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  • COVID-19 boosters low in children on long-term ventilation

    A research letter published in JAMA Network Open found that children with tracheostomy and home ventilation are at higher risk of acute respiratory infections, adding that these patients have a higher adherence rate of 75% to influenza vaccination. Researchers noted that 53% of children completed their initial COVID-19 vaccine series, but only 23% received the recommended booster. Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (9/5) Learn More

  • C. auris cases declining at Nev. care facilities

    Some Nevada health care facilities have been dealing with an increase in Candida auris infections, but cases declined this past summer to the lowest level in a year. In March 2022, Nevada recorded more of the antimicrobial-resistant infections than any other state. KLAS-TV (Las Vegas) (9/4) Learn More

  • Remote monitoring tied to fewer postpartum readmissions

    A study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that postpartum remote monitoring of hypertension was linked with fewer hospital readmissions, increased adherence to national guidelines and greater use of antihypertensive medications, with 97.6% of participants recording blood pressure within 10 days of delivery. Attendance at postpartum visits also improved. Medscape (8/29) Learn More

  • Higher operating margins, expenses at US hospitals

    Year-to-date operating margins at individual US hospitals rose to 6.5% in July, compared with 4.9% in June, while health systems' year-to-date operating margins declined to 2.1%, compared with 2.3% in June, according to a report from Strata Decision Technology. Hospitals' year-over-year outpatient visits and inpatient admissions rose, as did drug, supply and labor expenses. MedCity News (9/2) Learn More

  • Few small, rural hospitals use free cyber resources

    Only about 350 of the 1,800 small or rural hospitals in the US are using free or inexpensive cybersecurity resources from Microsoft, Google and other companies. Anne Neuberger, deputy national cyber director, expressed optimism that more hospitals will take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen their cyberdefenses. Nextgov (9/3) Learn More

  • 4 AI leaders share predictions for health care's future

    Justin Coran of Renown Health expects AI to excel in disease prediction and treatment recommendations. Divya Pathak of NYC Health + Hospitals sees it integrating various types of data in real time to enhance clinical applications. Mangesh Patil of HCA Healthcare predicts it will improve health care accessibility and become a fundamental part of hospital infrastructure, and Nallan Sriraman of Mass General Brigham foresees AI-driven vision restoration therapies. Becker's Hospital Review (9/3) Learn More

  • Biomarkers may forecast heart disease risk in women

    Research led by Dr. Paul Ridker at Brigham and Women's Hospital indicates that measuring three biomarkers in blood can predict women's cardiovascular risk decades earlier than current methods. The study, involving nearly 40,000 women over 30 years, found that high levels of LDL cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and lipoprotein(a) were associated with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Experts emphasize the importance of incorporating these tests into routine care. CNN (8/31) Learn More

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