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  • Study: Disinfection can't fully sterilize dropped implants

    Research in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology challenges the "five-second rule" in surgical settings, showing that even brief contact with contaminated surfaces can compromise surgical implants' sterility. Investigators from the Duke Center for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Prevention found that while chlorhexidine gluconate and povidone-iodine reduce pathogens more effectively than ethanol, they do not guarantee sterility. The study underscores the importance of replacing dropped implants whenever possible. Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (3/26) Learn More

  • Smoothing elective admissions improves hospital efficiency

    Distributing elective hospital admissions more evenly throughout the week could address long-standing issues in the US health care system such as clinician burnout, rising costs and unsafe staffing ratios, writes Eugene Litvak, president of the Institute for Healthcare Optimization. Hospitals that have taken this approach report improvements in clinician satisfaction, financial performance and patient safety. Litvak suggests that federal leadership, particularly from the CMS, could facilitate broader adoption. STAT (3/27) Learn More

  • Report: Ala. hospitals see progress in infection control

    Alabama hospitals saw significant improvement in controlling health care-associated infections in 2024, according to an analysis by the state's Department of Public Health. The standardized infection ratio improved for central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections and surgical site infections related to colon procedures and abdominal hysterectomies. News From The States (3/23) Learn More

  • State regulators discuss potential hospital price caps

    State insurance regulators are considering further limits on hospital pricing to control health care costs, as discussed at a National Association of Insurance Commissioners meeting. Adam Fox of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative and Lindsey Murtagh of Brown University said hospitals accounted for 32% of health care cost growth from 2005 to 2024, primarily due to price increases. They said some states already have price controls such as flat caps or limits on price increases. However, there are concerns that such controls could lead to clinician shortages and other issues. BenefitsPRO (free registration) (3/26) Learn More

  • Report: Hospital margins dropped, costs rose in January

    An analysis of data from more than 1,300 hospitals shows that the monthly operating margin index fell from 4.9% in December to 2.1% in January, according to the National Hospital Flash Report from Kaufman Hall. Adjusted discharges were down by 3%, emergency department visits decreased by 4%, and total expenses per day were up 5% year-over-year. "Hospitals will need to be strategic about where to allocate resources and how to manage spending in what could be a challenging economic environment," said Erik Swanson, managing director and data and analytics group leader at Kaufman Hall. HealthLeaders Media (3/26) Learn More

  • Impella CP neutral on heart muscle damage in trial

    Johnson & Johnson MedTech released findings from a randomized controlled trial of the Impella CP system, showing that supporting the left ventricle with the device for more than 40 minutes before reperfusion does not affect heart muscle damage. The trial, presented at ACC.26 and published in JACC, found that the primary endpoint was not met. MassDevice (Boston) (3/29) Learn More

  • Ultrasound-based thrombolysis advances PE treatment

    A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine and presented at ACC.26 highlights the effectiveness of ultrasound-facilitated, catheter-directed thrombolysis for intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism. The study found that the procedure, using the EKOS+ device to deliver alteplase, significantly reduces the composite endpoint of PE-related death, cardiorespiratory decompensation and symptomatic recurrence compared with anticoagulation alone, without increasing major bleeding. MassDevice (Boston) (3/29) Learn More

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