I wanted to share this with our readers. The federal government won’t release data next month on some research payments to doctors. Health officials had acknowledged previously that the database wouldn’t include one-third of payments made by pharmaceutical and medical device companies. A new problem has emerged with the federal government’s Open Payments system, which […]
Read MoreAll of our readers take care of Medicare patients so I wanted to share this with them. It’s often said that where Medicare goes, private payers will follow. For hospitals, health systems and other providers, it has been the most influential healthcare program for the industry in recent decades. Medicare continues to play a prominent […]
Read MoreThe per capita surgery rate in the United States is some 50 percent higher than in the European Union countries, and that higher demand is apparently driving up prices dramatically. The prices for procedures such as gallbladder surgery–which is now an outpatient procedure that does not require a multi-day hospital stay–rose more than 20 percent […]
Read MoreASA continues to strongly support the availability of vial sizes appropriate for the labeled use and dosing of the product. Fresenius Kabi, for example, recently released Diprivan® in 10 mL single patient infusion vials. In a June 12, 2014 formal comment letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ASA emphasized that critical anesthesia drugs […]
Read MoreManaging pain can be tough, whether you’re one of the 100 million Americans with chronic pain, or only suffer from the occasional backache or headache. September is National Pain Awareness Month, the perfect time to make sure you’re managing your pain the best way possible. While many people can manage pain on their own, or […]
Read MoreI received this from the ASA so I wanted to share it with our readers. A recent literature review by the Cochrane Collaboration found no scientific evidence that care provided by a nurse anesthetist is as safe and effective as patient-centered, physician-led anesthesia care, prompting the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA®) to call for further […]
Read MoreAuthors: Biller J et al., Stroke 2014 Aug 7; A statement from the AHA/ASA notes an association, but causation is unclear. Recent epidemiologic studies have suggested a rising frequency of stroke in young adults. Arterial dissection is one of the leading causes of stroke in young adults. Several activities involving hyperextension of the neck have […]
Read MoreHospitals have found a way to save money by using technology and new medical techniques to cut down on pricey blood transfusions, but it has come at the expense of thousands of jobs in the blood banking sector, the New York Times reports. Even as the population ages and traditionally requires more blood during surgeries, […]
Read MoreCombination hydrocodone products, currently considered Schedule III drugs, will be reclassified as Schedule II because of their high risk for abuse. The new regulation from the Drug Enforcement Administration will take effect in 45 days. “Schedule II drugs … are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse, less abuse potential than Schedule I […]
Read MoreThis is for our readers who treat pain patients. Chronic pain is a difficult development area for both drug and device developers; creating a product that effectively reduces pain and is sufficiently tolerable over long periods remains a challenge. Now sufferers with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder pain have a new device option that has proven […]
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