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Editor's Note Recent early alerts from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), issued when the agency becomes aware of potentially high-risk issues, involve Abiomed’s Automated Impella Controller (AIC) and infusion pump software from Baxter. The AIC system, which is the user control interface for the Impella catheter blood pump,…
Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 39,000 from June to July, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, released July 3. According to a July 3 BLS press release, the figure is similar to the average monthly gain of 43,000 over the past…
Editor's Note Pain is common among surgeons, but new research in the American Journal of Surgery reveals the extent of the impact on the rest of the surgical team. Published July 6, the research involved surveying surgical teams and collecting self-reported data on musculoskeletal pain, comparing this data to self-reported…
Editor's Note Black and Hispanic patients remain significantly less likely than White patients to receive buprenorphine after an opioid-related health care event, according research published June 26 in JAMA Network Open. Patients with Medicaid or Medicare Advantage also had higher odds of receiving buprenorphine than those with commercial insurance. The…
Editor's Note Microsoft’s MAI Diagnostic Orchestrator (MAI-DxO)artificial intelligence (AI) system outperformed physicians on diagnostic accuracy, achieving an 80% score compared to only 20% for a panel of human doctors. Wired reported the news June 30, quoting an official calling the system “a genuine step toward medical superintelligence” and noting that…
Editor's Note A recent report in Becker’s Hospital Review outlines six recent examples of hospitals and health systems laying off workers in response to deepening financial strain. In a separate report, the outlet listed 11 hospitals and health systems that received credit rating downgrades from Fitch Ratings or Moody’s Investors…
Editor's Note Oregon has enacted the nation’s strictest law yet to curb corporate control of physician practices, a move that could indirectly affect office-based surgery (OBS) centers structured as medical clinics. As reported by Modern Healthcare on June 13, the new law reinforces the state’s corporate practice of medicine doctrine…
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated Cook’s recent recall of the Beacon Tip 5.0 Fr Angiographic Catheter as a Class 1, the most severe category indicating serious risk of injury or death. The recall was reportedly motivated by reports of tip separation both prior to…
Editor's Note Women who work night shifts are around 50% more likely to have moderate or severe asthma compared to women who work only during the day, according to findings published in ERJ Open Research. As detailed in a June 15 announcement from the European Respiratory Society, the study analyzed…
Editor's Note The Joint Commission has launched a major redesign of its healthcare accreditation and certification programs with Accreditation 360: The New Standard. According to a June 30 announcement, the new framework introduces outcome-focused performance tools, eliminates hundreds of requirements, and promises to made standards publicly accessible. Reportedly supported by…
