Infection Prevention A possible risk from total hip or knee replacement procedures is periprosthetic joint infection, which can result in joint replacement failures that require additional surgeries, prolonged hospital stays, and a poor patient experience. The risk rises in patients with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or a history of tobacco use. Yale…
“Please come to the OR. We have moisture in our tray.” My hope is that you never hear these words. But if you do, leadership must act quickly to protect patient safety. Understanding the risk Sterilization is designed to remove harmful microorganisms, but sterility depends on keeping items dry after…
An investigation by media outlet Spotlight PA found that “Penn State Health struggled to maintain a usable supply of sterile instruments for the thousands of surgeries it performed at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center throughout 2025 and into this year.” “Internal documents” obtained by Spotlight PA discussed “persistent, mysterious black…
The Guardian on Friday published devastating reporting about the state of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The headline: “Inside the CDC’s leadership vacuum: work at a ‘standstill’ and low morale as 80% of top posts remain vacant.” The well-sourced article describes CDC as “in a state of…
At some point in our lives, most of us have dropped food on the ground, quickly picked it up, and ate it – the classic “five-second rule.” Should surgical teams apply the same “rule” when an instrument hits the floor in the OR? Most healthcare providers likely would think not,…
A recent study by researchers at Bon Secours Tuckahoe Orthopedics of Richmond, Va., examined whether the personal cloth scrub caps that some surgeons like to wear in the OR could put patients at greater risk of surgical site infections. The study, published in the journal Patient Safety in Surgery, examined the…
A study by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) found that heat generated by alternating magnetic fields (AMF) helps common antibiotics work better against prosthetic joint infections. The study, published in Scientific Reports and promoted by UTSW last week, demonstrated the efficacy of AMF in eradicating bacteria-protecting biofilm from the surface…
CBS affiliate KMOV-TV broadcast an investigation last week that reported concerning conditions about the state of surgical instruments at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. The TV station said it received tips from anonymous whistleblowers who “are terrified of losing their jobs but felt compelled to speak out” about “potentially contaminated…
A global group of experts in medicine, public health, law, industrial hygiene, and other disciplines issued an open letter last Wednesday to top officials with the World Health Organization (WHO) that calls for the “universal use of respirators in health care.” The signatories expressed “deep concern — and with sincere hope…
Respiratory illnesses are currently prevalent in many areas of the country. Yesterday, one health system decided to take action to protect its patients and staff. Acknowledging that COVID-19, RSV and flu are on the rise in its area, Duke Health Hospitals and Clinics yesterday updated its visitor guidelines for all…
