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ACC CV Quality SmartBrief

The ACC CV Quality SmartBrief eNewsletter is a free, twice-weekly briefing for health care stakeholders interested in quality care. Learn more about the ACC CV Quality SmartBrief and subscribe.

  • Study shows evolving roles of infection preventionists

    Infection preventionists are facing increasing workloads and fewer resources in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a study in the American Journal of Infection Control. The study, which focuses on acute care, underscores the variability and vulnerability of infection prevention programs, highlighting a critical need for systemic support to maintain infection prevention efforts for patient safety and organizational resilience. An interview with study authors sheds light on the findings' impact. Infection Control Today (8/27) Learn More

  • Post-op discharge to post-acute care may be useful quality metric

    Discharge to post-acute care facilities after surgery is associated with high costs and poor outcomes for older patients, and as such may be a valuable quality metric, according to a paper in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Some postoperative discharges to post-acute care facilities are preventable, and benchmarking discharge data could lead to improvements in care. Healthcare Innovation (8/26) Learn More

  • Biotech firm awarded $1.1M to advance ExPEC therapy

    Phiogen has received $1.1 million from CARB-X to develop a bacteriophage-based therapy and preventive targeted at extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli bloodstream infections. Using bacteriophages to eliminate E. coli in the bloodstream, the company's PHI-BI-01 product also aims to activate an immune response to prevent recurrence. Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (8/26) Learn More

  • NYC bill seeks to ease medical waste disposal for hospitals

    A bill introduced in the New York City Council aims to exempt hospitals, clinics and nursing homes from the Commercial Waste Zones program, allowing them to contract directly with medical waste haulers. The bill is designed to reduce disposal costs and improve efficiency for health care facilities, which currently face higher fees and complex arrangements under the existing system. The Riverdale Press (N.Y.) (8/22) Learn More

  • Hospital-insurer contract disputes leave patients in limbo

    Contract disputes between hospitals and health insurers are leaving a growing number of people without in-network health care providers. Data from researchers at Brown University's School of Health show 18% of nonfederal hospitals have had public disputes with insurers since 2021, and 8% of hospitals have gone out of an insurer's network, either temporarily or permanently. The problem may get worse as federal health care spending cuts take hold, although the No Surprises Act offers some protection. National Public Radio (8/26) Learn More

  • Commentary: Communities need a voice in health care AI

    Generative AI is reshaping health care and public health, yet AI tools are often developed and adopted with limited transparency, community engagement and oversight, particularly for those affected by structural inequities, write physician and public health equity leader Oni Blackstock and disability justice advocate Akinfe Fatou. They cite examples of predictive AI models that have exacerbated health disparities, and advocate for community-centered governance and decision-making in health care AI development. STAT (8/27) Learn More

  • Growing number of Medicare patients leave hospitals early

    The percentage of Medicare patients leaving hospitals against medical advice rose nearly 50% from 2006 to 2023, according to a report from the HHS Office of Inspector General. The OIG found that patients who left against medical advice were more than twice as likely as those who followed advice to be readmitted or die within 30 days. People diagnosed with a mental health condition were the most likely to leave a hospital against medical advice, suggesting that social drivers of health may be a factor, says Dr. Alison Haddock, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. MedPage Today (free registration) (8/26) Learn More

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