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  • Study finds SARS-CoV-2 increases respiratory failure risk

    A study published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases found that hospitalized adults with SARS‑CoV‑2, parainfluenza virus or respiratory syncytial virus infection are at higher risk of acute respiratory failure than those with influenza A/B. The research analyzed data from 4,927 patients and found that over 20% of those with SARS-CoV-2 required noninvasive or mechanical ventilation. The study highlights the need for vigilant clinical monitoring of non-influenza respiratory viruses and suggests implications for hospital preparedness. Medscape (4/20) Learn More

  • Oral care cuts hospital-acquired pneumonia risk

    Inpatients who brush their teeth are 60% less likely to develop hospital-acquired pneumonia, according to a study presented at a European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases conference. The study involved 8,870 patients at three hospitals in Australia and found that the incidence of pneumonia fell from one case per 100 admission days to 0.41 cases when patients received toothbrushes, toothpaste and advice on dental care. New Scientist (4/19) Learn More

  • Senator wants ban on insurance delays, denials for needed care

    Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., is pushing for a ban on insurance practices that delay or deny necessary health care. In a letter to Senate leaders, Ossoff noted issues with prior authorization that have led to patients being denied care despite paying high premiums. He cited a recent study that linked prior authorization to worse health outcomes, including increased hospitalizations and lower survival rates. WRCB-TV (Chattanooga, Tenn.) (4/21) Learn More

  • Hospitals' sustainability efforts translate into savings

    Hospitals and health systems are increasingly embracing environmental sustainability, often finding significant cost savings in the process. Providence saved $46 million in 2025 by reducing waste and increasing renewable energy use, AdventHealth has invested in solar and wind power, and Sutter Health has increased solar panel usage. Chief Healthcare Executive (4/22) Learn More

  • AI can turn head CT scans into CV risk assessments

    Researchers at Harvard Medical School have demonstrated that AI can allow clinicians to repurpose routine head CT scans into automated cardiovascular risk assessments. Deep learning models can predict the timing of cardiovascular disease events and estimate coronary artery calcium scores, outperforming standard risk models. This approach leverages the prevalence of head CT scans in emergency departments, enabling opportunistic and scalable risk screening without the need for dedicated cardiac imaging. Findings were published in JACC. Cardiovascular Business (4/16) Learn More

  • Hospitals postpone IT upgrades as reimbursement cuts loom

    Executives at some rural hospitals are postponing IT upgrades and infrastructure investments in anticipation of reimbursement cuts stemming from the Budget Reconciliation Act signed into law last year. Joshua Daugherty of Hillsdale Hospital in Michigan deferred a $500,000 server replacement project, opting to extend the lifespan of existing servers through software. Deb Carpenter of TriState Health took a similar approach, focusing on maintaining operations rather than advancing them. Both express caution regarding artificial intelligence, prioritizing security and regulatory compliance over major AI investments. Becker's Health IT (4/22) Learn More

  • ApoB testing may be superior to standard cholesterol tests

    A study published in JAMA suggests that apolipoprotein B may be a more accurate and cost-effective marker for cardiovascular risk than traditional cholesterol markers. "For many years, doctors have assessed whether cholesterol-reducing drugs are working by measuring LDL cholesterol," said lead study author Ciaran Kohli-Lynch. "While these measures are useful, research strongly shows that apoB is better at identifying who is at risk, because it counts the total number of harmful particles in the blood." Medical News Today (4/19) Learn More

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