Although commonly performed in patients undergoing ICD implantation, routine defibrillation testing may increase complications without producing any improvement in outcomes, according to presentation at the Heart Rhythm Society meeting in San Francisco. Researchers in the international SIMPLE trial randomized some 2500 patients to testing or no testing. By 3 years’ follow-up there was no difference […]
Read MoreA new frailty score derived from the comprehensive geriatric assessment may predict postoperative mortality in the elderly better than conventional methods, researchers conclude in JAMA Surgery. Nearly 300 patients aged 65 and older who were undergoing elective surgery at a single hospital were scored on nine preoperative characteristics: malignancy, comorbidities, albumin level, activities of daily […]
Read MoreHeftiest HIPAA Penalty Yet from Federal Regulators This is an important article for our readers to see how serious the federal government is about HIPAA violation enforcement. The Department of Health and Human Services has issued its largest HIPAA enforcement actionto date, entering settlements totaling $4.8 million with two New York organizations tied to the […]
Read MoreA new study says ambulatory centers perform surgery more efficiently than hospitals and could allow the nation’s health care providers to keep pace with demand. The study, published in the May issue of the journal Health Affairs, was authored by health economists Elizabeth Munnich of the University of Louisville and Stephen Parente of the University […]
Read MoreFor the past decade, healthcare providers have been in the vanguard of efforts to combat the abuse and diversion of opioid pain medications such as Oxycontin. Now state and federal officials and health plans are joining the fray. For the rest of his time on Earth, one of my best friends will be walking the […]
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