Uncategorized Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration on April 12 issued a statement about the agency’s efforts to mitigate the shortage of Smiths Medical’s Bivona tracheostomy tubes, especially the pediatric tubes. The shortage is a result of the closure of a large ethylene oxide sterilization facility in Willowbrook, Illinois, and there…
Editor's Note US hospitals added 13,600 jobs in March to a seasonally adjusted 5,223,400, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on April 5. That’s up 108,500 more employees than a year ago. Overall, healthcare employment has increased 397,500 in the past year. The overall unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.8%.
Editor's Note The ECRI Institute on April 1 announced the 11 US healthcare organizations that received its 2019 Healthcare Supply Chain Achievement Award. The winners demonstrated excellence in overall spend management in their supply chain processes, and include: Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA Cooperative Services…
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on March 27 posted the “Top 5” requirements identified most frequently as “not compliant” during surveys and reviews in 2018. The Top 5 for hospital accreditation are: LS.02.01.35: The hospital provides and maintains systems for extinguishing fires (88.85%). EC.02.05.01: The hospital manages risks associated with…
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration on March 26 said it will take steps to address potential medical product and device shortages because of the recent closure of a large contract sterilization facility, Sterigenics (Willowbrook, Illinois). Earlier this year, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued an order to stop…
Editor's Note Removal of multiple herniated or degenerative discs in the neck, known as anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), can be safely performed in an outpatient setting, finds this study presented March 13 at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in Las Vegas. Of 103 patients included in the…
Editor's Note US hospitals added 4,200 jobs in February to a seasonally adjusted 5,212,700, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on March 8. That’s up 103,200 more employees than a year ago. Overall, healthcare employment has increased 361,100 in the past year. The overall unemployment rate declined by 0.2% in…
Editor's Note Understanding the levels and components of innovativeness can help nurse leaders affect change in themselves and their organizations, this study concludes. A total of 137 nurse leaders in executive and management positions were surveyed on their levels of innovativeness using the Scales for Measurement of Innovativeness. Of 137…
Editor's Note The healthcare organization founded by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JP Morgan Chase announced on March 6 its new name−Haven−along with the launching of its new website www.havenhealthcare.com. The website outlines some of the areas where Haven intends to make improvements on the current healthcare system, including access of…
Editor's Note Failure to debrief after critical events is common in anesthesia trainees and teams, and communication breakdowns are associated with the failure to debrief, this study finds. Over a 1-year period at a large academic medical center, anesthesiology residents and some attending anesthesiologists were audited and/or interviewed about the…
