The number of cases at California hospitals in which surgical equipment was inadvertently left inside patients rose from 153 two years ago to 197 last year, a 29 percent increase, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle.

A survey by the Medical Group Management Association found that hospital-owned medical practices were more successful than other practice types in attracting physicians in 2009, according to an MGMA news release.

A joint effort by 53 Ohio hospitals has reduced central line-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care units by 48 percent in six months, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.

Somnia Anesthesia Services recently presented a free webinar entitled "Keeping Your Surgeons Satisfied — The Role of Anesthesia Management in Meeting Their Demands and Optimizing the OR."

A survey conducted by MedAxiom, a network of 300 cardiology practices, shows roughly 60 percent of practices have already integrated with a hospital or are considering it.

A study of Medicare patients hospitalized for heart failure between 1993-2006 showed shorter lengths of stay and lower rates of in-hospital mortality but higher readmission rates. The study was published in the June 2 Journal of the American Medical Association.

The increasing rate of hospital-acquired infections costs U.S. hospitals up to $45 billion annually, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the average cost per infection case is $15,275. Another troubling fact is that hospital-acquired infections, such a…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has alerted healthcare professionals to stop using certain IV bags of metronidazole, ondansetron and ciprofloxacin due to reports of floating matter and possible contamination in IV bags manufactured by Claris Lifesciences Limited, according to…

To survive health reform, public hospitals will have to start operating more like private hospitals or else dramatically cut costs, according to a report by the Texas Tribune.

Kansas City, Mo.-based St. Luke's Health System has strengthened its partnership with 37-physician Cardiovascular Consultants, according to a St. Luke's news release.