News
ACS NSQIP Data More Accurate Than Administrative Data For Tracking Readmissions
June 18, 2013 12:37 pm | CommentsWith Medicare penalties on hospitals with higher-than-expected rates of 30-day readmissions expected to rise in 2014, more hospitals are evaluating the most accurate methods for tracking readmissions of patients because of the challenges that go along with it.
Researchers Offer New Framework To Improve Safety, Effectiveness Of Surgical Procedures
June 18, 2013 12:34 pm | Comments"Currently, there is no dynamic research framework to systematically detect devices and surgeries that don't offer any benefits to patients or may even be harmful," says co-lead investigator Dr. Art Sedrakyan of Weill Cornell Medical College.
Firmer Breast Implant Gets FDA Nod
June 18, 2013 10:29 am | by Crystal Phend | CommentsThe FDA gave the go ahead to a new firmer silicon gel implant for breast augmentation or reconstruction but will require long-term safety reassurance. The MemoryShape Breast Implant has more cross-linking of silicon chains to boost the firmness of the implants, which is of unknown clinical significance, according to the agency.
Alternative To Surgery Lets Doctors Remove Suspicious Polyps, Keep Colon Intact
June 18, 2013 10:24 am | CommentsA UCLA team of surgeons and gastroenterologists has been performing a new, minimally invasive procedure to remove large and hard-to-reach polyps while keeping the colon intact. The procedure, which combines two minimally invasive techniques, has currently been performed at only a handful of medical centers in the United States.
Girl Who Took On Transplant Rules Gets New Lungs
June 14, 2013 10:44 am | by Malcolm Ritter | CommentsA 10-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis was recovering from a transplant of adult lungs after a judge's ruling expanded her options for lifesaving surgery. Sarah Murnaghan underwent a six-hour surgery Wednesday at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, a procedure her aunt said resulted because of the larger list of available organs.
Researchers Create Comprehensive Guidelines To Reduce Post-Surgical Staph Infections
June 14, 2013 10:43 am | CommentsDespite the threat that staph bacteria pose to patients, there is no uniformly accepted procedure to reduce surgical-site infections in the United States. Now, a team of researchers led by the University of Iowa is recommending guidelines that will cut the infection rate by 71 percent for staph bacteria and 59 percent for a broader class of infectious agents known as gram-positive bacteria.
Differences In Outcomes Of Cervical Spine Surgery At Teaching Versus Non-Teaching Hospitals
June 14, 2013 10:39 am | CommentsFor patients undergoing surgery on the cervical (upper) spine, overall rates of complications and death are higher at teaching hospitals than at non-teaching hospitals, reports a study. But the differences are small and are likely explained by the more-complex surgeries performed and higher-risk patients treated at teaching hospitals.
First U.S. Surgery Using New Shoulder Implant Performed in Ohio
June 14, 2013 10:33 am | CommentsAn Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Brian S. Cohen, of Adena Health System in Chillicothe, OH became the first U.S. surgeon to install a new, state-of-the-art reverse shoulder implant this week. The Arthrex Reverse Universe device was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on May 31, 2013. Dr. Cohen performed the procedure on a 72-year old man during a live, international surgery simulcast to Germany and sites across the United States.
Cardinal Health Receives National Premier Healthcare Alliance Award For Operational Excellence
June 13, 2013 4:25 pm | CommentsThe Legacy Award recognizes Premier contracted suppliers that are actively engaged with the alliance, are committed to lowering costs through pricing and supply chain efficiencies, have been able to offer value based on individualized needs and situations, and have demonstrated corporate responsibility at community levels through provisions such as assistance during disasters, scholarship support, volunteer activities, and grants.
Olympus Receives Contract with Premier Healthcare Alliance for THUNDERBEAT Advanced Energy Platform
June 12, 2013 1:35 pm | CommentsOlympus, a precision technology leader in designing and delivering innovative Medical and Surgical solutions, among other core businesses, announced today that its THUNDERBEAT Advanced Energy Platform has been added to the Surgical Energy agreement with Premier.
Survey Of Physicians Suggests Tablets More Useful Than Smartphones
June 12, 2013 11:49 am | CommentsSurveys reveal that the most common activity of physicians who use an electronic health record (EHR) and use a smartphone or tablet is "sending and receiving emails." The second most frequent activity among tablet users is accessing EHRs (51 percent daily). Just 7 percent of physicians use their smartphone to access EHRs.
Standard Postop Care Reduces Pneumonia Risk
June 12, 2013 11:15 am | by Charles Bankhead | CommentsThe incidence of postoperative pneumonia and unplanned intubation decreased following implementation of a standardized postoperative care program, investigators reported. The frequency of postoperative pneumonia declined from 2.6 percent to 1.6 percent and the rate of unplanned intubation from 2.0 percent to 1.2 percent in the year after the postoperative care program went into effect.
Study Assesses Impact Of Rheumatoid Arthritis On Joint Replacement Surgery Outcomes
June 12, 2013 10:58 am | CommentsOne study overturns the common belief that RA patients have worse outcomes after a total knee replacement (TKR) than patients who undergo the operation for osteoarthritis. The other study demonstrates that RA patients who undergo a total hip replacement were as likely to have significant improvements in function and pain as patients with osteoarthritis (OA).
Killer “Superbugs” No Match For College Researcher
June 12, 2013 9:20 am | CommentsWhile antibiotics can’t kill deadly “superbug” bacteria, a researcher at Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi has developed an amazing new technology that can. Using new “cold plasma” technology, which he developed in the Plasma Engineering Research Lab (PERL) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Dr. Magesh Thiyagarajan is stopping these killer bacteria, before they find a host.
Fungus Found In Pharmacy's Drugs
June 11, 2013 12:39 pm | by Matthew Perrone, AP | CommentsFederal health officials say they have found bacteria and fungus in drug vials from a Tennessee specialty pharmacy that recalled all of its injectable medicines last month. The FDA said that it identified the growths in two unopened vials of a steroid injection and is working with the CDC to identify the exact species of fungus and bacteria.
