U.S. Blood Collection System Faces Multiple Threats
Less-invasive surgeries and new drugs have stanched demand, but more government oversight is needed to safeguard the supply of blood to hospitals.
The Next Wave of Patient Safety? High Reliability.
Healthcare experts say the industry may have squeezed all it can from technological advancements and standardization, giving way to a new patient safety movement that will shift the focus toward high reliability.
Long-Stalled FDA Reform Sits on Senate’s Lame-Duck Calendar
Republicans in Congress are pushing to pass long-stalled legislation by January that gives the Food and Drug Administration new powers to more rapidly approve drugs and medical devices.
After Tort Reform, Keeping Hospital Care Safe for Patients
Communication-and-resolution programs can be tools for preserving patient safety, not just for avoiding litigation.
Study: 50 Million Patients Suffer Postop Complications Worldwide, 1.5 Million Die
A new study found that out of the 310 million surgery patients who receive surgery every year, 50 million suffer postoperative complications and more than 1.5 million die from those complications. Surprisingly, patients in low- and middle-income countries were less likely to experience complications than those in high-income nations.
Four Years After Fungal Meningitis Outbreak, Compound Pharmacy Safety Concerns Linger
In 2012, a fungal meningitis outbreak was linked to the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Framingham, Massachusetts, that would eventually lead to more than 750 infections in 20 states and 64 deaths, according to the CDC. The publicized outbreak thrust compounded medicine into the public eye, prompting many facilities and states to review oversight … Continued
Medical Device Employees Are Often In the O.R., Raising Concerns About Influence
Unlike rotating teams of nurses and surgical techs, reps are a consistent presence, experts say, often functioning as uber-assistants to surgeons with whom they cultivate close relationships and upon whom their six-figure salaries depend.
Deadly Superbug Linked to Four Deaths in The U.S.
A deadly new drug-resistant fungus has been linked to the deaths of four hospital patients in the U.S., according to a report released Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The fungus, called Candida auris, preys on the sickest patients and can spread in hospitals.
Opioid Crisis Response: ERs Launch Treatment Programs
Efforts go beyond treatment to recovery and ERs are increasingly offering patients who seek help for overdoses additional resources for drug addiction and recovery therapies.
FDA Faults 12 Hospitals for Failing to Disclose Injuries, Deaths Linked to Medical Devices
Federal regulators said 12 U.S. hospitals, including well-known medical centers in Los Angeles, Boston and New York, failed to promptly report patient deaths or injuries linked to medical devices.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) publicly disclosed the violations in inspection reports this week amid growing scrutiny of its ability to identify device-related dangers and protect patients from harm.