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October 9, 2012

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Critical Care Update

ICU policies on multidrug-resistant organisms vary, survey says
A survey of 250 U.S. hospitals found ICUs vary widely in screenings and interventions for multidrug-resistant organisms, researchers reported in the American Journal of Infection Control. Data showed 40% of ICUs had a policy calling for screening all patients, while 27% screened periodically. PhysiciansBriefing.com/HealthDay News (10/5)

Fresh, older blood comparable for transfusions in preemies
Researchers found no difference in outcomes between the transfusion of fresh blood (stored for a week or less) and the transfusion of older blood (stored for a month or more) in underweight premature babies, according to a Canadian study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "The current transfusion [guidelines] for neonates shouldn't change," said lead researcher Dean Fergusson from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News (10/8)

6 Lessons Learned About Hospital Smartphone Integration
As more and more hospitals work to incorporate smartphones into their communication network, they have learned important lessons that can help other facilities make a smooth transition. Read white paper.

Medicine in the News

Very ill teens, young adults prefer planning their end-of-life care
U.S. researchers surveyed 52 16- to 28-year-olds diagnosed with metastatic or recurrent cancer or HIV infection and found that they preferred selecting and recording specific details for their end-of-life care. Researchers incorporated the feedback to create Voicing My Choices, a document that gives young people the opportunity to reflect on their life and make choices about their care. The findings appear in the journal Pediatrics. PhysiciansBriefing.com/HealthDay News (10/8)

CDC: Tainted steroid shots could put thousands in danger
Up to 13,000 patients across 23 states were treated with steroid shots linked to a fungal meningitis outbreak, CDC officials announced on Monday, but it's not clear how many of those shots were contaminated. The number of cases reached 105 on Monday, including eight deaths. Symptoms have surfaced one to four weeks after patients were treated with the shots. The Washington Post/The Associated Press (10/8), The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (10/8)

Trends and Technology

RFID consortium looks to commercialize blood monitoring system
The Transfusion Medicine RFID Consortium, which consists of several blood centers, hospital systems and companies, has selected S3Edge to commercialize a new RFID and barcode-based blood product monitoring system. The tracking system includes mobile, desktop and server software applications that can be used to determine the exact location of blood products, even while they are in transit. The BloodCenter of Wisconsin and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics are using the system in a pilot initiative, and they say so far, results have been promising. Healthcare IT News (10/5)

Health care industry hiring picks up in Sept.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show the health care industry generated 43,500 more jobs last month. Hospitals added 8,000 employees, while jobs in physician's offices grew by 6,600. Modern Healthcare (free registration) (10/5)

SmartQuote

If it's very painful for you to criticize your friends -- you're safe in doing it. But if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that's the time to hold your tongue."

--Alice Duer Miller,
American writer and poet

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