Cardinal Health Announces Recall for 9.1M Surgical Gowns
An investigation by the Dublin, Ohio-based medical supplier determined that some gowns were produced in unapproved locations with improper environmental conditions, were not registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and did not pass Cardinal Health standards.
CDC: First Case of Wuhan Coronavirus Confirmed in U.S.
The patient is a Washington resident who returned to the U.S. from China on January 15 and sought care at a medical facility in Washington. Based on the patient’s travel history and symptoms, healthcare professionals suspected the new coronavirus. A specimen was collected and sent to the CDC, where laboratory testing confirmed the diagnosis. The CDC said it has been preparing for the U.S. arrival of 2019-nCoV for weeks, including:
Data Analytics Utilization ‘Negligible’ Among 80% of Healthcare Orgs
The research found that 95% of hospitals and physician group executives have access to data analytics applications, up 32% since 2016, but most don’t utilize these decision-making tools. Eighty-four percent of C-suite officers at provider organizations reported that the only used data analytics to a “limited or minimal extent.”
OSHA Raises Its Civil Penalties for 2020 by Nearly 2%
For a willful violation, in which an employer knowingly failed to comply with an OSHA standard or demonstrated a plain indifference for employee safety, the minimum penalty increases from $9,472 to $9,639 and the maximum penalty increases from $132,598 to $134,937;
Target Long-Term Emergency Room Frequent Users to Curb Visits and Cut Costs
The recent research article, which was published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, identified four subgroups of ED frequent users: short-term, heart-related, long-term, and minor care. Frequent ED users were defined as making at least four emergency room visits in a year-long period.
Medicaid Expansion Linked to Fewer Opioid Deaths
Researchers NYU Grossman School of Medicine and University of California, Davis, analyzed cause-of-death data from the National Vital Statistics System from 3,109 counties nationwide between 2001 and 2017.
M&A Deals Do Not Improve Care Quality at Acquired Hospitals
Hospitals have been involved in a wave of M&A transactions over the past two decades, with studies documenting a surge of deals since 2010. While several other studies have shown that hospital service pricing increases after M&A transactions, there has been relatively little research on the care-quality impact of the deals.
Hospitals Might Get Penalized by CMS for Serving Disadvantaged Patients
Researchers found that in an analysis of more than 3,600 hospitals across the country, those that provide care in neighborhoods with higher social risks achieved lower quality scores from CMS.
Battling alarm fatigue for improved patient care and safety
By: Jordan Rosenfeld Medical alarms are meant to alert medical staff when a patient’s condition requires immediate attention. Unfortunately, there are so many false alarms — they’re false as much as 72% to 99% percent of the time — that they lead to alarm fatigue in nurses and other healthcare professionals. One study found that … Continued
Complications Increase Vaginal Delivery Costs by 20%, Study Finds
The study highlighted the clinical and financial impact associated with potentially preventable health conditions that complicate the childbirth delivery process.