clinicians
SPOTLIGHT: Study: Process measures improve outcomes
One of the big knocks on pushing clinicians to follow specific processes--aside from the fact that it makes some feel disempowered--is that it's not clear whether they actually improve outcomes. ... Read more...
Prosecutors won't charge cops in King-Harbor death
It's a sad commentary when police officers end up trying harder to help an agonized patient than the clinicians charged with getting her care. But that's apparently what happened in the case of Edith... Read more...
Giving providers a patient's perspective
A New England-based foundation is offering a growing list of providers a new perspective by setting up meetings exposing clinicians to patients' stories of their healthcare experiences. The "Rounds... Read more...
Pediatric stent-maker faces FDA investigation
A company that makes coronary stents and catheters for pediatric use is facing an investigation by the FDA and federal prosecutors, who contend that it promoted non-approved stents for use in children. They say device maker NuMed sold more than 30 stents to the DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., but didn't file for FDA approval prior to selling the stents as agency regs require. If the FDA investigation moves forward, NuMed ultimately could be banned from selling the …
... Read more...When healthcare providers spread infections
Particularly when it comes to surgeons, who are particularly at risk for nicks and cuts, providers may pose more of a infection-control risk than previously thought. Because viruses like hepatitis B and C and HIV are spread by blood-to-blood contact, healthcare workers are more at risk than the general population, given their more-frequent contact with bodily fluids. And since there are no laws requiring surgeons to be tested for blood-borne viruses--not to mention that infected …
... Read more...AMA demands retail clinic regs, backs off ban
While they backed off from demanding an all-out ban on retail clinics, delegates at the AMA annual... Read more...
DOJ gives "paired" kidney transplants the go-ahead
After years of uncertainty, the Department of Justice has given official permission for hospitals to begin performing "paired" kidney transplants in which multiple donors pass along kidneys to unrelated recipients. The decision should allow about one-half of the 6,000 patients waiting for compatible kidneys to get their transplant, and for others, will cut the standard five-year waiting period significantly, experts said. It should also save Medicare about $500 million each year in …
... Read more...SPOTLIGHT: Are costly cancer drugs worth the price?
With price tags that can hit a mind-boggling $100,000 for an annual supply, critics are increasingly questioning whether certain cancer drugs are worth the price, particularly given that they may only extent a patient's life for a few months. policymakers and clinicians are asking whether society should invest such a large sum on patients who are about to die either way. Article
ALSO NOTED: MD county takes back charity hospital; EEOC sues NC facility; and much more...
> Maryland has set plans to have a new company take over the Prince George's county hospital system, ousting existing operator Dimensions Healthcare. Article
> The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed suit against Concord, NC-based NorthEast Medical Center, asserting that the facility targeted an African American employee for firing. …
... Read more...Editor's Corner
Shortly, Massachusetts may become the second state to ask hospitals to disclose their infection rates, following …
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