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ACC CV Quality SmartBrief

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  • Operational discipline needed to address readmissions

    Hospitals are facing challenges in reducing preventable readmissions despite regulations and investments in discharge planning tools, writes Rafiat Banwo of the Catalyst Network. The root cause is a "patient carryover crisis," in which patients leave hospitals with instructions but not the skills to manage their care. Banwo advocates for a shift from documenting patient education to auditing patient competency, using verifiable data to ensure patients can manage their care before discharge. KevinMD (1/13) Learn More

  • Cefiderocol may treat hospital-acquired pneumonia strain

    A case study in AIDS Research and Therapy suggests cefiderocol could be effective against hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia caused by Chryseobacterium indologenes, a rare but increasingly recognized pathogen. The study details a 43-year-old HIV-positive patient with multiple comorbidities whose infection was resistant to many antibiotics but susceptible to cefiderocol. The patient ultimately died due to complications from other infections, but the authors suggest cefiderocol as a treatment option for similar cases after susceptibility testing. Infectious Disease Special Edition (free registration) (1/12) Learn More

  • Pediatric flu cases surge across US post-holiday season

    Pediatric influenza cases are increasing rapidly across the US following holiday gatherings and travel, with the CDC reporting elevated flu activity and higher levels of physician visits. Nurse practitioner Amber Kool of the Arizona College of Nursing advises parents and schools to watch for sudden-onset symptoms and implement containment measures, such as designating a sick room and adhering to the 24-hour fever-free rule. Infection Control Today (1/13) Learn More

  • Health care spending in US rose 7.2% from 2023 to 2024

    US health care spending rose from $4.9 trillion in 2023 to $5.3 trillion in 2024, a 7.2% increase, largely due to higher enrollment in health insurance plans and higher medical care utilization, according to the CMS. Government spending, particularly for Medicare and Medicaid, rose 14.7% as administrative costs grew with changes in Medicaid coverage after the end of COVID-19-era policies. Reuters (1/14) Learn More

  • States to submit new budgets for rural health funding

    The new HHS Rural Health Transformation Program is set to send $10 billion to states to fund projects improving access to health care in rural areas. States must revise budgets and submit them to the CMS, which has 30 days to respond. States are taking various approaches, but all mentioned telehealth in their proposals, and one-third intend to improve EHRs. KFF Health News (1/13) Learn More

  • FDA clears AI platform that screens for 10 diseases with CT

    The FDA has granted 510(k) clearance to HeartLung's AI-CVD platform, which uses AI to screen for multiple diseases using CT images. The platform can identify conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, osteoporosis, liver steatosis and diabetes without additional imaging or radiation. Radiology Business (1/13) Learn More

  • AI agent eases hospital's call center burdens

    The number of abandoned calls to Tampa General Hospital's call center has declined significantly since the health system began using an AI voice agent from Hyro. The agent provides directions, routes calls and schedules, and cancels and reschedules appointments. The system is trained to recognize signs that the caller is frustrated with the technology and routes such calls immediately to human representatives. HealthSystemCIO (1/12) Learn More

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