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  • Communication with caregivers can improve hospital care

    Hospitalists can improve patient care and outcomes by including caregivers in daily updates and coordinating access to resources with them, writes hospitalist Dr. John Adams, medical director at UNC Health Rex. "In every patient or family interaction, it is important to clearly state who is providing care, why the patient is admitted, what interventions/treatments have been enacted, and when the patient may be discharged," Adams writes. Medscape (1/20) Learn More

  • Data, technology help health system improve patient safety

    Hartford HealthCare has achieved an A grade in patient safety from Leapfrog for all seven of its hospitals, earning the 2025 Quest for Quality Prize from the American Hospital Association. The health system reduced hospital-acquired infections by 76% since 2015 and serious safety events by 67% since 2019. Leveraging EHR data, benchmarking performance against that of national quality and safety leaders and adopting advanced technology have contributed to Hartford's success, says Chief Quality Officer Stephanie Calcasola. Fostering a culture of psychological safety has also been key. HealthLeaders Media (1/15) Learn More

  • Nurse strikes bring pain as well as long-term benefits

    Nurse strikes in New York have been linked to a 19.4% rise in hospital mortality rates and a 6.5% increase in patient readmissions, according to a study by MIT economist Jonathan Gruber. The study, covering a 20-year period, highlights the immediate negative effects on patient care during strikes but notes the long-term benefits of collective bargaining for nurses and patients. Gothamist (New York) (1/18) Learn More

  • Congress reaches bipartisan health care deal

    Congressional leaders have reached a bipartisan health care agreement as part of a $1.2 trillion government funding package, which includes measures to regulate pharmacy benefit managers, to extend telehealth waivers and hospital at-home care programs, and to allocate $4.6B for community health centers. The plans does not include extension of Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies. Politico (1/20) Learn More

  • TAVR system shows positive real-world results

    Abbott's Navitor transcatheter aortic valve replacement system demonstrated positive clinical and hemodynamic outcomes in real-world use, according to a study in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. The study, which analyzed data from nearly 3,000 patients, showed an overall technical success rate of 97.9%, with a 2.7% all-cause mortality rate and a 1.8% rate of major vascular complications. Cardiovascular Business (1/19) Learn More

  • Trial demonstrates safety of stent

    A trial has shown the safety and effectiveness of InspireMD's MicroNet-covered CGuard Prime stent for patients who have asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Low rates of disabling stroke and myocardial infarction were seen over 30 days, and low rates of ipsilateral stroke were seen over a year. Findings were published in JACC. Vascular News (UK) (1/21) Learn More

  • Studies evaluate accuracy of pulse oximeters

    Two studies, in The BMJ and on the preprint server medRxiv, highlighted inaccuracies in pulse oximetry for individuals with darker skin tones. "Pulse oximeter inaccuracies in ICU [intensive care unit] patients may be more substantial than clinicians recognize," researchers wrote, and noted a sensitivity of only 72% for detecting hypoxemia. MedPage Today (free registration) (1/14) Learn More

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