Home Critical Care May 2017 Briefing – Critical Care

May 2017 Briefing – Critical Care

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Critical Care for May 2017. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.

Modified Vancomycin May Help Fight Bacterial Resistance

WEDNESDAY, May 31, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Vancomycin can be modified to make it much more potent against resistant bacterial infections, according to a study published online May 30 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Social Psychology May Help With Physician Error Disclosure

TUESDAY, May 30, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Lessons from social psychology can be used to improve behavioral changes in terms of error disclosure, according to research published online May 18 in Medical Education.

High-Risk Pools May Represent Step Back for U.S. Health Care

TUESDAY, May 30, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Proposed legislation as part of the American Health Care Act, which includes the option of high-risk pools, is not likely to reduce costs, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online May 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

New Bill Intends to Repeal Limits on Physician-Owned Hospitals

FRIDAY, May 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A new bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would repeal the federal law essentially banning construction of physician-owned hospitals and making it difficult for these facilities to grow, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).

New Health Care Act Could Result in 23 Million Losing Insurance

FRIDAY, May 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The Republican-led bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that passed the House this month would result in 23 million Americans losing their health insurance coverage, according to a report issued by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

Reduction in Post-Op Delirium With mHELP Program

FRIDAY, May 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For older patients undergoing abdominal surgery, participating in a modified Hospital Elder Life Program (mHELP) is associated with a reduced risk of postoperative delirium and with shorter length of stay, according to a study published online May 24 in JAMA Surgery.

Hospitals Vary Widely in Moving Stroke Patients to Comfort Care

THURSDAY, May 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — U.S. hospitals differ greatly in how often they move new stroke patients from treatment to comfort or hospice care, according to a study published online May 24 in Neurology: Clinical Practice.

New Interactive Module Aims to Clarify Professional Boundaries

THURSDAY, May 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A new interactive training module in medical ethics can help physicians to understand professional boundaries, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).

Path to Empathy Deemed As Vital As Being Empathetic

THURSDAY, May 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Different paths to perspective of another’s experience are associated with varying effect on helpers’ health during helping behavior, according to a study published online April 16 in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

Mortality Rates Found Lower at Major Teaching Hospitals

WEDNESDAY, May 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Older adults treated at major teaching facilities are less likely to die in the weeks and months following their discharge than patients admitted to community hospitals, according to research published in the May 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Elements of a Patient-Centered Hospital Room Identified

WEDNESDAY, May 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) — As a result of a study published online March 15 in the Health Environments Research & Design Journal, a theoretical design framework has been generated for patient hospital rooms.

Patients Often Prescribed Futile Drugs in Last Months of Life

MONDAY, May 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Patients with life-limiting illness often receive medications of questionable benefit given their remaining life span, according to a report published online May 15 in The American Journal of Medicine.

Tips Provided to Help Physicians Plan for Retirement

THURSDAY, May 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Physicians should consider their retirement and plan ahead at all stages of their career, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

Treatment in Hospital by Older Doctors Tied to Higher Mortality

WEDNESDAY, May 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Hospitalized patients 65 and older may face a slightly higher risk of dying within a month of their admittance when treated by an older versus younger physician, according to research published online May 16 in The BMJ.

CDC: Slowing of Decline in Number of Uninsured Adults

WEDNESDAY, May 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The decline in the number of Americans without health insurance stalled in 2016 after five years of progress, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Tuesday.

Plan Suggested for Reducing Health Care Costs

TUESDAY, May 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Health care costs can be reduced, with a nine-step plan suggested as a starting place, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

Review: Early Feeding No Harm in Acute Pancreatitis

TUESDAY, May 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with acute pancreatitis, early feeding seems not to increase adverse events, and may reduce length of hospital stay for mild-to-moderate cases, according to a review published online May 15 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Hospitals Need to Be Prepared for Ransomware Attacks

FRIDAY, May 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Hackers are increasingly targeting hospitals, using viruses to lock their computer systems and hold sensitive medical data and other files hostage, according to an observation piece published online May 11 in The BMJ.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program Ups Outcomes

FRIDAY, May 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — An enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program is associated with improved outcomes for patients undergoing elective colorectal resection and emergency hip fracture repair, according to a study published online May 10 in JAMA Surgery.

AAN: Families Should Ask About Body Cooling After Cardiac Arrest

THURSDAY, May 11, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Therapeutic hypothermia should be utilized to minimize the risk of brain damage for cardiac arrest patients in a coma, according to a new guideline published online May 10 in Neurology.

Outcomes Up With Same Hospital Readmissions in Heart Failure

THURSDAY, May 11, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Heart failure patients who are readmitted to the same hospital after their initial treatment are more likely to survive compared to those treated at a different hospital, according to research published online May 10 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Postmarket Safety Events for 32 Percent of Novel Therapeutics

WEDNESDAY, May 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — From 2001 to 2010, 32 percent of novel therapeutics approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had a postmarket safety event, according to a study published in the May 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Evidence-Based Medicine Course Beneficial for Critical Thinking

TUESDAY, May 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — An evidence-based medicine (EBM) course has some positive effect on medical student critical thinking (CT), according to a study published online April 27 in the Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine.

Most Physician Mothers Report Perceived Discrimination

TUESDAY, May 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A considerable proportion of physician mothers report perceived discrimination, according to a research letter published online May 8 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

More Women Than Men Leaving Practice of Medicine

MONDAY, May 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — More women than men leave the practice of medicine, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

Disability Reduced When Bystander CPR Is Performed

FRIDAY, May 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Quick action from bystanders can have a long-lasting impact for patients with cardiac arrest, according to a study published in the May 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Poll: Many Americans Concerned About ACA Repeal

THURSDAY, May 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Only one in five Americans support a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a new HealthDay/Harris Poll reveals.

CMS Releases Resources to Help With Payment System

THURSDAY, May 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently added three new online resources to assist physicians already participating in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and those exploring the opportunities available.

Ischemic Outcomes Don’t Vary With Gender in ACS Patients

THURSDAY, May 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and receiving clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor, ischemic outcome does not differ by gender, according to a study published online April 29 in Cardiovascular Therapeutics.

Half of U.S. Doctors Receive Payments From Industry

WEDNESDAY, May 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — About half of U.S. doctors received payments from the pharmaceutical and medical device industries in 2015, amounting to $2.4 billion, and any form or amount of compensation can influence prescribing behavior, according to research published in the May 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on conflict of interest.

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Many Survivors Jobless After Respiratory Distress Syndrome

WEDNESDAY, May 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Nearly half of previously employed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) survivors are jobless one year after hospital discharge, according to a study published online April 27 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Too Few Americans Know the Warning Signs of Stroke

TUESDAY, May 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — About 35 percent of Americans experience symptoms of a transient ischemic attack (TIA), yet only 3 percent get immediate medical attention, according to findings from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

Mechanical Thrombectomy Safe in Older Ischemic Stroke Patients

MONDAY, May 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For older adults with acute ischemic stroke, endovascular therapy seems safe and efficacious, according to a study published online April 19 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Simulation Ups Parent Confidence for NICU Discharge

MONDAY, May 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For parents of babies about to be discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit, a simulation experience is associated with feeling more confident, according to a study published in the March/April issue of the American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing.

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