> An international study led by University of Adelaide in Australia, researchers aims to prevent death and serious illness by developing best practices for catheter use in hospitals. "Poor catheter management is the single biggest cause of hospital-acquired infection in the world, with more than half a million infections every year," study leader Craig Lockwood, director of translation science at the Joanna Briggs Institute said in a statement Friday. Announcement
> Adverse events from opioids keep patients in the hospital longer and lead to higher treatment costs than surgical patients who do not experience such events, according to a new study presented at this year's International Anesthesia Research Society annual meeting, Anesthesiology News reported. Article
> Gov. Jan Brewer apparently won't say until January whether Arizona will expand its Medicaid program under healthcare reform, the Associated Press reported. Several states, including Maine and Texas, already have voiced their intent to forgo expansion. Article
> New advertisements promoting the health reform's preventive services benefits started airing this summer, which could be improving public opinion on the law, reported Kaiser Health News. Article
And Finally… Enrollment open for "Star Wars" light-saber school. Article