HHS Releases Update on Ryuk Ransomware Threat
One health system that was recently attacked was Universal Health Services, Inc. UHS had to temporarily shut down user access to IT applications due to a malware cyberattack last weekend. BleepingComputer has reported the attack was done by the Ryuk ransomware, but UHS has not yet confirmed the source of the attack.
HFAP: Problems Continue With Physical Environment, IC, Quality
In late August, the oldest of the accrediting organizations released its 2020 HFAP Quality Review, highlighting the problems and trends identified by surveyors during on-site visits in 2019 at acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals, laboratories, and ambulatory surgery centers.
New 4-Part Plan Proposed to Boost Clinician Wellness, Address Burnout
Burnout is one of the top challenges facing clinicians and other healthcare workers nationwide. In a report published last week by The Physicians Foundation, 30% of more than 2,300 physicians surveyed cited feelings of hopelessness or having no purpose due to changes in their practices related to the coronavirus pandemic. Research published in September 2018 indicates that nearly half of physicians across the country are experiencing burnout symptoms.
Coronavirus: Virtual Hospital at Home Program Used for Low-Acuity Patients
Although there are therapeutics for treating seriously ill COVID-19 patients in the inpatient setting—remdesivir and dexamethasone—there are no therapeutics that have been found effective in treating coronavirus patients in the outpatient setting. Given that limitation, monitoring low-acuity COVID-19 patients at home is a viable option.
PSQH: The Podcast Episode 12 – Health IT and Quality Improvement
On episode 12 of PSQH: The Podcast, host Jay Kumar talks to Marc Probst, chief information officer of ELLKAY, about health IT trends and how COVID-19 is spurring innovation.
Study: COVID-19 Death Count Doesn’t Capture ‘True Mortality Effects’
A study by researchers at the University of South Florida and published in the Journal of Public Health suggests that measuring “years of life lost” is a better metric than deaths, because it accounts for the range of ages of the people who’ve died from COVID-19.
Signs of an ‘October Vaccine Surprise’ Alarm Career Scientists
In podcasts, public forums, social media and medical journals, a growing number of prominent health leaders say they fear that President Trump — who has repeatedly signaled his desire for the swift approval of a vaccine and his displeasure with perceived delays at the FDA — will take matters into his own hands, running roughshod over the usual regulatory process.
OSHA Fines Hospitals for PPE Failures Related to COVID-19
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center is facing $9,639 in proposed penalties after OSHA inspectors cited the hospital in Paramus, New Jersey, for “failing to fit test tight-fitting face piece respirators on employees who were required to use them.
Telemedicine Projected to Account for 20% of Medical Visits in 2020, Report Says
The new report, which was published last week by the Doximity physician network, is based on three resources: a randomized survey of 2,000 American adults to collect patient data, Doximity network data to reflect “physician adoption insights,” and data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and commercial insurance claims to gauge the telemedicine market.
Researchers Detail Challenges of Determining Coronavirus Mortality
The United States has had the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases and deaths. As of Sept. 18, there were more than 6.8 million COVID-19 cases and more than 202,000 deaths reported in the United States, according to worldometer.