped 60 Percent From 1935 to 2010
For every year, heart disease, cancer, and stroke are among the five leading causes of death
Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Flu Vaccine Up Among Medical Staff When They Believe It Works
Hospital health care workers more likely to get vaccinated when committed to preventing flu
Friday, March 09, 2012

Surrogates Tend to Misinterpret Poor Prognosis Information
Statements about low risk of death interpreted accurately; poor prognosis viewed optimistically
Friday, March 09, 2012

Buprenorphine Maintenance Therapy Not Recommended
Abstinence-based therapy recommended instead for opioid-addicted health care professionals
Thursday, March 08, 2012

Double Gloving Prevents Exposure to Pathogens in OR
Double gloving can reduce needle-stick injuries and infection risks for surgeons and patients
Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Financial Burden of Medical Care Affects One in Three
More than one in five poor or near-poor adults younger than 65 have bills they are unable to pay
Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Bariatric Surgery Risks Up in Patients With Kidney Disease
Approximately 30 percent increase in complications with each higher chronic kidney disease stage
Friday, March 02, 2012

Care Protocol for Comatose Patients May Need Revision
Some parts of withdrawal-of-care protocol unreliable in patients who undergo hypothermia therapy
Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Surgical Spinal Cord Monitoring May Predict Paralysis
Use of electrical motor evoked potentials called for during spinal and some chest surgeries
Monday, February 20, 2012

2002 to 2008 Saw Increase in Partial Nephrectomy Use
For patients with renal masses, use of partial nephrectomy increased from 15.3 to 24.7 percent
Friday, February 17, 2012

Four-Factor Model Predicts Post-Heart Transplant Mortality
Risk-prediction model has good prediction for in-hospital mortality for pediatric heart transplant
Monday, February 13, 2012

Increased ADHD Rates in Children Exposed to Anesthesia
Multiple anesthesia exposures before the age of 2 increase ADHD incidence
Friday, February 03, 2012

Fever, Epidural Combo Ups Adverse Neonatal Outcomes
No significant difference in neonatal outcomes for epidural in absence of intrapartum fever
Monday, January 30, 2012

Isoflurane Harmful to Mitochondrial Function in Mice
Desflurane may be a safer choice of anesthetic for patients with Alzheimer's disease
Friday, January 27, 2012

Adrenalectomy Rates Remain High in Radical Nephrectomy
Small decrease in rate of adrenalectomy despite evidence to support preservation of adrenal gland
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Overuse of Health Care Services Understudied
Research limited primarily to unnecessary antibiotic use and a few cardiovascular procedures
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Unemployed Have Poorer Mental and Physical Health
And are less likely to receive needed medical care and prescriptions
Tuesday, January 24, 2012

HealthGrades IDs Notable Hospitals for Clinical Excellence
If all hospitals performed at this level, thousands of Medicare deaths, complications could be averted
Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Chlorhexidine Erases More of Preoperative Skin Markings
Greater change in contrast level, less letters identifiable with chlorhexidine-based solution
Monday, January 23, 2012

Comorbidities Affect Hospital Costs After Hip Fracture
Largest cost increase due to weight loss or malnutrition, then pulmonary circulation disorders
Tuesday, January 17, 2012

U.S. Health Care Expenditure Still Unevenly Distributed
In 2008 and 2009, 1 percent of population account for ~20 percent of spending
Friday, January 13, 2012

Site of Blood Collection From IV Does Not Affect Hemolysis Rate
No differences seen for collecting coagulation blood directly via catheter hub or extension tubing
Thursday, January 12, 2012

Surgeons Aged 35 to 50 Years Perform Best Thyroidectomies
Concave association seen for surgeons' performance with their length of experience, age
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Conscious Sedation Feasible for Ambulatory Spine Procedures
No significant difference in adverse event rates with conscious sedation or local anesthesia alone
Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Ped Heart Surgery Deaths Higher at Low Volume Centers
But no association found between center volume and rate of post-op complications
Monday, January 09, 2012

In-Hospital, 30-Day Standardized Mortality Measures Differ
In-hospital risk-standardized mortality rates vary between hospitals; linked with length of stay
Thursday, January 05, 2012

Standardized Count Practices Reduce Retained Surgical Items
Count discrepancies and incorrect counts reduced by 50 percent; estimated $12,500 saved
Monday, January 02, 2012

Use of Propofol Saves Time Compared to Midazolam/Ketamine
Procedural sedation with propofol expedites patient management in emergency departments
Friday, December 30, 2011

Anesthesia Boosts Colonoscopy Price Tag
In asymptomatic adults having colonoscopy, use of anesthesia significantly raises price
Thursday, December 29, 2011

Perceptions of Inappropriate Care Prevalent Among ICU Staff
For ICU staff in Europe, Israel, perceptions independently linked to higher intent to leave job
Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Risk Factors for Post-Spinal Fusion Visual Loss Identified
Include gender, obesity, Wilson frame use, anesthesia time, blood loss, percent colloid given
Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Trauma Quality Indicators Linked to Clinical Outcomes
In-hospital mortality, major complications strongly linked with ACSCOT quality indicators
Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Medical Team Training Program Cuts Surgical Morbidity Rate
Significantly steeper decline in the annual surgical morbidity rate for facilities in MTT program
Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Physician Opinions on Benefits of Open Visit Notes Vary
And, 79 percent of patients are interested in sharing their personal health record information
Monday, December 19, 2011

Concurrent-, Staged-Bilateral Knee Arthroplasty Compared
Reduction in joint infection, malfunction, but increased CVD events with simultaneous procedure
Thursday, December 15, 2011

Infection Prevention Up in VA, Non-Federal Hospitals
But catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention practices remain low
Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Factors Affecting Micro-RNA Detection Accuracy Identified
Include variations in plasma samples, collection method, anticoagulant used, inhibitors in plasma
Friday, December 09, 2011

C. difficile Infection Ups Duration of Hospital Stay
In survival analysis, median length of stay is increased by six days in patients with C. difficile
Monday, December 05, 2011

Medical Students Fail to ID Hand Hygiene Indications
Preclinical phase medical students lack knowledge about hand disinfection indications
Monday, December 05, 2011

Time of Operation Not Linked to Postoperative Mortality
Time of day, day of week, month of surgery, moon phase do not affect 30-day post-op mortality
Friday, December 02, 2011

Risk Factors ID'd for Pressure Ulcers in Prolonged Surgery
Use of foam pads in surgery, having a lower day-one Braden score predictive of pressure ulcers
Thursday, December 01, 2011

Learning Assessment Tool IDs R.N. Educational Needs
Pediatric procedural sedation education needs identified through questionnaire
Thursday, December 01, 2011

U.S. Patients Highly Satisfied With Outpatient Medical Care
Patient satisfaction scores tied to waiting time, time spent with provider, and age category
Wednesday, November 30, 2011

High-Performing Docs Learn Equally From Success, Failure
High performers learn from successes, failures; low performers have asymmetric learning rates
Monday, November 28, 2011

Substance Abuse Health Programs Benefit Surgeons
Recovery, completion, and extension of monitoring period similar for surgeons, non-surgeons
Friday, November 25, 2011

Black Patients Have Worse Diverticulitis Surgery Outcomes
Blacks undergoing diverticulitis surgery have more emergency procedures, higher mortality risk
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

BMI Predicts 30-Day Post-Surgery Mortality Risk
BMI of less than 23.1 tied to the highest 30-day mortality risk, irrespective of surgery type
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Oliguria in Bariatric Surgery Not Tied to Intra-Op Fluids
Oliguria in laparoscopic bariatric surgery persists regardless of intra-op fluid administered
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Adverse Effects of Pediatric Acupuncture Usually Mild
Mild adverse effects include pain, bruising, bleeding, and worsening of symptoms
Monday, November 21, 2011

Nonpunitive Method Improves Medical Error Reporting
Most common errors: misfiled or incorrectly entered patient info
Monday, November 21, 2011

AHA: Most Major Post-Op Infections Occur Post-Discharge
And, skin preparation before and during implant procedures reduces the risk of infections
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Patients Without Insurance Have Shorter Hospital Stays
Uninsured have shorter stays for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, or non-ACSCs
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Brain Hypoxia Tied to Poor Post-Traumatic Injury Outcome
Indicative of poor prognosis independent of intracranial, perfusion pressures, severity of injury
Friday, November 11, 2011

FDA: Manufacturer Recalls Operating Room Tables
Recall based on reports of patient injury
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Glove Use Linked to Reduced Hand Hygiene Compliance
Gloves often worn when not indicated, and not worn when indicated
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Great Achievement at Young Age Function of Time, Not Field
Age dynamics tied to proportion of theoretical work, age of attainment of foundation knowledge
Monday, November 07, 2011

Evidence Shows Robot-Assisted Cystectomy Safe, Effective
Longer-term, controlled studies needed to evaluate the procedure in management of bladder cancer
Monday, November 07, 2011

Receptionists Contribute to Safety of Repeat Prescriptions
Clinicians often unaware of input of receptionists and administrative staff in repeat prescribing
Friday, November 04, 2011

Rooms of Patients With A. baumannii Often Contaminated
Supply carts, floors, infusion pumps, ventilator touch pads are most commonly contaminated
Friday, November 04, 2011

No Medicare Savings From Disease-Management Hotline
Modest improvement in quality of care, but no reduction in costs of care or acute care utilization
Thursday, November 03, 2011

Risks for C. difficile Infection, Colonization Identified
Host, pathogen factors differentially affect this health care-associated infection, colonization
Thursday, November 03, 2011

Graft Loss Higher With Kidneys Donated by Older Live Donors
But comparable to graft loss for recipients of a kidney from a deceased younger donor
Thursday, November 03, 2011

CDC: Opioid Overdoses Have Reached Epidemic Proportions
Overdose death rates, sales, OPR-related treatment admissions increased between 1999 and 2008
Wednesday, November 02, 2011

ACG: Colonoscopic Adenoma Detection Rate, Mozart Linked
Endoscopists listening to Mozart during colonoscopy have higher adenoma detection rates
Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Anesthesia Type Impacts Aortic Aneurysm Repair Outcome
General anesthesia tied to higher pulmonary morbidity, length of stay than other anesthesias
Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Exparel Approved for Post-Surgery Pain
Provides relief up to 72 hours
Monday, October 31, 2011

Pre-Op Erythropoietin Reduces Need for Peri-Op Transfusion
Also reduces the number of units of erythrocytes transfused during and after surgery
Monday, October 31, 2011

Switching From IV to Oral Meds Cuts Health Care Costs
In patients eligible for oral intake, switch from IV to oral equivalents cuts hospital costs
Monday, October 31, 2011

ACS: Timed Walking Predicts Post-Op Recovery in Elderly
Slow walking in elderly ups risk of postoperative complications, lengthens hospital stay
Thursday, October 27, 2011

Small Airway Obstruction Heralds Emphysema in COPD
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have fewer 2.0- to 2.5-mm-diameter airways
Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Ghost Authorship Prevalent in About One-Fifth of Articles
Prevalence of honorary, ghost authorship, down from 29.2 to 21.0 percent from 1996 to 2008
Wednesday, October 26, 2011

IBD Increases Risk of Post-Op Thromboembolism
Risk of post-op deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism higher after nonintestinal surgery
Thursday, October 20, 2011

Readmission Risk Models Display Poor Predictive Ability
Current hospital readmission risk models for comparative or clinical purposes perform poorly
Tuesday, October 18, 2011

ASA: Obesity Ups Peri-Op Peds Respiratory Complications
And, significantly lower effective dose of propofol causes loss of consciousness in obese children
Monday, October 17, 2011

ASA: Blood Type Affects Bleeding, Death After Heart Surgery
Lowest risk among AB blood group possibly attributable to high levels of blood clotting proteins
Monday, October 17, 2011

No Effect of Prophylaxis Type on Pulmonary Embolism Rate
Prophylaxis agent, anesthesia type do not affect pulmonary embolism rate post hip arthroplasty
Friday, October 14, 2011

Same Cognition With Cerebral Perfusion, Hypothermic Arrest
Similar cognitive benefit for antegrade cerebral perfusion, deep hypothermic circulatory arrest
Friday, October 14, 2011

Rare Disorders ID'd by NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program
Integrated high-density SNP arrays, whole exome or genome analyses used to aid diagnosis
Thursday, October 13, 2011

Financial Conflicts of Interest Prevalent, Under-Reported
Conflicts of interest prevalent; under-reported by members, chairs of panels developing guidelines
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Septicemia Most Costly Reason for Hospitalization in 2009
Almost one in 23 patients had septicemia; average of 4,600 new patients treated each day
Monday, October 10, 2011

Electronic Records Enhance Care Transitions for Elderly
Complete and accurate transfer of information necessary to maximize patient care
Monday, October 10, 2011

Many Elderly in U.S. Undergo Surgery in Last Year of Life
Rate of surgery varies with age, region, availability of hospital beds, Medicare spending
Thursday, October 06, 2011

More Minority Patients in Low-Quality, High-Cost Hospitals
More elderly black, Hispanic, Medicaid patients consult worst rather than best hospitals
Thursday, October 06, 2011

Pre-Op Anemia Ups Mortality After Non-Cardiac Surgery
Even mild preoperative anemia independently associated with 30-day mortality, morbidity risk
Thursday, October 06, 2011

Early ID of Morbidly Obese Improves Surgical Care
Improves perioperative care and postoperative outcomes for patients with BMI of 35 or more
Thursday, October 06, 2011

Advance Directives Linked to Regional Medical Expenditures
High-spending areas have lower end-of-life costs, in-hospital death, and increased hospice care
Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Same-Day Discharge Feasible in Select Cases of Elective PCI
For select low-risk older patients same-day discharge does not up death, rehospitalization
Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Risk Factors ID'd for Post-Spine Surgery Death, Morbidity
Complication predictors include older age, cardiac disease, neuro-abnormalities, corticosteroid use
Monday, October 03, 2011

Early Anesthesia Exposures Tied to Learning Disabilities
Multiple exposures before age 2 does not increase need for individualized education programs
Monday, October 03, 2011

Sevoflurane Anesthesia Does Not Up Incident Cancer Risk
New cancer within five years of surgery not tied to duration, time of sevoflurane anesthesia
Monday, October 03, 2011

Smoking Complicates Joint Replacement Outcomes
Smokers undergoing total hip or knee replacement should be counseled to quit
Monday, October 03, 2011

Doctors, Patients Identify Tacit Clues in Their Interactions
Non-verbal tacit clues most common, but interpretation differs for doctors and patients
Friday, September 30, 2011

Surfactants Feasible for Self-Breathing Preterm Infants
Decrease the need for mechanical ventilation in preterm infants breathing spontaneously on CPAP
Friday, September 30, 2011

Fear of Childbirth Tied to Higher Odds of Cesarean Section
Elective and emergency cesarean sections more frequent despite psychological counseling
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Calcineurin-Inhibitor-Sparing Regimens Improve Outcomes
Use of calcineurin-inhibitor-sparing regimens immediately after kidney transplant ups outcomes
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Mortality Up in Hospitals With More Minority Trauma Patients
Trauma patients' odds of mortality linked to the proportion of minority patients in the hospital
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Opioid Delivery to Olfactory Region Ups Therapeutic Effects
More of drug delivered to central nervous system, no increase in plasma drug exposure in rats
Friday, September 09, 2011

Many Hospital Staff Uniforms Contaminated With Bacteria
More than 60 percent of uniforms are contaminated, with similar rates between nurses, physicians
Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Training Protocols Do Not Affect Ventilation Knowledge
No association of training in a high-intensity protocol environment with mechanical ventilation exam score
Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Dexamethasone Dose of >0.1 mg/kg Reduces Post-Op Pain
More consistent analgesic effects seen with preoperative administration of dexamethasone
Thursday, September 01, 2011

Increasing BMI Ups Atonic Uterus Hemorrhage Risk
But no association between obesity and risk of postpartum hemorrhage with retained placenta
Tuesday, August 30, 2011

High Demand, But Minority of Ob-Gyns Provide Abortions
Obstetrician-gynecologists with high religious motivation less likely to perform abortions
Friday, August 26, 2011

ACOG Guidelines Issued for Thromboembolism in Pregnancy
Guidelines cover diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of thromboembolism in pregnancy
Friday, August 26, 2011

Complementary Medicine Used More by Health Care Workers
U.S. health care providers use complementary, alternative medicine more than support workers
Friday, August 26, 2011

Pharmaceutical Ads Often Don't Adhere to U.S. FDA Guidelines
Only 18.1 percent of advertisements fully adhere to FDA guidelines, over half do not quantify serious risks
Thursday, August 25, 2011

CDC: 2010/2011 Flu Vaccination Coverage Studied
Coverage in health care personnel and pregnant women remained stable versus previous season
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Bispectral Index Guided Anesthesia Not Superior
Fewer cases of intraoperative awareness with standard end-tidal anesthetic-agent concentration
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Cost of Interacting With Payers Higher in U.S. Than Canada
U.S. physicians and nursing staff spend more time and money interacting with health plans
Friday, August 05, 2011

Infrastructure Tied to Most U.K. Obesity-Related Safety Events
But majority of obesity-associated safety incidents in U.K. are classified as low or no harm
Monday, August 01, 2011

Smoking Tied to Increase in Post-Arthroplasty Complications
Current, prior smokers at increased risk of complications after knee/hip replacement surgery
Wednesday, July 27, 2011

HCC Surgery Depends on Race, Socioeconomics, Hospital Type
Race, socioeconomic status, and hospital type predict surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma
Friday, July 22, 2011

Liver Resection Score IDs Susceptibility to Complications
Score predicting the morbidity of liver resections helps identify most susceptible patients
Thursday, July 21, 2011

Decrease in Rate of Surgical Adverse Events in VHA Centers
From 2006 to 2009, rate of adverse events decreased but rate of close calls increased
Thursday, July 21, 2011

Medical Students Support Right to Conscientious Objection
Nearly half of medical students believe in right to conscientiously object to any procedure
Thursday, July 21, 2011

Surgeons Constitute Risk Factor for Infection After Colon Surgery
Surgeons can be an independent risk factor for surgical site infections after colon surgery
Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Timely Surgery in Traumatic Brain Injury Halves Death Rate
Shorter time from ER arrival to surgery reduces hospital mortality and length of hospital stay
Thursday, July 14, 2011

Obesity Tied to Higher Risk of Breast Surgery Complications
Odds of post-breast surgery complications are nearly 12 times higher for obese women
Thursday, July 07, 2011

Nurses' Calls Decrease Day-of-Surgery Cancellations
Preoperative calls result in decrease in cancellation rate, increased patient satisfaction
Thursday, July 07, 2011

Blood Pressure Variability Tied to Heart Surgery Mortality
Systolic blood pressure deviations outside the normal range predict 30-day mortality rates
Friday, July 01, 2011

EAC: Hypnosis, Local Anesthesia Combo Beneficial
Compared to post-general anesthesia, stays shorter after breast surgery and thyroidectomy
Monday, June 13, 2011

Intraoperative Noise Linked to Surgical-Site Infection
High sound levels may affect surgeon behavior and increase occurrence of surgical-site infection
Friday, June 10, 2011

New Safety Recommendations for Warming Head Drapes in OR
Venting, lifting the drape often, and using a blower may reduce fire risk in patients during anesthesia
Friday, June 10, 2011

Effect Estimates May Be Inflated in Biomarker Studies
Highly cited studies overestimate biomarker effect compared to meta-analyses
Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Team Communication Vital to Avoid Health Care Errors
Inconsistent information and incorrect monitoring also identified as causes of near misses
Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Contact With Drug Industry Linked to Positive Attitudes
Substantial proportion of medical students believe gifts from drug industry affect prescribing
Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Medical Education Participants Recognize Funding Bias
Yet most are unwilling to pay more for continuing medical education registration to overcome bias
Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Anesthesia in Infancy Not Linked to Poor Academic Scores
Ninth-grade test scores of youth unaffected by anesthesia during hernia repair in infancy
Friday, May 06, 2011

High BNP Post-CABG Predicts Worse Physical Function
Peak B-type natriuretic peptide predicts worse physical function up to two years post surgery
Thursday, April 21, 2011

New Hemoglobin Sensor May Help in Transfusion Decisions
Noninvasive spectrophotometric hemoglobin sensor performs well with time, at high perfusion
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Alcohol Intake Affects Surgeon Performance the Next Day
Previous evening alcohol intoxication affects surgeons time, diathermy, and error scores
Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Anesthesia Complications Twice As Likely in Obese
Airway management events more likely to occur in the intensive care unit, emergency department
Thursday, April 14, 2011

First-Procedure Delays Linked to Tardy Surgeons
Timely arrival of surgeons increases initial on-time start rate from 24 to 80 percent
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

'Global Trigger Tool' Identifies 10 Times More Errors
New tool identifies many more adverse events in hospital admissions compared to other methods
Thursday, April 07, 2011

Online Health Records Less Used by Minorities, Poor
Low-income patients, blacks, and Hispanics less likely to use Internet personal health record
Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Reduced Hours for Trainees Has Had Little Effect in U.S.
Shorter work week for doctors in training has had little impact, positive or negative, on patient safety
Thursday, March 24, 2011

Professional Values of U.S. and U.K. Doctors Examined
Nearly one-third of doctors fail to report inadequate colleague, often for fear of retribution
Thursday, March 17, 2011

Short Nurse Staffing Linked to Higher Patient Mortality
More deaths seen when shifts fall eight or more hours below target
Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Automated Propofol and Remifentanil Delivery Effective
Closed-loop coadministration of propofol and remifentanil maintains Bispectral Index values
Friday, March 11, 2011

Nitrous Oxide May Up Risk of Myocardial Infarction
Nitrous oxide anesthesia linked to increased long-term risk of myocardial infarction, not death
Thursday, March 10, 2011

HealthGrades Finds Rates of Patient Safety Events Vary
Patients have 46 percent lower risk of safety error in top versus bottom-ranking hospitals
Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Ethnic Differences Seen in Academic Measures for U.K. Docs
Gap exists in academic performance of white versus nonwhite medical students and doctors
Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Pharmacological Meta-Analyses Rarely Report Disclosures
Meta-analyses of pharmacological interventions rarely disclose funding or conflicts of interest
Tuesday, March 08, 2011

New U.S. Report on the Nation's Health 2010 Released
The 34th annual CDC report includes a special feature on death and dying
Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Most Recalled Medical Devices Given Lenient Approval
Over 70 percent of the medical devices recalled were considered low or moderate risk
Tuesday, February 15, 2011

SMFM: Patient-Controlled Epidural Lowers Drug Use
Women use 30 percent less analgesia during labor, with similar satisfaction level
Friday, February 11, 2011

Public Sector Plays Big Role in Drug Research
Role of public-sector research institutions larger than previously thought
Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Face Transplant Costs Similar to Multiple Reconstructions
Surgery, nursing, and anesthesia account for bulk of face transplant cost
Monday, January 31, 2011

Electronic Health Records May Not Improve Care Quality
Use with clinical decision support not tied to better quality of care
Wednesday, January 26, 2011

CDC Report Highlights Important Health Disparities
Outlines disparities by sex, race/ethnicity, income, and other social characteristics
Thursday, January 13, 2011

Burnout Levels Particularly High in Residents
High percentage of anesthesiology chairs also meet criteria for high or moderately-high burnout
Monday, January 10, 2011

Surgical Team Training Can Improve Communication
Surgical team training interventions appear to improve outcomes in operating room settings
Thursday, December 30, 2010

Burnout Driving Away Many Emergency Physicians
French study finds work-family conflicts, poor teamwork associated with burnout
Thursday, December 02, 2010

MetHb Detection Accurate Using 'Pulse CO-Oximeter'
Unlike earlier model, noninvasive finger monitor readings precise even with hypoxemia
Friday, November 19, 2010

U.S. Health Insurance Compared to 10 Other Nations
U.S. adults spend more time, money on insurance; have more coverage denials
Friday, November 19, 2010

Fraud in Scientific Literature Appears Intentional
Characteristics of articles retracted for fraud versus error suggest deliberate effort
Thursday, November 18, 2010

Physician-Industry Financial Ties Decreased Since 2004
But 83.8 percent of physicians still have some type of industry financial relationship
Friday, November 12, 2010

Surgery Checklist Linked to Lower Complications, Mortality
Safety checklist required input from variety of personnel; hospitals had high standard of care
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

FDA: Hospira Symbiq Infusers Recalled
Motor encoder failures in the pumping mechanism may cause infuser malfunction
Friday, November 05, 2010

Primary Care Trails Other Specialties in Hourly Wages
In other study, physicians point to Medicare reimbursement problems, differ on reforms
Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Sleep Apnea Increases Risk of Post-Surgery Complications
'STOP-BANG' pre-op sleep apnea questionnaire IDs patients at risk for sleep apnea
Thursday, October 21, 2010

Hospital Compare Web Site May Offer Limited Patient Guidance
Hospitals' compliance to surgical processes of care not linked to several adverse outcomes
Wednesday, October 20, 2010

VHA Training Program Cuts Surgical Mortality
Program includes two month training program plus quarterly 'coaching' interviews
Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Study Seeks Factors in 'Never-Event' Medical Errors
Communication errors, lack of time-out linked to wrong-person/wrong-site procedures
Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Tissue Oxygenation Test Predicts Surgical Site Infection
Subcutaneous oxygen measured with near-infrared spectroscopy may identify at-risk patients
Thursday, September 30, 2010

Sacrifice Makes Industry Gifts Seem More Acceptable
Residents reminded of med school sacrifices tend to perceive gifting more favorably
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Re-Consent Important Before Secondary Use of Genetic Data
Research participants want to be asked before their data are added to federal database
Monday, September 13, 2010

Perioperative Stroke Rare but Deadly in Joint Replacement
Non-coronary heart disease, urgent surgery, general anesthesia, arrhythmia among risk factors
Thursday, September 09, 2010

Annual Medical Liability Costs Surpass $50 Billion
Account for more than 2 percent of total health care spending in the United States
Thursday, September 09, 2010

ERS: Questionnaire IDs Youths' Anesthetic Complications Risk
Those found at high risk for respiratory events could benefit from tailored management
Friday, September 03, 2010

Surgery in Developing Countries Has Low Mortality
Study finds 0.2 percent operative mortality in programs in 13 countries
Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Menstrual Phase Linked to Tracheal Intubation Response
Study compares rate pressure product values in women in follicular or luteal phase of cycle
Monday, August 09, 2010

Nurse Liaisons Smooth Perioperative Experience
Liaison activity increases patient satisfaction regarding communication, eases relatives' anxiety
Friday, August 06, 2010

ASA Survey Finds Exaggerated Anxiety About Anesthesia
One in four respondents said they might postpone surgery out of anxiety about anesthesia
Thursday, August 05, 2010

Nurse Anesthetists Give Safe Care Without Supervision
Study finds no increased risk of death or complications when nurse anesthetists work alone
Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Industry-Funded Clinical Trials Yield More Positive Outcomes
Also less likely than government-, nonprofit-funded trials to be published within two years
Tuesday, August 03, 2010

General Anesthesia May Up Surgical Site Infection Risk
After total hip or knee replacement, risk higher with general than epidural/spinal anesthesia
Thursday, July 29, 2010

FDA Issues Requirements for Baxter Infusion Pump Recall
Agency requiring Baxter to provide refunds or replacements or terminate leases
Thursday, July 15, 2010

Improper Anesthesia Practice Causes Hepatitis Outbreak
Anesthesiologist reused contaminated single-use propofol vial on multiple patients
Friday, July 09, 2010

Lung Transplantation Survival Varies Among Centers
Variation in survival after transplant found to be only partly associated with procedure volume
Tuesday, July 06, 2010

2.2 Billion People Worldwide Lack Access to Surgical Services
Low-income regions have fewer than two operating theaters per 100,000 individuals
Thursday, July 01, 2010

Doctors Agree Malpractice Fears Drive Overuse of Tests
Almost all surveyed physicians say more tests and procedures are ordered than needed
Monday, June 28, 2010

Hospira Expands Propofol and Lipsoyn Recall
March 31 recall expanded as a precaution to capture all affected lots
Friday, June 11, 2010

Fatal Medication Errors Rise in July at Teaching Hospitals
Researchers say arrival of new medical residents at least partly explains the increase
Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Anesthesia During Cancer Surgery May Impact Outcomes
Choice of anesthesia may have role in long-term outcomes and risk of cancer recurrence
Monday, June 07, 2010

FDA and GE Issue Class I Recall of Anesthesia Systems
Specific lots of Aisys, Avance systems have defect that may result in unexpected shutdowns
Thursday, May 13, 2010

New FDA Program Targets Misleading Drug Advertising
Aims to teach health care providers their role in recognizing, reporting untruthful ads
Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Iron Deficiency in ICU Patients Tied to Higher Transfusion Rate
Low reticulocyte hemoglobin content is common in ICU patients; may signal transfusion need
Friday, May 07, 2010

In VBAC, Epidural Doses Linked to Uterine Rupture Risk
Higher number of doses associated with increased risk of rupture
Thursday, April 29, 2010

Risk Factors for Physician Misconduct Identified
Male sex, lower socioeconomic status, and difficulty in medical school increase misconduct risk
Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Head-Mounted Device May Be Helpful for Anesthesiologists
Allows them to spend more time monitoring patient, surgical field
Wednesday, April 28, 2010

FDA Changes Medical Device Advisory Committee Process
Expert panels reviewing devices for premarket approval will discuss information differently
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Some Tracheostomy Tubes Made by Covidien Recalled
Devices from certain lots fail to generate positive airway pressure
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Interruptions Increase Medication Errors by Nurses
The higher the frequency of interruptions, the greater the error severity
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Financial Ties Negatively Affect Perceptions of Research Quality
Patients believe their physicians' ties also influence clinical care
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

FDA Addresses External Infusion Pump Safety Issues
New initiative includes additional premarket requirements for manufacturers
Monday, April 26, 2010

Advanced Age Affects Mortality Risk After Device Implantation
Higher mortality seen among elderly patients who undergo implantation of cardiac devices
Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Study Compares Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Types
Endovascular repair tied to lower operative mortality than open repair; long-term mortality similar
Monday, April 12, 2010