Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Anesthesiology for March 2020. 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.
Decontamination Method Adopted to Ease N95 Mask Shortage
TUESDAY, March 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Duke Health research and clinical teams have developed a validated process for decontaminating N95 masks. The process is described in an article published online in Applied Biosafety: Journal of ABSA International.
Doctors, Hospitals, Pharmacies Warned Not to Stockpile Meds
TUESDAY, March 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a joint statement released by the American Medical Association, American Pharmacists Association, and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the professional groups “strongly oppose” physicians, pharmacies, and hospitals prophylactically prescribing medications or purchasing excessive amounts or stockpiles of potential treatments for COVID-19.
Joint Statement
Statement Issued on Use of Anesthesia Machines as Ventilators
TUESDAY, March 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Although U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved labeling does not provide for use of anesthesia ventilators for long-term ventilator support, they can be repurposed during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to a statement from the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation.
ASA/APSF Statement
FDA Emergency Use Authorization – Ventilators
U.S. Army Opens Field Hospital in New York City
MONDAY, March 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The first U.S. Army field hospital for civilian patients opened in New York City Monday and could be the first of many across the nation as it struggles with the coronavirus pandemic.
Concomitant Myocardial Injury With COVID-19 Infection Linked to Fatal Outcome
MONDAY, March 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Myocardial injury is associated with fatal outcome in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to research published online March 27 in JAMA Cardiology.
ASA Warns Against Multiple Patients Per Ventilator
MONDAY, March 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Sharing mechanical ventilators should not be attempted during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to a joint statement published March 26 by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Society of Critical Care Medicine, American Association for Respiratory Care, Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation, American Association of Critical‐Care Nurses, and American College of Chest Physicians.
Joint Statement on Multiple Patients Per Ventilator
PPE Negative for SARS-CoV-2 After Patient Contact
FRIDAY, March 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Samples collected from personal protective equipment (PPE) from health care workers (HCWs) caring for patients positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were negative for SARS-CoV-2, according to research published online March 26 in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
Workers at Risk for COVID-19 Exposure Can Access Online Training
THURSDAY, March 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The National Institutes of Health has launched a new website with educational resources for hospital employees, emergency first responders, and other workers at risk for exposure to COVID-19.
National Health Spending Expected to Increase Through 2028
WEDNESDAY, March 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — National health expenditures are projected to increase at an average annual rate of 5.4 percent for 2019 to 2028, representing almost 20 percent of U.S. gross domestic product by 2028, according to a study published online March 24 in Health Affairs.
Guidance Issued for Perioperative Management of COVID-19 Patients
WEDNESDAY, March 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a guideline issued by the Joint Task Force of the Chinese Society of Anesthesiology and the Chinese Association of Anesthesiologists, published online March 19 in Anesthesiology, recommendations are presented for the perioperative management of patients infected with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Anesthesia Procedure Outlined for Emergency Surgery in COVID-19 Patients
TUESDAY, March 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a letter to the editor published online Feb. 25 in Surgical Infections, recommendations are presented regarding anesthesia procedures for emergency operations in patients with suspected or confirmed coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).
Serial Interval of COVID-19 Estimated at 3.96 Days
FRIDAY, March 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The serial interval of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), defined as the time between a primary case and secondary case developing symptoms, is 3.96 days, according to a study published online March 19 in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Few Anesthesiologists Screen Elderly for Frailty, Dementia
TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Few U.S. anesthesiologists report preoperative screening for frailty or dementia or postoperative screening for delirium among older adults, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in Perioperative Medicine.
2018 Health Care Spending Up Due to Higher Prices
MONDAY, March 9, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Average employer-sponsored insurance spending rose to $5,892 per person in 2018, according to the Health Care Cost Institute annual Health Care Cost and Utilization Report.
Health Care Cost and Utilization Report
Female Clinical Chairs Paid Significantly Less Than Men
THURSDAY, March 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There are significant sex differences in salaries of clinical department chairs in public medical schools in the United States, according to a research letter published online March 2 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Racial/Ethnic Insurance Coverage Disparity Down Since ACA
WEDNESDAY, March 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Since the implementation of coverage expansions associated with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the disparities in insurance coverage related to race and ethnicity have decreased, according to a study published in the March issue of Health Affairs.
Health Insurers Cutting Anesthesiologists’ Contracts
TUESDAY, March 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Insurers may be forcing more anesthesiologists to be out of network, according to survey results released by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).
1996 to 2016 Saw Increases in U.S. Spending on Health Care
TUESDAY, March 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 1996 to 2016, there were considerable increases in U.S. spending on health care, according to a study published in the March 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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