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ACC CV Quality SmartBrief

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  • New antibiotics remain underused in US hospitals

    An analysis of antibiotic prescribing patterns in US hospitals found that the new antibiotics ceftolozane-tazobactam and ceftazidime-avibactam were the most frequently used but still only accounted for 0.25% of admissions with an antibiotic prescription. Data showed 46% of new antibiotics were started within three days of hospital admission and the most common reasons for use were sepsis at 76%, pneumonia at 46% and urinary tract infection at 39%. Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (2/14) Learn More

  • Tracking patient harm events presents learning opportunities

    The HHS Office of Inspector General is comparing hospitals' reporting of patient harm events with medical reviews of patient harms to determine the extent of underreporting. Past investigations have shown significant underreporting, which poses risks to patient safety and hospital compliance. Hospitals should use real-time tracking tools to capture harm events, train frontline staff on the importance of reporting, use advanced AI and clinical decision support tools to detect patterns, and encourage transparency, writes registered health information administrator Angela Comfort, past president of the Tennessee Health Information Management Association. ICD10Monitor (2/18) Learn More

  • Study: Few T2D patients got SGLT2s, GLP-1s before discharge

    A study in the Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications showed that less than 5% of hospitalized adult patients with type 2 diabetes received SGLT2 inhibitors or GLP-1 receptor agonists before discharge over a five-year period, despite many being at high risk for cardiovascular and renal events. The study, conducted in Ontario, Canada, highlights inpatient diabetes management concerns and the need for effective medication strategies. Healio (free registration) (2/18) Learn More

  • Texas measles cases double, some patients hospitalized

    Texas health officials said the number of confirmed measles cases has increased from 24 to at least 49, mostly in Gaines County, which borders New Mexico. Most cases involve school-age children, all unvaccinated, and there have been at least 13 hospitalizations. Officials say they suspect 200 to 300 people living in West Texas are infected with measles but have not been tested. NBC News (2/14) Learn More

  • POC ultrasound shown to reduce hospital stays, costs

    Preliminary results from a study by Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital indicate that point-of-care ultrasound significantly reduces hospital stays and costs for patients with unexplained shortness of breath. The study, which compared outcomes for patients treated with and without Butterfly Network's iQ+ and iQ3 devices, showed a reduction in length of stay by more than four days on average, with higher-acuity patients seeing the most benefit. Medical Product Outsourcing (2/19) Learn More

  • Antidepressant may have potential in sepsis prevention

    The antidepressant fluoxetine has shown potential in preventing sepsis in mice by reducing bacterial infections and protecting tissues, according to a study in Science Advances. The research demonstrated that the drug's benefits are unrelated to serotonin levels and highlighted its antimicrobial properties. The researchers plan to explore dosing regimens and the effects of other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in future studies. McKnight's Long-Term Care News (2/18) Learn More

  • Study shows ongoing disparities in weight-loss surgery

    A study led by Dr. Alexander Turchin of Brigham and Women's Hospital reveals persistent disparities in weight-loss surgery, with men and Black patients less likely to undergo the procedure. The research shows that while the racial gap has slightly narrowed, the gender gap has widened. Healio (free registration) (2/16) Learn More

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