Most patients who seek treatment for infection-like symptoms receive a prescription for antibiotics, according to the January 2019 IBM Watson Health-NPR Health Poll.  By Mackenzie Bean - 1/17/19

The Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center nurse who accused the hospital of retaliating against him for speaking out against adding the Facebook founder's name to the facility discussed his position in The San Francisco Examiner.  By Megan Knowles - 1/17/19

The Pennsylvania Department of Health cited Connellsville, Pa.-based Highlands Hospital for violating a patient's rights by failing to ensure the patient received respectful care.  By Megan Knowles - 1/17/19

A lack of insurance is associated with poorer care quality and patient outcomes among adults hospitalized for a heart attack, a study published in JAMA Cardiology found.  By Megan Knowles - 1/17/19

Pediatric patients who receive solid organ transplants are hospitalized due to vaccine-preventable infections at significantly higher rates than the general population, a study published in JAMA Pediatrics found.  By Megan Knowles - 1/17/19

Ten years ago, Ohio's eight children's hospitals developed a plan to improve patient safety — and the hospitals have saved an estimated $173 million, The Columbus Dispatch reports.  By Megan Knowles - 1/17/19

New York has had 177 measles cases reported since fall 2018 — one of the most severe outbreaks of the disease the state has seen in decades, according to The New York Times.  By Megan Knowles - 1/17/19

Healthcare providers inappropriately prescribe antibiotics 25 percent of the time, according to a study published in The BMJ.  By Mackenzie Bean - 1/17/19

A second lawsuit was filed against Columbus, Ohio-based Mount Carmel Health System and one of its former physicians after an internal investigation revealed the physician ordered excessive and potentially fatal pain medication doses for at least 27 patients between 2015-18, according to The Columbus Dispatch.  By Megan Knowles - 1/17/19

Physicians may increasingly be called upon to help counsel patients interested in genetic testing — a complicated task that requires educating patients about the risks of genetic tests and helping them interpret their results, according to the most recent edition of the American College of Physicians' ethics manual.  By Jessica Kim Cohen - 1/16/19

Researchers from Princeton (N.J.) University are using machine learning to design a system that could reduce the frequency of tests and improve the timing of critical treatments for intensive care unit patients.  By Megan Knowles - 1/16/19

Church officials in New Mexico and Pennsylvania are telling Catholic parishioners to refrain from touching others during mass to help avoid spreading the flu, according to U.S. News & World Report.  By Megan Knowles - 1/16/19

A recent blog post by Premier Inc. reviews the five elements of achieving optimal care delivery. By Staff - 1/16/19

A study published in PLOS ONE examined the cost-effectiveness of penicillin skin testing among inpatients undergoing treatment for methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.  By Anuja Vaidya - 1/16/19

For the second time in its history, Atlanta-based Grady Memorial Hospital is putting a mobile emergency department in its parking lot to brace for an uptick in flu cases, NBC-affiliate TV station WXIA reports.  By Megan Knowles - 1/16/19

Lawyers for two former patients of Saddle Brook, N.J.-based HealthPlus Surgery Center, which the state temporarily shut down due to poor sterilization practices, said their clients tested positive for hepatitis B, the North Jersey Record reports.  By Megan Knowles - 1/16/19

Milwaukee-based Froedtert Health will pay $360,000 in forfeitures, court costs and attorney fees in a settlement linked to the disposal of hazardous waste from Froedtert Hospital, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  By Megan Knowles - 1/16/19

The "LACE index," a tool physicians and nurses often use to determine hospital patients' readmission risk, may have a blind spot, according to new research from Morgantown-based West Virginia University.  By Megan Knowles - 1/16/19

More than 32 million U.S. patients have a documented penicillin allergy, but studies have found more than 95 percent can be treated safely with this class of antibiotics. Providers can use several practices to verify a documented penicillin allergy and avoid spreading drug resistance, researchers report in JAMA.  By Megan Knowles - 1/16/19

Overall antibiotic prescribing among dermatologists fell between 2008-16, but postoperative antibiotic prescriptions increased, according to a study published in JAMA Dermatology.  By Mackenzie Bean - 1/16/19