Dexmedetomidine is effective for conscious sedation during dissection of colorectal lesions and is associated with greater patient satisfaction with the procedure, researchers have found. The randomized study found that dexmedetomidine (Precedex, Hospira) may be an appealing substitute for propofol, which has a relatively smaller margin of safety, or for deeper sedation with other agents. “We […]
Read MoreNew American Hospital Report says that today’s problems also make it harder for rural providers to prepare for tomorrow’s challenges. By Nathan Eddy A multitude of challenges is threatening the stability of rural hospitals in America, a report from the American Hospital Association (AHA) found. Recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals is an ongoing challenge and expense, which […]
Read MoreBy JASON DEBRUYN Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina headquarters in Durham. CREDIT BCBSNC It’s become cliché for executives of health systems and insurers to talk about the need to move away from a fee-for-service reimbursement model toward one that pays for value and rewards health providers for keeping patients healthy, not for simply […]
Read MoreAuthors: Teresa S. Jones, M.D. et al Anesthesiology 3 2019, Vol.130, 492-501. Operating room fires are rare but devastating events. Guidelines are available for the prevention and management of surgical fires; however, these recommendations are based on expert and case series. The three components of an operating room fire are present in virtually all surgical procedures: […]
Read MoreBy Amy Orciari Herman The drug overdose death rate among women aged 30 to 64 increased dramatically from 1999 to 2017 — from 6.7 to 24.3 per 100,000 population — according to an analysis of national mortality data inMMWR. Significant increases were seen in overdose deaths from synthetic opioids (increase of 1643%), heroin (915%), benzodiazepines […]
Read MoreAuthors: Nicholas G. Bircher, M.D. Anesthesiology 3 2019, Vol.130, 414-422. What We Already Know about This Topic: Rapid response to witnessed, pulseless cardiac arrest is associated with increased survival. What This Article Tells Us That Is New: Assessment of witnessed, pulseless cardiac arrests occurring at 538 hospitals during a 9-yr period indicates that CPR did not […]
Read MoreAuthors: VandenBerg J et al. J Emerg Med 2018 Dec 28 But plain films may still be a good starting place. Unlike for cervical spine injury, there are no decision tools to predict thoracolumbar spine fractures or guide imaging decisions. Some diagnostic pathways, such as from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, recommend screening for […]
Read MoreAuthors: Tim Rahmel, M.D. Anesthesiology 3 2019, Vol.130, 404-413. What We Already Know about This Topic: Acute respiratory distress syndrome is defined according to clinical criteria, but lack of precise characterization may contribute to negative trials and impede personalized care. Polymorphisms of aquaporin-5, a key mediator of inflammation, may impact outcome. What This Article Tells Us […]
Read MoreAuthors: Meg Bryant Healthcare Dive Dive Brief: A new study suggests urgent care centers are impacting the use of emergency departments for minor illnesses and injuries, but only in locations with multiple UCCs. The multistate study by the National Bureau of Economic Research compared nonemergent ED use when UCCs were open and closed. The results […]
Read MoreAuthors: Katherine T. Forkin, M.D. et al Anesthesiology 2 2019, Vol.130, 314-321. What We Know about This Topic: Patient perception of physician competence may depend on physician sex and body language What This Article Tells Us That Is New: Actor anesthesiologists who maintained confident, high-power poses were considered smarter, more competent, more likely to be seen […]
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