Clinical

This channel newsfeed includes clinical content on treating patients or the clinical implications in a variety of cardiac subspecialties and disease states. The channel includes news on cardiac surgery, interventional cardiology, heart failure, electrophysiology, hypertension, structural heart disease, use of pharmaceuticals, and COVID-19.

Bird flu in cows: Interesting anomaly or troubling harbinger of things to come?
The avian influenza virus H5N1 has only turned up in two humans in the U.S., but its recent spread to dairy cattle has some experts on at least slightly elevated alert.
Boston Scientific recalls premixed embolic agent after two deaths
There have been a total of 11 incidents so far, including seven injuries and two deaths. Boston Scientific said the agent can still be used if operators follow specific instructions during lower GI bleed embolization procedures.
Measles is on the march from airports to places near us
The U.S. eradicated measles in 2000. Today it’s making a comeback. What explains the unhappy revival?
Critics call out ‘woefully inadequate’ CMS proposal for inpatient Medicare payments
CMS has issued its proposed rule for the 2025 Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment system, suggesting a payment increase of 2.6%. According to the American Hospital Association, this update would not be enough at a time when hospitals are already struggling to stay open.
Johnson & Johnson to acquire Shockwave Medical for $13.1B
The rumors, it seems, were true. Once the deal is finalized, Shockwave Medical will operate as a business unit within Johnson & Johnson MedTech.

US life expectancy rising from COVID downturn

The COVID-19 pandemic shaved 2.4 years off U.S. life expectancy, and the population has yet to fully recover from the setback.

November 30, 2023

American Heart Association and Joint Commission launch new Comprehensive Heart Attack Center certification.

CVD deaths have increased dramatically, undoing years of progress

The COVID-19 pandemic undid years and years of progress in terms of preventing CVD-related deaths. What can be done to help reverse this trend once and for all?

November 15, 2023

Hypertension patients measured their blood pressure less frequently during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research published in Hypertension. In addition, when those patients did measure their blood pressure, the readings were less healthy than they had been before the pandemic.

Cardiologist reprimanded for performing surgery after testing positive for COVID-19

He has agreed to pay an administrative fee of $1,100 within the next three months.

November 14, 2023

FDA announces Class I recall of nearly 2,000 catheter kits

Medical facilities and distributors have been advised to immediately discontinue the use of these devices due to a significant labeling issue.

November 7, 2023

Watchdog’s hospital safety scores show the South standing tall

Last week a business publication reported data showing the Northeast is the best region in the U.S. for healthcare while the South is the worst. Well, what a difference a week makes.

November 7, 2023

Video of Patrick McGill, MD, explaining how Community Health Network in Indiana eliminated more than 5 million nuisance alerts.

Indiana hospitals reduce nuisance alerts by 77% with medication decision support software

"Changing just six alerts in the system knocked out about 5 million alerts annually," explained Patrick McGill, MD, executive vice president and chief transformation officer at CHN.

November 6, 2023

US infant mortality takes a turn for the worse

In calendar year 2022, annual infant mortality alarmingly rose in four states while receding to a reassuring degree in just one.

November 2, 2023

Patients receive unnecessary coronary stents during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures at an alarming rate, according to a new report from the Lown Institute. The analysis included approximately 1 million stent procedures performed at more than 1,700 U.S. hospitals and outpatient facilities from 2019 to 2021.

‘More dangerous than useful’: 1 in 5 coronary stents implanted by cardiologists are unnecessary, wasting $800M per year

A cardiologist-led think tank tracked data from more than 1 million procedures, exploring the clinical and economic impacts of implanting low-value coronary stents.

October 31, 2023

Around the web

Cardiovascular Business

Cardiologist salary update: Compensation jumps to $525K per year, No. 3 among all specialties

In addition, cardiologists average an additional $75,000 per year in incentive-based bonuses. That number is only higher for two other specialties.

Cardiovascular Business

Critics call out ‘woefully inadequate’ CMS proposal for inpatient Medicare payments

CMS has issued its proposed rule for the 2025 Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment system, suggesting a payment increase of 2.6%. According to the American Hospital Association, this update would not be enough at a time when hospitals are already struggling to stay open.

Cardiovascular Business

Johnson & Johnson to acquire Shockwave Medical for $13.1B

The rumors, it seems, were true. Once the deal is finalized, Shockwave Medical will operate as a business unit within Johnson & Johnson MedTech.

Clinical

Bird flu in cows: Interesting anomaly or troubling harbinger of things to come?

Boston Scientific recalls premixed embolic agent after two deaths

Measles is on the march from airports to places near us

Critics call out ‘woefully inadequate’ CMS proposal for inpatient Medicare payments

Johnson & Johnson to acquire Shockwave Medical for $13.1B

Around the web